Going Abroad for an Internship


What is interning abroad?

The idea of traveling abroad, either to volunteer or complete an internship is becoming more and more popular. Students and recent graduates pack up their back-packs and board planes in droves looking for an experience that will not only help them land a job, but will give them a new perspective on life.

Internships in the international arena are incredibly diverse, and the potential to do something truly life-changing is ever present. However, internships abroad can also be much more challenging than traditional summer internships. Being away from friends and family can be difficult, as well as learning a new language. However these difficulties are often outweighed by the new sites and sound you will experience on your trip, not to mention the photos you’ll be able to share with friends and family once the trip is over!

If you believe that you are truly up to the challenge of packing up and spending time abroad, the following pages of InternshipFinder will help you to find, keep, and get the most out of an internship abroad:

Benefits of an Internship Abroad

So why intern abroad? Aside from the obvious benefits of living and working in a foreign country, international internships offer a way for students to stand out. Imagine this: You’re sitting for a job interview, and the interviewer is skimming your resume looking for an icebreaker. Pow! You’ve spent time in Indonesia working with local women’s entrepreneurial groups. No doubt, your interviewer will want to know all about it and the conversation will take off from there. There are few things that you should be sure to highlight as you speak about your experience:

Flexibility

Another major benefit on an internship abroad is learning flexibility, and proving that you can adapt well to change. With all of the cultural differences associated with living and working in a foreign country, your first days will no doubt in a struggle. Being successful at your internship despite these challenges will be impressive your future employers, and they will see how easily you will be able to fit into their company.

Personal Growth

Aside from what you can offer employers, studies have proven that those who study or work abroad are truly changed by the experience.
Most students show greater self-confidence, increased maturity, and an increased interest in their studies.

Global Perspective

In an increasingly "globalized" world, employers will be happy to have a first-hand perspective of someone who not only lived, but worked abroad on their staff. You’ll gain not only the knowledge of how another office works, and have the opportunity to compare and contrast certain systems, but you’ll have experienced the whole thing in a foreign country. While the popularity of study abroad is high, and students don’t stick out nearly as much for spending a semester in Europe as they used to, actually working abroad indicates more cultural immersion, and thus a unique perspective that is invaluable to companies and organizations of any type.

Your internship abroad will no doubt change you, even if it isn’t the ideal experience you’d dreamed of. Just remember that no matter what, an international experience has its benefits, even if you don’t notice them right away!

Where to Look

With the new emphasis on global learning and experience, there is no shortage of websites to look for a meaningful internship abroad.

The following places are ideal for those looking for unpaid internships…

 

Study Abroad Office

Close
Close