Marketing your International Experience

 

Why it Matters

A 2003 RAND study surveyed 135 Human Resource managers from 75 companies. By consensus, the most important employee skill sets were²:

• Substantive content/technical knowledge of the primary field of business,
• Managerial ability, with emphasis on teamwork and interpersonal skills,
• Strategic international understanding, and
• Cross-cultural experience.

Cross-cultural competence ranked 5th out of 19 attributes that ‘Make a successful career professional’ according to the same study.

A 2008 study found that the top 4 skills that employers value from someone who has studied abroad are³:

• Interacting with people who hold different interests, values, and perspectives
• Understanding cultural differences in the workplace
• Adapting to situations of change
• Gaining new knowledge from experiences

Marketing your International Experience: Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews

Possible international activities to include and highlight on your resume, cover letter or during an interview:

• Education/Study Abroad
• Coursework with a global component
• Projects exploring a multi-cultural topic or with an international team
• Clubs and community involvement
• Internships and work assignments
• Research
• Extensive Travel
• Veteran/Military Experience

On a resume, study abroad/international experiences are typically added to:

• Education
• Experience
• Skills

Other areas where international experience may appear on a resume:

• Internships or work-abroad → under Work Experience/Relevant Experience/Experience
• Extensive travel or cultural experience → under its own category: Cultural and Travel Experience
• International and cultural skills → under Summary of Qualifications, or under its own category

Example of Study Abroad on a Resume

 

Bachelor of Art in Global Studies Expected June 2014

University of Washington Bothell

• Cumulative GPA 3.7
•  Awarded CUSP scholarship for Spring 2012
•  On-campus student involvement and leadership within the Latino Student Union 

Study Abroad  Summer 2013

Community Development in Zambia

•  Fieldwork and research with Zambian citizens and health education community
•     Developed cross-cultural communication skills through collaboration with Zambian students
•     Enhanced global perspective through increased understanding of political, economic, and cultural issues faced by local populations

 

 Resume and Cover Letter Word Banks