The world is more globalized than ever with almost every organization, regardless of the job sector, containing some type of international component. What better way to grow the skills that will benefit your career than by studying abroad? To take full advantage of how your Education Abroad program can influence your career, it is important to consider its career relevance before, during and after your experience abroad.

Before Going Abroad

Education Abroad has hundreds of program available, all of which offer a range of opportunities for you to gain experience and hone your employability. Careful consideration of the following will allow you to better integrate your education abroad program with your career aspirations:

1. Identify your professional development goals. Key questions to consider: 
   • What type of career are you hoping to pursue? What are the different positions within the field and the various pathways to securing such positions? What key skills are necessary to be successful in your field? How can an international experience make you stand out in your field?
   • Not positive what type of career you are looking for? That is very normal – consider what your interests are, what type of field you could see yourself in, and is there a field you would like to learn more about?
2. Choosing a program. Keep your professional (and academic) goals as you select a program. What program features would best help you develop knowledge and experiences for your future career?
3. Articulate your goals. Articulating your professional goals in your program and scholarship applications can make you a stronger candidate.
4. Plan for being abroad. Think about what experiences you could have – academically, socially, and professionally – while you are abroad that will add value to your education abroad experience and employability. What activities do you want to participate in, places you want to visit and people you want to meet that can help you achieve your professional development goals? Are there opportunities to network and complete informational interviews while you are abroad?

While Abroad

Your Educational Abroad experience provides an opportunity for you to meet new people, visit new places, and have experiences that all contribute to your employability. Take responsibility of your learning and fully engage by making connections and documenting your experience!

Here are some tips for building the career-related experiences, skills, and qualities employers are looking for:

1. Immerse yourself in the culture. Be engaged. Be curious.
2. Observe communication styles. By observing the cultural norms and behavior of your host country you can better understand workplace (and social) dynamics and learn more about the culture and local society. 
3. Develop professional networks. Conduct informational interviews with CU Boulder alumni who are living in your host country, interview a local professional in a career field you are interested in exploring, or simply get to know the faculty members and staff you work with while abroad. One key outcome to these professional connections is references or letters of recommendation.
4. Document your experience. Reflect on your experience, while you’re in it and it’s fresh. Keep a journal or video blog, take photos, or find another outlet to share and express your experience. Documenting and reflecting while abroad will allow you to more easily add these components to your resume or portfolio, incorporate them into a graduate school personal statement, and formulate relevant (and more in depth) talking points for interviews.

After Studying Abroad

To truly get the most out of your experience abroad, take some time to "unpack" your experience.  It is not only important to think about what you did, but also what you learned from it and how you can apply that knowledge to future situations.   A potential employer or graduate school committee member may not have studied abroad or understand the advantage that gives you. It's up to you to effectively communicate the skills and proficiencies you gained abroad and how those attributes can be transferred to the workplace or graduate school environment.

 

Define your experience abroad for employers and graduate school

• Reflect on your experience abroad, what you learned (academically, professionally, and about yourself), and what skills you gained.
• Update your resume to articulate your experience and the skills you developed while abroad.
• Add your education abroad program to a cover letter by including an example of your international experience demonstrating how your skills can contribute to the needs of the organization.
• Secure a letter of recommendation or references.
• Prepare for an interview, going beyond “it was great”. Practice articulating the value of your experience abroad, utilizing the tips outlined above and evaluating the professional development goals you identified.
• To help you get started, review the Define Your Experience Abroad for Employers resource and schedule a meeting with CU’s Career Services.

Be Involved

• Apply to work in our office
• Go abroad again to study, research, intern, work or volunteer
• Share your story in The Global Buffs Gazette, CU Boulder Education Abroad’s newsletter!

Thank you to the University of Minnesota’s Learning Abroad Office and NAFSA’s Incorporating Education Abroad into Your Career Plan for the guidance and this information.