Center for Global Education Logo
The Center for Global Education promotes international education to foster cross-cultural awareness, cooperation and understanding. Living and working effectively in a global society requires learning with an international perspective.

We promote this type of learning by collaborating with colleges, universities and other organizations around the world.

California Community College Student Outcomes Abroad Research Project

separator

Market Your Study Abroad Experience

How to Effectively Market Your Study Abroad Experience to Employers

Martin Tillman, AIFS Student Guide to Study Abroad & Career Development

The following are suggested steps you can take upon return to campus:

  • Visit a career services advisor to revise and edit your resumé to incorporate the new interpersonal skills and intercultural competencies that you strengthened while abroad.
  • Discuss ways to strengthen your cover letter to articulate how your study abroad experience is an asset for an employer.
  • Participate in campus or community programs that provide opportunities to practice articulating what you learned and the steps you took to gain or strengthen intercultural and professional skills.
  • Discuss your international experience with international students from the country in which you studied to gain a fresh perspective on the culture and values of that society.

As you prepare to conduct your job search, re-write your resumé, develop a cover letter, and prepare for interviews, keep in mind the qualities and skills that employers expect of a candidate who had studied abroad. These would include:

  • Strong problem solving skills and keen analytic ability
  • Tolerance for ambiguity and ability to adapt in new environments
  • Interpersonal communications skills
  • Cross-cultural competencies (could include language skills and ability to work well in different cultural settings)
  • Personal traits such as character, self-reliance, and dependability