For many of the thousands of college students who study abroad each semester, their experience is just that – an unforgettable adventure that they'll cherish forever, but nothing more. Others, though, choose to use their semester abroad to their advantage when seeking a job.
How can you turn your abroad experience into a resume booster? Follow these four tips to make the most of your abroad experience while also using it to your advantage in the job market.
1. If you’re torn between living in an apartment or with a host family, choose the home stay option.
Living with a host family forces students to speak their host country's language, whereas those who choose to live in an apartment with other Americans spend most of their time speaking English. Being fluent in a second language is very impressive to employers, so students should take whatever measures possible to fully immerse themselves in the language spoken in their country of study.
2. Branch out from your American friends and make connections with locals.
Make every effort you can to interact with local students - you never know who you'll meet. Perhaps studying in another country will inspire you to work abroad after college, and the more connections you make, the better chance you have at meeting someone who could help you with your career later down the road. Furthermore, even if you have no interest in moving abroad after college, it's important to befriend locals because they're the ones who will still be there years later if you ever want to visit; your American friends won't.
3. Participate in an activity other than school.
The easiest way to meet locals is by taking part in extracurricular activities. Because so many university students are beginning to study abroad, simply going to school in another country for four months is no longer as impressive to employers as it once was. It's far more interesting to say that you joined a pick up soccer team in Florence or took pottery lessons in Madrid than it is to just say you went to school there. Employers seek people with diverse interests, and taking up hobbies in a foreign country shows just how well-rounded of a job candidate you are.
4. Don’t let your grades slip just because you’re abroad.
No matter how much fun you have abroad, how many countries you visit or how many different types of cuisines you tried, employers will not be impressed if you return to the states with a dip in your GPA. Find a balance; don't spend every weekend traveling instead of studying, or else you'll have to work twice as hard when you return to the U.S. to raise your GPA back to where it was.
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