International Education and Your Career
- 1. INTERNATIONAL STUDY AND YOUR CAREER THE VALUE OF YOUR STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE International Study. You know the value it will bring you. You will be stronger, with greater insight than those who didn’t step out. Your planet is smaller, your insights are larger, and your mind has been freed to see connections and solutions like never before. This new YOU is more marketable than ever for that next step in life — wherever the path takes you. YOUR RESUME It is critical to TAILOR your resume to the organization and position. Things to consider adding include: Classes (classes specific to the job you are applying for) Language skills (reading, writing, and speaking proficiency) Community involvement (how you integrated yourself into a new culture) Research (specific topics related to major or job) HIGHLIGHT YOUR SKILLS EFFECTIVELY A FOUR-STEP PROCESS 1) Start with an action verb Adapted to foreign living environment 2) Add qualifiers Adapted to overseas living in Viterbo, Italy 3) Add quantifiers Adapted to overseas living in Viterbo, Italy during a 12-month cultural exchange program 4) Add results/impact Adapted to overseas living in Viterbo, Italy during a 12-month exchange program, while successfully completing an anthropology degree Highlight your value relative to employer needs — in writing and in person Skills Communication Problem-solving Listening/Observing Handle ambiguity Organization/Attention to Detail Knowledge Research Foreign language Technical Time management Identify problems Personal Characteristics Adaptability Flexibility Self-reliant Resourceful Cultural sensitivity/awareness
- 2. BEFORE YOU PACK Build your study abroad experience with your future career in mind, and this experience will be much more valuable! To get the most out of your experience, you should strategically plan your experience in a way that will provide you with critical career-related skills. ASSESS NEEDED SKILLS Career Services can help you determine which career-related skills, abilities, knowledge, and experience you will need to demonstrate in order to be career-ready. These should be tailored towards your career goals. A few brief examples: I’M INTERESTED IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Skills/Knowledge Needed: Experience Valued: Active listening Analyzing and processing data or information Time management Computer interaction Judgment/decision making Establishing interpersonal relationships Problem solving/critical thinking Provide consultation/advice to others I’M INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Skills/Knowledge Needed: Experience Valued: Complex problem solving Monitoring of processes, materials, and surroundings Mathematical reasoning Documenting/recording information Systems analysis Developing objectives and strategies I’M INTERESTED IN SOCIAL WORK/HUMAN SERVICES Skills/Knowledge Needed: Experience Valued: Social perceptiveness Documenting and recording information Active listening/learning Organizing and planning work Personnel resource management Communication with variety of people DESIGN YOUR PROGRAM Put yourself in situations where you will have to develop and hone critical skills in your chosen career path. A few examples: I am a biology major wanting to go into environmental science as a career, particularly ocean studies. My study abroad experience at James Cook University will focus on rainforest preservation, but I plan on volunteering extra time at the JCU coral reef research station to expand my knowledge in reef and marine management. Putting in this extra time will allow me to demonstrate to my next employer that I possess the skills and experience related to ocean studies. I am a theater major and I’ll be studying at La Sorbonne in Paris. My studies will focus on broadcast communication, but through LinkedIn, I connected with a SUNY Oswego alumni who works with the Theatre De La Michodiere. She has agreed to let me volunteer there ten hours per week, network with the performers, and conduct informational interviews with producers and crew. This should provide me with great experience for my resume, contacts in the field, and a letter of reference to provide future employers. I am a Psychology major and I’ll be studying at the University of Pecs in Hungary. My plan is to focus my research on forced cohabitation, ethnic conflict, and the plight of Syrian refugees. I have researched many local agencies, and the Pecs Model of School Social Work has agreed to let me volunteer on the weekends. I’ll use this added experience to support my research and broaden my experience.
