Interview

By Brooke:

Studies show that today's employers are using behavioral and situational interview questions more than ever to gauge how an employee will function in their company. How candidates performed in the past has shown to be the best indicator of future performance which is why it is important for candidates to keep a couple of stock answers for these common situational questions tucked in their back pockets.

Studying abroad provides one with a variety of stories but knowing which stories are appropriate for an interview is key. Start to think about what situations or challenges you faced abroad and how you overcame them. You can then frame these stories using the S.T.A.R. approach we discussed earlier.

Once again, be certain to focus on those skills gained abroad and most importantly, what you learned as a result of the story you've told. Good examples involve getting lost, dealing with cultural differences, and overcoming barrier you did not expect.

Recruitment Event

By Brooke:

Recruitment Events and Careers Fairs are built entirely around selling yourself as a great fit for the company. We've all heard of perfecting your "elevator speech" or a 30-second to one minute speech about yourself and your accomplishments. For students, elevator speeches will typically include:

• Your name
• Your major (and second major or minors if applicable)
• Your year in school/graduation date
• Previous applicable work experience
• Leadership or volunteer experience on campus or in the community
• Strengths or skills you have that would fit well in the position for which you are applying. 

Employers have heard these speeches several times and have gone through the good, the bad, and the ugly. The key to perfecting these speeches is to sound genuine without being overly enthusiastic and showing confidence without bragging. Remember, these employers are not only looking for a candidate with strong technical skills, intelligence, and maturity, but also for someone who fits well into their company culture and who they would ultimately enjoy working with.

Using the skills you've gained abroad can set your elevator speech apart and can also be a great conversation starter as you proceed with the informal interview process at a Recruitment Event or Career Fair.

Cover Letter

By Brooke:

Be sure to also use your Cover Letter to your advantage. While your resume acts as a snapshot of who you are, the Cover Letter is your most effective platform to sell yourself to the employer, explain why you're a good fit for the company, and most importantly what you bring to the position. Focusing on the skills you learned abroad not only makes for a great paragraph to your Cover Letter, but it also sets you apart and helps the recruiter to remember your unique experience. Be sure to downplay the fun you had and the memories you made abroad, and instead focus on those hard transferable skills you gained as a result such as adaptability, communication, and critical thinking.

Resume

By Brooke:

Due to the mass recruiting styles recently adopted by several major companies, it is hard to set oneself apart in a pile of literally hundreds of resumes. However, listing your international experience on your resume allows you to differentiate yourself from the get-go. There are several ways in which you can frame your experience abroad but the key is to be brief, but effective. The following are some guidelines to follow.

1. Clearly explain where you were, what you did, when you went, and how long you were there.
1. Employers are not always going to understand what studying abroad entails so spell it out for them as clearly and as briefly as possible so it is easy for them to scan over it quickly.
2. Decide which heading under which your experience best fits.
1. You can put your abroad experience under Education, Work Experience (if job held while abroad), Experiential Learning/Leadership, or under a separate heading labeled "International Experience." Decide which one best fits your own experience as well as the job for which you are applying.
3. Add a bit about what you accomplished.
1. Employers who have not studied abroad typically do not know much about it and will sometimes assume that candidates who have studied abroad only did so to go on vacation or to party. Combat this notion with two or three concrete accomplishments that came about from your experience. 

Examples include:

• Participated in Marine Biology research laboratory for 20 hours/wk for 9 weeks in Newcastle, Australia.
• Completed International Marketing report on wine production in Italy after a tour of a prominent winery in Naples.
• Presented a Poverty Profile on Morocco after a visit to the World Bank Office in Rabat.