California Community College Student Outcomes Abroad Research Project

Cover Letter

It is important to address the specific job you hope to acquire in your cover letter. These questions can help you focus.

• How does your experience relate to your field?
• What are the transferable skills?
• How might your international experience uniquely benefit a professional in that field?

Develop a strategy to specifically address these points in your cover letter or resume. Even if your career goals do not include a specific international dimension at this time, you can promote the general transferable skills, such as independence, confidence, and problem solving.

Resume

Be sure to locate your international experience in the best place or places on your resume for your intended job.

• If it is study program, consider listing the program in your education section rather than under activities or other experiences.
• If the experience included an internship, list the experience as a professional experience rather than as an activity.
• If you did an internship/work program but the work was not particularly related to your intended profession, list it as work experience but concentrate on the cross-cultural learning.
• If your resume includes a section for skills or proficiencies, include specific skills acquired or improved while abroad.