 |
|
|
|
Does studying abroad impress future employers? by Cameron O'Neill
I completed a study abroad trip. Yippee! Many students feel euphoric when they return to the states. You get back from overseas and feel great about the journey you just took, awesome about the friends you made and the experiences you had, but now what? What does this really mean for you? Is this just going to be an experience that you get to tell stories about to your family, show pictures to your friends of and that allowed you to make a couple of new friends? It can be just that or you can make it much more. If you are like me and my friends, you may realize what actually happened. That’s right, what ACTUALLY happened because too many students become too short-sighted about what studying abroad really meant. The reality is that you became a different person, a person who now has something in common with most of the senior employees at Johnson and Johnson. “Most of the senior people at Johnson and Johnson have international experience, either before working at Johnson and Johnson or since they joined the company,” said Kevin Choi, representative for Johnson and Johnson, at a recent career fair at Michigan State University. Alexandra Bahou went on the Reporting in the British Isles study abroad last summer and she quickly realized what a valuable experience it was, personally and professionally. “Study Abroad didn’t only teach me about different cultures, but it taught me directly about my life. I think the experience is important to have because it opens your mind to many different perspectives that you can only experience by immersing yourself in another culture,” said Bahou. She is also studying Arabic at MSU because it gives her the diversity that she believes employers are looking for. Talking to some of the employers at the career fairs at MSU this past week confirmed her assessment. “One thing that would be important, more than international experience, would be having a second language,” said Choi, “Not just a word or two, but having been immersed in their culture.” Jen Lawatsch is a recent MSU alum and recruiting supervisor for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Lawatsch went on study abroad while she was a student at MSU and she came away with a lot more than a grade. “From a personal standpoint I studied abroad and I have an awareness of different cultures as a result,” said Lawatsch. Not only did she take away that great personal experience, but everyday at work she uses the skills and qualities that she gained and honed abroad. “I am constantly working with people from different cultures and it helps me to relate to people and build relationships, whether it be business or personal relationships,” said Lawatsch. According to Cindy Chalou, Assistant Director of Study Abroad for MSU, it is because the Study Abroad experience shows employers that you are willing to take risks, be adventurous and are open to new opportunities. “There was a study done with Fortune 500 companies and many of them did not specifically say international experience or study abroad, but what they were looking for are the qualities that study abroad participants possess or acquire on Study Aabroad,” said Chalou, “Employers are looking for employees that are risk-takers, adventurous, self-reliant and willing to think out of the box.” Dave Wenner was one of the representatives for General Motors at the Career Gallery this past week at Breslin and he supports Chalou’s comments. “They are willing to take a challenge that others aren’t. They are willing to go places that others aren’t,” said Wenner. The survey Chalou referred to is about five years old and a lot has changed in that time. The twin towers fells, the United States went to war with Iraq and American jobs continue to be outsourced to other countries. So does international experience pay off? On the one hand, more Michigan firms are involved in the international market. Ninety-nine companies from Michigan have sent jobs overseas in the past five years. But is spending a few weeks studying in another country enough to make a difference? “Weigh it on amount of exposure there, one or two weeks is different than a year or two abroad,” said Glen Heiser of Ford Motor Company. He said that any additional experience is helpful when looking for a job with a company that as global as Ford, but he echoed what all other employers have stated.“It depends on the position you are looking for.” “Students in certain disciplines, such as business, would benefit more studying abroad, because they are immersed in the culture while working abroad,” said Chalou. Not everyone echoed Chalou’s sentiments though. “It actually doesn’t matter when we look at applicants. We are looking for qualified people,” said Kathy Burgess, finance manager for Ford Credit. While she believes international experience broadens the person joining the company, she does not see it as something that make someone a more qualified applicant. Burgess was at the career fair to hire finance and economics majors for Ford Credit. She said that she was looking for people to work in Michigan with Michigan residents and therefore placed no value on international experience, even though she might be hiring a more well-rounded individual. Yet many employers really feel that studying abroad can be a huge benefit, not because that person has seen the world, but because they have gained a whole new skill set that can only be gained by experience. “It is about being exposed to something other than the United States,” said DeWaele, “A lot of it is a diversity standpoint. How do you get along with someone different from yourself. If you were never exposed to something different you don’t know how to react to that.” “It shows that an individual is willing to try something new, something that is outside of the average realm,” said Wenner. “As an employer we know that you learn about yourself and also how to work with people from different cultures,” said Lawatsch. Not only does that understanding help you getting an initial job, but Choi says it helps you advance your career as well. “Once you get your foot in the door, having had exposure internationally would help you with promotion opportunities,” said Choi. Just as important as going on the trip itself is how you present it to employers. Telling them that you went to Mexico for two weeks over your Christmas break is not going to wow them. “Don’t just list on your resume that you studied at Cambridge University. You need to say that you lived in a residence hall with British students and what you gained from the experience, which is best explained by what you did,” said Chalou. She says that one example would be to show on your resume that you lived for a semester with British students, took classes with them and learned to travel on my own, thereby learning self-reliance, the ability to travel on my own and a greater feeling of independence. This will set you apart from your fellow graduates who spent their summers making a couple thousand dollars painting houses and going to Lake Michigan. That also shows that you went overseas for more than just grades and a vacation that Mom and Dad would actually pay for. If you want assistance in showcasing your international experience to employers, the Office of Study Abroad can help. The Web site on Unpacking Your Study Abroad Experience shows you how to describe the skills you acquired to employers in cover letters, during job interviews and in your resume. |
|
