So you’ve graduated, CONGRATS! That’s a big deal! In 2015, it was reported by the US Census, that 1 in 3 people, only about 33%, reported a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. So, like I said before, CONGRATS!!
You’ve made it through university, chugged your way through classes, internships and thought daily, if not hourly, about your future. Well, welcome to the future. What are you going to with it?
Having an internship after you graduate doesn’t seem like the norm. You’re thinking about professional goals, long-term careers, settling down, etc. I get it! In fact, the only people I know who did internships after graduation did so because they couldn’t find a job in their respective career fields. You know who else were the only people doing internships after graduation? The ones going abroad to do them.
Let’s revisit those 33 percenters. While it may seem like a small number, it’s not small enough for you to get hired. The unfortunate reality is that employers feel college graduates LACK the skills necessary to succeed in their workforce.
That’s right. LACK, as in, don’t have. You just spent four years busting your buns, following the magic formula they’ve been spoon feeding you since kindergarten, and now you’re being told you don’t have the skills and are lacking the experience. I’m sorry, WHAT?
That’s where we come in! Of those college graduates, only about 1% have international work experience. There’s a statistic you can get behind and use to stand out! The beauty of international internship programs is well, everything.
Seriously though, a finite amount of time where you can live abroad, work in your industry, gain cultural experience, and test out the waters of life after graduation? Sounds like a win.
Whether you’ve traveled before or not, have studied abroad or haven’t, interning abroad is a post graduation experience I recommend, and would gladly participate in again.
Here’s the breakdown
We network for you
We interview you, if we accept you we’re guaranteeing an internship in your field. We present you to companies that are a good fit for you based on your goals and experience and what the companies are looking for in an intern. Networking is hard, but we’ll take care of this for you this time. Not only is your program a chance to network with your colleagues, but it is also a chance to network with their contacts, AND during the program we host an exclusive a networking event.
Real - World Experience
As an intern abroad, you have the opportunity to gain real life skills in the field you studied, or the industry you want to be a part of. Every company is run differently, has different employees, different cultures, there’s no shortage of learning experiences. There’s also no such thing as learning too much. Take on every opportunity you can to work for many different companies before it looks unprofessional. 5 internships in 4 years looks impressive. 5 jobs in 4 years looks kinda psycho (kidding), but it does look unstable and unreliable.
Cultural Insight
You’ll use the same techniques you learned from working and adapting to Italian culture as you will adapting to your future career setting.
Life Experience
You might have lived on your own in college, lived in a house with roommates, or so on. That’s not the real world. It’s close, but not quite! It doesn’t seem like things can be that much different, but trust me, they can. Interning abroad is an amazing halfway point between living and going to school and being on your own out of school working 40 hours a week. You’ll be working abroad in a foreign country, surrounded by people doing the same, support staff from our program who are there when you need them, but for the most part it’s your time to shine and be self-sufficient.
Soft Skills
These are the skills employers are looking for that cannot be taught in a classroom. Among them include: critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal communication, teamwork, and leadership. As an intern abroad, you can understand the concept behind them and know they are used daily in the workplace, but to be able to implement them successfully is a completely different story that takes experience. All of these skills will be touched on and developed during your time abroad, from engineering internships to non-profit internships. This also includes professionally and personally.
Know Yourself
Alright, I know, I’m fully aware how corny this sounds. I wish there was another way to phrase it, unfortunately, no can do! You are going to grow as a person and develop into yourself SO MUCH while interning abroad. You’ll learn things you never knew about yourself! Find out what you’re good at that you wouldn’t have figured out for years, if ever! Your confidence will spiral into the level of Kayne’s (kidding). But seriously, it’s amazing what living in a foreign country on your own can do for your confidence.
Open Your Eyes
Maybe this is your first time out of your country. Maybe you’ve traveled, but you’ve always been intrigued by this one city. I could go on with the maybe’s but I won’t. What I can guarantee is exposure. You’ll be exposed to a different way of life, a different way of thinking, a different perspective. Embrace it, learn from it, and adopt it into your mentality. Globalization is taking over the workforce. Not only do employers value an employee who has experienced the world and had global opportunities, but this will affect your way of thinking and how you live your life moving forward.
It’s a Professional Check Plus
This is how you get your start into working abroad. Scenario: A company you work for is opening a new office, or perhaps taking on a new client in London. Who are they going to send to help? The person who interned there and is familiar with the culture and the lifestyle, or the person who’s never left the country? Exactly. This is what makes you unique. An internship abroad is a way to have your resume selected from the 4 inch pile of other resumes - it’s up to you to fully experience and utilize your experience.
A note from Lauren, the writer:
Hey guys! I’m an Admissions Counselor here at GE, a real person who has actually interned abroad (after graduation)! I did have a job lined up for when I returned, and during my interview told them I couldn’t start right away because I had to do this. My marketing internship abroad gave me all of these points above and more. Specifically I gained insight into the career field I wanted to pursue and motivated me to never lose sight of my dream job. I gained experience and developed confidence in myself which was evident when I returned. In every interview I’ve had since then, this experience is continuously brought up. Someone always finds a way to slip it into the conversation, because it’s cool! It looks cool on a resume, but what’s even cooler is to be able to talk about the skills that I developed and learned and how it makes me better. I want to help all of you do the same!
