Work Abroad Advisor

International Experience

How to Use What You Have to Help You Get the Job You Want

By Dr. Bob Sanborn and Cheryl Matherly

It’s a small world after all, a world of NAFTA and the EC, where global economies are the scale of preference for business. Magazines and newspapers are filled with stories about the global workplace and growing international opportunities. But what does a global workplace really mean for those of us looking for international jobs? Does it mean international assignments to London? Frequent flyer miles galore?

For most of us, the perks will only come after years of hard work and proven success in the workplace. A recent study by the Rand Corporation and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) assessed the human resources implications of the new global workplace. The employers said that while many jobs will involve international assignments and frequent travel, most emphasized that what they really need are people comfortable working in a cross-cultural environment that may or may not be located outside the U.S. Engineering projects are often completed in cooperation with partners in foreign countries. Marketing strategies are increasingly designed to promote consumer products outside the U.S. And the Internet means that workers in the U.S. work with clients in remote locations of the world.

So while international experience is important, it is unlikely that you will be hired because you have studied abroad, traveled in Europe, or know a foreign language. In fact, if you emphasize an international experience too much, either on a resume or in an interview, some employers may jump to the not-so-silly conclusion that you are either mostly interested in travel or looking immediately for an international assignment—something that even in a global workplace will be hard to find.

When starting your job search, remember that you will be hired first and foremost for your industry knowledge and practical skills. This should be the highlight of your resume and your interview. Focus on what you can do for an employer, not on where you have been or what you have studied. Your international experience can be the icing on the cake, the factor that can help you win a job over a similarly qualified candidate.

Consider this list of skills you may not even know you have:

• Problem solver: Employers look for candidates who can efficiently and creatively solve problems that arise on the job. In the Rand Corporation/NACE study, employers listed solid “cognitive skills,” including problem solving ability, among the core competencies they expected in new employees.

Living and traveling abroad present unique challenges that require creative solutions. Think about the variety of situations you can use as an example to demonstrate your problem solving skills. What did you do when you arrived in a town only to find that all the hostels were full? What did you do when your purse was stolen in a taxi? Use examples like these and present them in a way which shows their applicability to the real world of work.

• Flexibility and adaptability to new situations: A successful international experience requires that you be constantly flexible—trying new cuisines, adapting to life with a host family, or sharing a couchette on a train with strangers. Employers can expect that the same flexibility and ability to learn new skills abroad will help you successfully adapt to a new workplace or a new city.

• Independence: For many people who have not traveled abroad—and for many who have—living abroad is frightening. Employers are impressed with people who have deliberately left their comfort zone and sought a new challenge. Your international experience is evidence of self-confidence that comes with independent travel.

• Awareness of cultural differences: While international experience gives you an obvious advantage here, employers are unlikely to be impressed by the knowledge you gained about a particular country or culture as they are by your overall awareness of cultural differences and your ability to adapt. For example, experience teaching English in South Korea for a summer is unlikely to be enough to convince an employer that you are an expert on Asian cultures. It is, however, evidence that you can successfully learn to work with people different from yourself.

If your interviewer has never traveled abroad, your stories may have little impact. Remember, your international stories should demonstrate your skills and not just be a description of your summer trip on Eurail. Use your stories to demonstrates your abilities without boasting of your time abroad.

In sum, your experience living and traveling abroad has provided you with far more than just several rolls of film of cathedrals and monuments. You have returned with a wealth of employable skills. Learning to market these on your resume or during a job interview can take your experience from just interesting to invaluable.

DR. ROBERT SANBORN is Dean for Student Affairs at Hampshire College, Amherst, MA. CHERYL MATHERLY is the Director of Career Services at Rice Univ., Houston, TX.