International Ambitions

By Jasmine Knowles 

May 2010

In today's challenging economic times it is becoming more and more prevalent for current students and those entering the work force to look for opportunities abroad. Many students, due to the lack of jobs available in the United States, look for opportunities abroad that not only leveraged their skills, but also give them much needed work experience.

Kwame Marfo, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor '09 works in the financial services industry in London. He advises that for those interested in interning abroad, start early. "Trying to get an employment opportunity of any sort in a foreign country is a frustrating and incredibly arduous task," he says. Due to various requirements for permission to work in each country, he found a head start allowed him to make his application deadlines.

Assistant Director of International Programs and Opportunities at the University of Virginia Denise Karaoli advises student to "have a value proposition of why that company in that region should hire them." Prior study abroad experience and fluency in several languages is not always enough. "The bottom line is that they want students who are interested in retainment, not entertainment."

Finding an internship might be harder than securing a full-time position, she warns. "Companies are very weary about giving jobs as just a 'summer experience.' They want to give those jobs to students who they believe will have a long term commitment to that company and that region." Karaoli suggests illustrating interest in cross-cultural activities to help reassure a corporation that you have long-term interests in living abroad.

Applying directly for international companies is not the only option to finding work abroad. Karaoli shares that, "another strategy is to go with multinational companies that may have rotational programs sending you to different countries or working for a U.S. company where overseas travel is a huge part of your job."

When interning or working abroad it is also vital to understand that you must make adjustments to adapt to a new intercultural environment. Diana Lozano, Washington University in St. Louis '05, who worked a three-month contract in Tokyo, Japan, states, "I made sure I studied differences between the Japanese and American way of doing business." To fully prepare, she attended a seminar geared toward those preparing themselves to work abroad, read articles and books, and sought advice from Japanese friends.

Discrepancies in non-verbal communication were particularly important for her to comprehend. "When you speak to a Japanese person, never move your hands or point at someone. It is considered an invasion of their space and impolite," she learned.