Career Benefits
Study Abroad Career Toolkit
The toolkit covers everything from how to present your experience on your resume and cover letters, to how to bring up your experience in interviews. It's an essential read for anyone with study abroad experience entering the job market.
The Benefits of Study Abroad in Your Career and the Workplace
Study Abroad will change your life. In addition to the many ways it will benefit you personally and academically, studying abroad will open new doors for your career and help you build a unique skill set that employers love. The places you'll explore, the people you'll meet, and the experiences you'll have will prepare you to succeed in any workplace.
“You’re gonna get the experience necessary to work with diverse cultures and populations which make you an employee a step above others.Career Fair Employer Participant
Strengthen the Skills that Every Employer Values
“I would definitely suggest doing study abroad. It’s something I look for in résumés. If I see it I ask about it!Alex Totten – Leadership for Educational Equity
Study Abroad has been shown to develop skills that all employers value. Even if you don't intend to work for an international employer or aren't sure of your career goals, developing traits like resourcefulness, adaptability, resilience, and empathy will give you an edge in any job market.
When asked, 73% of employers stated that study abroad experience was important for evaluating résumés for junior-level positions. There are programs out there for any IUI student studying any major. Find out what programs are best suited to you based on what you study.
Develop Marketable Expertise
“Simply having this new perspective of the world will help you as a new graduate be marketable and stand out among the competitionJen Mulzer – Director of Talent Acquisition and Development, Emmis Communications
In an increasingly interconnected and global marketplace, studying abroad quickly and effectively build proficiencies that will help you excel. In one survey a majority of students reported that studying abroad improved their teamwork, leadership, and communication abilities. In the same survey, over 60% of students reported growth in language skills, with 48% reporting "significant growth".
As a student in the IU Community, you have access to many Service Learning and Internship programs where you can live and work in an international context. This unique and hands-on experience is valued by employers and hard to come by outside of Study Abroad.
Bring Valuable Understanding and Awareness to the Workplace
“I was able to come out to be more confident, more secure, more curious, and more grateful.Adriana Zermeño - Study Abroad Returnee
Study Abroad lets you engage with your host community in a way that builds true cultural awareness. That firsthand knowledge of living and learning within international cultures is key to nurturing the personal qualities valued in every workplace. One survey found that, after studying abroad, a majority of students reported growth in:
- Flexibility
- Curiosity
- Confidence
- Self-Awareness
Such improvement in maturity and intrapersonal skills helps explain why more than 50% of Study Abroad alumni say that studying abroad broadened their career goals.
Build Your Professional Network
“Study abroad can help you build that résumé and change your career trajectory forever!Marie Mackintosh - Chief Operations Officer, Employ Indy
You may already know the importance of building your professional network within your own community. Study Abroad is a unique opportunity to expand that network much further than your campus or your city. Your host family, students and faculty living in your host country, or other students studying abroad, could be valuable resources in helping you find your ideal domestic or international job.
If you're thinking about working overseas, Study Abroad can be critical in helping you get pre-acclimated to the local culture and getting your foot in the door with overseas employers. One survey found that 8 out of 10 HR executives say that study abroad experience was an important factor in decisions about overseas job placement.