- 3. YOU’VE GOT 30 SECONDS! There are many situations where you can market your work or study abroad — career fairs, networking events, social situations, etc. Employers will often start with a “small question” such as “Oh, I see you spent a semester studying in Spain, how was that?” Time is limited so be prepared! Your international journey is important enough to try and integrate into any description about your skills and experience! 10 SECOND TAGLINE Prepare a quick response to questions like “What are your future plans?” or “Tell me about yourself.” Keep it short and simple, but complete enough to get your message across without taking up loads of time or getting bogged down in detail. Examples could be: I’m an International Business senior at SUNY Oswego. I held two part-time jobs to raise enough money for college and to enable me to go on a four-week international program to Quito, Ecuador. I’m a Biology Junior at SUNY Oswego. I’ve loved the environment my entire life. My hope is that the two weeks I spent studying reef and marine communities in Honduras last year will help me get this internship in Florida. I’m a sociology senior at SUNY Oswego. I believe my extensive experience in Shanghai, China, including my improved Mandarin, will make me a better candidate for the teaching fellowship in your graduate program. 30 SECOND PITCH Once you have them “hooked”, you can begin to expand on your points through a “30 second commercial.” You’ll want to focus on 3-4 key points that you believe are most important. Have an introduction, content, and then a summary. Avoid the common shock stories — “We went Bungee Jumping off the Great Wall of China!” or “We didn’t sleep for three days as we traveled across four countries.” Modify them or devise a new set of cross-cultural career-related stories. Remember to: Describe your role when working with student teams while abroad. Describe your encounters when meeting professionals working in your field. Speak about personal encounters that gave you insight into the local culture. Speak about workplace related linkages between your country and the host country. Three or four of these pre-scripted career stories should suffice when job searching. One story alone is often enough to demonstrate a whole grouping of professional skills, knowledge, etc. Examples can include: “My experience in Germany was one of personal transformation. While studying German through the University of Leipzig and volunteering at the local school with fourth graders in Saxony, I discovered my true desire to teach others in a second language and hone my ability to engage with a variety of cultures.” “Living and studying on the southern edge of the Pacific rim taught me so much about myself and my future career aspirations. I realized that working in the field of design and creative technology could only be mastered if you approached it from a variety of cultural perspectives. The vast cultural differences, including everything from education to transportation to doing laundry, taught me the value of being adaptable, flexible, and finding out-of-the- box solutions to both small and large challenges.” To prepare for career fairs, interviews, or even casual conversations, develop a stock pile of stories about your experience that will demonstrate how your international experience relates to the specific skills they need. SUNYOswegoStudyAbroad StudyAbroadOz #oswegoabroad
- 4. INTERVIEWING This is a great time to highlight the amazing experiences you had while abroad! Start reflecting and pick out the best specific examples of the skills that you have gained. Practice the CAR technique when describing your experiences: Context: What was the circumstance or challenge? Action: What was your role in the situation? Result: What was the solution? What impact did you have in the situation? SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTION RESPONSE How has your education prepared you for your career/this position? During my environmental science class, I had the opportunity to research with a group about the impact of how pollution can impact changes in amphibians. This class allowed me the opportunity to articulate how amphibians play an essential role in understanding the importance of climate change and how it impacts the surrounding environments. I was responsible for tracking all notes and results from the observation to provide for our final 15-page report and presentation. Our professor was impressed with the quality of work which resulted in a high grade for the project. I can easily apply my attention to detail and ability to complete tasks on-time to your entry level position. In what ways have your college experiences prepared you for your career? Studying abroad for the semester has truly taught me how to communicate with people of diverse backgrounds. Living in a town where no one speaks English really challenged me to apply my linguistic skills in everyday life. I studied Italian every day and practiced with language partners to continuously improve. In addition, I participated in conversations with my host family every evening to show that I wanted to integrate myself into their culture. The result was becoming fluent in the language and building lifelong friends. My ability to communicate and focus on building relationships is essential within this field. Other potential interview questions: Describe your experience with people who are different from you. Tell me about how you have reacted to a stressful situation. Describe your experiences collaborating with a diverse group of people. Give an example of when you had to think on your feet. Can you tell me about a time when you took a risk? What is one accomplishment that you are proud of? OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS 100 Sheldon Hall Oswego, New York 13126-3599 315.312.2118 [email protected] oswego.edu/international IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 145 Marano Campus Center Oswego, New York 13126-3599 315.312.2255 [email protected] oswego.edu/careerservices