California Community College Student Outcomes Abroad Research Project

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