How does study abroad help your career?

1. It gives you actual foreign language experience.

While studying abroad, during even in the simplest of interactions, you will be learning how to communicate in new ways daily. Depending on the language of your host country, you might resort to using a hybrid form of the English language, hand gestures, or a completely new language in your day to day interactions. You will learn to decipher facial expressions, body language, and gestures, in order to successfully understand others and communicate your own opinions, needs, and questions. Whatever method you use to communicate while studying abroad, you will be developing important cross-cultural communication skills that will undoubtedly help you in your future career.

2. It exposes you to the joys of project management / juggling multiple responsibilities.

Having studied abroad, you are now more equipped to handle high intensity, demanding job roles, regardless of the field.

3. You’ll develop an appreciation (and knack) for living away from home.

It’s almost impossible to avoid getting bit by the travel bug once you’ve been abroad. The aesthetically pleasing architecture, unfamiliar culture, and distinct mentality will cause you to crave more. Going on a day trip or hopping over to another country, you’ll figure out how to get from place to place by either by doing comprehensive research or by winging it. Though it might be surprising to you, both options provide great skills for the workforce.

Studying abroad opens your eyes to new ways of living, both for others and for yourself. Maybe you like the liberating freedom that comes with living abroad. Maybe you enjoy the every day challenge that comes from language barriers and subtle cultural barriers. 

4. You will become more independent and refine your decision making skills.

Study abroad career opportunities can be homegrown from your university campus. Start actively volunteering in your office or become an ambassador for your study abroad program. The key is to make strong connections in the field prior to the start of your job hunt. Gather and collect as much information about working in the field as possible, including job possibilities, professional organizations, if you’re lucky, you’ll proactively seek a mentor in the field , those who are fortunate enough to have established their own study abroad careers and usually very willing to help you jumpstart yours.