Guide To International Job Search

Gaining Experience

As with all jobs your education is not the only factor that determines how marketable you are to employers. Your work, volunteer, and extra-curricular experience is vital in landing good jobs after graduation.

Study Abroad/Language Study: Students interested in international careers are encouraged to participate in studyabroad programs, study languages, and take international politics, economics, history, and other courses involving international topics. There are too many course opportunities at CC to name! Language programs offered at Colorado College include studies in: Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Swedish, Russian, and Spanish.

Study abroad programs that Colorado College sponsors include programs in Germany, France, Mexico, Japan, England, and Sweden. Other study abroad programs, in which many CC students participate, are offered through ACM. These programs include study in London and Florence, the Czech Republic, India, Japan, Russia, Costa Rica, and Zimbabwe.

In addition, students may participate in and earn credit for programs sponsored by other colleges and universities across the country. To find out about the immense number of international programs available, stop by the Office of International Programs in the Worner Center. In addition, students may participate in and earn credit for programs sponsored by other colleges and universities across the country.

In addition to study abroad programs, the serious international aspirant should pursue some kind of international work experience. These can include: internships, summer jobs abroad, volunteer activities, and fellowships programs.

Internships: Internships involve a short work experience, often non-paid, in which the employer and the student have an understanding that the internship is a learning opportunity for the student. (There is a fine line between an internship and a short-term job.) Some CC students have conducted internships as part of a school program. One student worked at the United Nations Industrial Development Office in Washington, DC during her semester with an American University Program. Another CC student utilized his father's contacts to set up a summer job in a light bulb factory in Budapest following his semester on the CC German Department's program.

Summer Jobs or Short-Term Employment: To lay the foundation for an international career, students will want to gain experience working abroad. One possible way to obtain this experience is through some type of summer job or short-term employment situation. Most countries require that you have a work permit to work in that country. The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) offers a program where you can obtain a work permit to work in certain countries. For most countries participating in this program, work authorization is for summer jobs only. However, in some countries work authorization for short-term employment can be arranged any time of the year. For details on the program, contact the Work Exchanges Department at CIEE, 205 Fast 42nd St., New York, NY 10017. Other possibilities for summer employment abroad can be found listed in the Directory of Overseas Summer Jobs available in the Career Center.

If you enjoy working with children, you may want to consider becoming an au pair, nanny, or mother's helper overseas. Since these are live-in positions, you can expose yourself firsthand to family life in another culture. Information on these types of positions are available in the Career Center.

Volunteer Activities and Fellowship Programs: Volunteer Activities and Fellowship programs are other ways to gain valuable international experience. These opportunities include programs like the Peace Corps, and the Fulbright and Watson Fellowships. If you want to do something service-oriented, you might consider volunteering to work at a work camp overseas. These camps are located in a variety of settings, from small villages to big cities, from national parks and forests to archaeological digs. They usually last 2-4 weeks. No salary is paid, but room and board are provided. Finally, fellowships (academic or otherwise) are a fantastic way to gain international experience as well as an impressive addition to your resume. One graduate participated in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program in which he was studying German, studying international trade, and conducting an internship with a German trade organization.

Internships, summer jobs, volunteer programs and fellowships are ideal for gaining international experience. Any type of international work experience will provide you with: first-hand knowledge about a specific career field, contacts in an international area, and the type of experience employers will require from applicants. Often it is difficult to find these international opportunities. When students are unable to find an opportunity in an international field, they should attempt to find its domestic counterpart. One student interested in international law worked as an office assistant in a Denver law firm. Although the firm did not practice international law, he still learned a great deal about law and accomplished many of the same things he would have in an international law firm. In addition, students should participate in on-campus groups like living in the German or Asia Houses.