A Year Abroad (or 3) as a Career Move

More US students are adapting to a globalized economy by working abroad. A surprising benefit is success in the job market after returning home. Teaching in a foreign country, bartending, taking care of children, typing or even traveling and picking grapes can demonstrate resourcefulness and other skills that employers find valuable. Organizations that help students work abroad estimate that 35,000 did just that during the academic year of 2002 and into the summer of 2003. That number does not include those who land in a foreign country and then hustle to find a job on their own, sometimes working illegally. While there are a range of options, the best career builders are jobs that highlight a young person’s open and inquisitive mind, and include valid work permits and visas. A television executive suggests that "people who work and support themselves overseas tend to be inquisitive, flexible and adaptive – valuable skills in today's workplace." As the trend grows, students venture beyond once popular destinations in Great Britain, to countries like Australia and New Zealand. A graduate of Scripps College who worked for BMW in Germany explained the advantages: “It’s not a money-making move. It puts you in a position to leverage yourself.” – YaleGlobal