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5 Reasons Studying Abroad Can Benefit Your Career
For many students, the immediate costs of studying abroad can seem to outweigh the long-term benefits. You may be staring down higher accommodation fees than you’ve had to pay at home, and then there’s all that time away from your friends and family to factor in.
But if you let these things get in the way of you and the opportunity to study abroad, you’ll miss out on a seriously great addition to your resume. Employers are increasingly interested in graduates who have spent some time living and learning elsewhere, and your study experience abroad could even lead you directly to the job of your dreams. If you’re still not convinced, check out our top 5 reasons for why studying abroad is tantamount to an investment in your future career.
1) You’ll make long-lasting friends – which means future contacts!
One of the best things about studying abroad is the people you’ll meet. With hundreds of study abroad students all in one place and eager to make friends, it’s almost like starting college all over again.
Not only will this be great news for your social life at the time; meeting people from all over the world has long-term benefits, too. Though your friends may be undergraduates now, you can bet that since they’ve been accepted into a study abroad program, they – like you – are the brightest of the bunch. That means that in five, ten, fifteen years, they may well be the leaders in their respective fields – and so the perfect contacts for you, should you ever need to call on your global network of yo-pros.
2)Grad school committees will love you
Because the types of students who tend to apply for study abroad programs are often very academic, it’s common for a large proportion of them to go on to apply for grad school. If this is part of your plan, too, then you can bet that your study-abroad experience will strengthen your application significantly. In particular, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you can thrive in multiple school environments, which committees are always keen to see.
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3) You’ll learn a new language
If you’re planning on studying in a non-English speaking country or one where people speak multiple languages (such as Belize), then you’ll be able to build on your language skills. In today’s globalized world, multilingual workers are highly sought after – and if you can manage to fit into your undergrad career an immersive language experience abroad, then employers will be knocking down your door come graduation.
4) You’ll become more independent and savvy
The last thing employers want is a candidate who can’t think for themselves (or, even worse, a candidate who still looks to their parents for major life decisions). Moving abroad allows you the opportunity to develop your independence away from everyone and everything you know.
Along with cultivating your cultural consciousness, learning about different business methods, and discovering how to operate in another country’s educational system, you’ll work on your problem-solving and decision-making skills, and learn how to think autonomously in a more general sense.
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5) You’ll be one step ahead if you want to stay and work abroad
If you love the country you’re studying in so much that you want to stay following graduation, then you can count on your study abroad experience to push you farther up prospective employers’ candidate lists. Because you will have already acclimatized yourself to the geography, culture, and language of the country at hand, employers won’t have to worry about giving you an adjustment period – meaning you can get stuck right in to your international career. All that’s left is to find an overseas job that matches your experience and skillset!
About the author:
After a stint in the corporate world, Johanna pursued her passion and is now enjoying a wonderful career as a freelance writer. Musings of Johanna is her notepad for sharing her thoughts and showcasing her published work.
Johanna Cider
On top of El Castillo, Xunantunich
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