Experience Abroad

Expectations of working abroad

First, evaluate what you have to offer to a potential employer and determine what you expect from your international experience: to be abroad and experience the culture of a different country, to work 40+ hours a week, live in modest housing, and not really have time to enjoy the lifestyle there, to gain invaluable work experience in your career field, or do you just want to live in a foreign country?

Second, where would you like to go? Select a region/or countries that you want to target and also ask yourself if you are open to either a city versus a rural environment.

Realities of working abroad

If you are thinking about interning abroad, the  U.S. Department of State accepts students for non-paid internships in their embassies around the world. Alternately, college graduates with a BA degree have opportunities to teach English in China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea.

Many governments, seeking to protect jobs for their own citizens, have employment restrictions against hiring citizens from other countries. However, there are short-term exchange/internship programs that students or recent graduates can participate through in order to obtain a short-term work permit to work legally in a specific country. Check out our  International Experience  section for more information. Once you are in a host country, you would be in a better position to network and find potential employers who might be willing to sponsor your work visa so that you can stay there longer.

Next Steps

Start interning or volunteering in the U.S. in the career areas that you want to work in. Develop your skills set.  Network  in the career fields that interest you and let people know what you want to do and what you have to offer. If you plan to study abroad, take advantage of that opportunity to intern in your career field in that host country-cultivate your contacts, leads, and network!

Work on refining your  resume  (both the U.S. and the host country's version).

If you are interested in working abroad by going through a particular organization, check out the information carefully. Find out if you can talk to any recent participants and ask them tough questions about what they liked/disliked about the organization; get a clear idea of what the organization can offer in terms of an internship/job so that you know what to expect; determine what, if any, support the organization can give you in the host country.