Studying abroad… demonstrates your drive and resourcefulness
The job market can be tough to break into and anything that helps you to stand out from the crowd is a bonus. Studying abroad will tell potential employers that you had the drive and resourcefulness to step outside of your comfort zone and move your life to a brand new country. It will show that you’re culturally experienced, dedicated to your chosen career, adaptable, and willing to take advantage of the opportunities that you’re offered.
Studying abroad… gives you global connections
On your course, you’ll probably be joined by lots of students from your chosen country, but also lots of students in the same position as you. This gives you a great opportunity to make friends with people from across the world – connections that can last throughout your life and career. You never know when you may find yourself looking for a job opportunity in a certain country and recalling the name of someone from your course who lives there and will be happy to lend a hand!
Studying abroad… increases your independence and confidence
Let’s be honest, studying abroad can be daunting prospect even for the most confident people. Leaving behind family, friends and familiarity for a strange new world takes courage, but it also has the potential to increase your independence, confidence and self-belief. All of these are skills that will help you to thrive during your time abroad and – mostly importantly for the future – are skills that employers value.
Studying abroad… opens your eyes and mind
Many of us are raised within quite narrow environments, with pre-established sets of values and beliefs. This means that our experiences and what we’re exposed to can be fairly limited. Studying abroad is a great way of overcoming this and opening your eyes and mind to all that the world has to offer. Immersing yourself in another culture will bring you the benefits and challenges of meeting a variety of diverse people, all with different ideas, opinions and viewpoints. If you can learn how to communicate effectively with everyone around you and use your differences in a positive way, then that will leave you well-placed to do the same at work in the future.
So there you have it – four reasons why studying abroad can help you with your career. If working abroad is something that you’re interested in, then check out our recent article Working abroad: What’s in it for me?
Article produced in partnership with EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal.
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Details
- Publication date
- 17 January 2020
- Authors
- European Labour Authority | Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
- Topics
- Business / Entrepreneurship
- Hints and tips
- Youth
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