There’s a world of difference between “traveling abroad” and “interning abroad”. An international internship offers work experience in a foreign culture, where eager young professionals put their independence, adaptability, teamwork and language skills to the test.
Here are 7 of the top benefits of working abroad and interning in an international office:
1. You learn team building skills across cultures.
Knowing how to work together with others to overcome challenges is one of the most important professional skills a person can have. The difficulty always comes when group members have opposing ideas on how a problem can be solved. These differences in opinion and methodology can be even more pronounced when you throw cultural differences into the mix. Learning how to work through these differences and problem-solve as a team in a foreign office is a professional lesson with unique and longstanding value. Learning how to adapt to different cultures and communication styles is a valuable tool that only certain work experiences can offer you. It can be tricky to navigate a multicultural office, but once you become more comfortable and familiar in that kind of context, you’ll be able to handle similar situations for the rest of your life.
2. You understand the importance of both listening and observing.
When you walk into a new job in a new country, you’re essentially starting from zero. You need to adapt and adjust as quickly as possible. It’s important to not only ask the right questions but to pay attention to what you’re told and your surroundings. Learning how to read a room rapidly and soak up information will serve you for the rest of your personal and professional life.
3. It’s a great way to dive into a new culture.
Surrounding yourself with a group of established professionals in a new country is a great way to learn about a new culture. Your new co-workers can help you make your way around a new city alongside vital, insider tips on where to go and what to see. You'll soon be living and working like a local and might even pick up a new language to add to your CV for global appeal!
4. International work experience will make your resume shine.
Internships are an absolute must these days in order to stay competitive in the current job market. When you go abroad for an internship, the real-world international experience really sets your resume apart from the rest as someone who has specific knowledge and expertise that can help the company or organization grow as they move further into international renown.
5. Learning how to think on your feet.
When you’re adjusting to a new international office and environment, you’re essentially improvising. You likely won’t feel immediately comfortable as you’re trying to process as much new information as possible. This process of being thrown into the deep end and having to problem-solve prepares a young intern to think fast, maintain calm, and find solutions. These are all skills that you can take into your internship and career to make you a valuable employee with a positive and proactive mindset.
6. Rubbing elbows with interesting global leaders
Interning in an office abroad presents numerous networking opportunities for eager young professionals. Making international professional contacts and meeting business leaders from around the world can lead to unique job opportunities. It also inserts an intern into a multicultural professional circle that can lead to many more opportunities later in life and career. You'll be someone who sticks out in employers' minds as someone who can adapt to new challenges and has a unique, global perspective that will be perfect for their business or organization.
7. You learn office lingo in another culture or language.
Going abroad is the perfect opportunity to learn or perfect a foreign language. As the world becomes increasingly globalized, it’s incredibly important to speak more than one language and get to grips with foreign office cultures. What’s great about an international internship is that you hear the local language in an office setting, so your foreign language skills will be developed in a professional context, giving you a broader scope of skills as you go further into your career development.