Marketing Your Off-Campus Study Experience Career Services & Off-Campus Programs

Agenda Welcome Build off your experiences in study abroad Learn how to: – Explain how your experiences are relevant in today’s global marketplace – Turn experiences into skills on resume/cover letter – How to continue to build your network – Using experience in an interview – Resources for looking for internships/jobs abroad

Welcome! Introductions – Name? – Major?/ Interests? – What was your Off-Campus experience? What are your expectations from this session?

Your Competitive Advantage Global marketplace – more diverse needs Employers like off-campus study (if you know how to express yourself and the value of your experiences – help potential employers see the value of your off-campus study experience) Nationally just 9% of U.S. undergrads study abroad before graduating9% of U.S. undergrads 38% of Lawrentians study abroad before graduating

Resume Reflect upon your experience and how it might translate to a future career: Did you? – Gain insights into culture (and business/corporate culture) in a different place? – Meet and interact with people of a different culture or with diverse interests? – Spend time getting to know a new city or area? – Complete an independent study project?

Resume Continued: These experiences translate directly into work-related experience: – Flexibility/adaptability to new environments – Open-mindedness – Self-reliance – Inquisitiveness/perseverance – Appreciation of diversity/ability to handle cultural differences – Self-confidence while listening and learning from people whose value systems may be different – Communication skills (language skills if applicable) – Handling stressful/difficult situations in many contexts – And many more!! (think about ways in which your off-campus experience made you a stronger person)

Where do I put it? You can incorporate your off-campus experience into your resume in a variety of ways: 1.List the name of the program/institution in the "education" section of your resume, just as you list Lawrence. 2.If you have a section for related coursework, consider listing classes from off-campus if they are relevant. You might describe projects or any research or volunteer experience you had during your time abroad. 3.Depending on the level of detail you want to include, you can list off- campus study related experiences in the "education" section, the “related experience” section, or perhaps in an “international experience” section, if you plan on conducting a search with an international focus. 4.If you have a “related skills” section, list any language skills.

Cover Letter A cover letter is meant to act as a complement to your resume, explaining in a narrative style why you are a good fit for the organization and the available position. If time spent off-campus is highly relevant to the position, you can include your overseas experience in both the first and middle paragraphs. For example, you might say something like “Through my experience in my off-campus study in (list location), summer internship with/as (list organization or title), and leadership experiences on Grounds, I have developed the analytical, interpersonal, and project management skills that will allow me to be an asset to (name of organization/team).“ Be sure to use specific examples of skills you acquired/experiences you had off-campus and how they are would make you an excellent candidate for the position.

Networking Keep in contact with host family, friends and professors Make a list of alumni living in your destination country (Alumni Search on Voyager, LinkedIn) Do informational interviews – A good opportunity to gather information about a career field or company – Helps you develop a clear picture of a specific field

Alumni (Ireland) ’09 Internship and Student Welfare Officer, IES Abroad – Dublin ’92 Marketing Director, Quest Diagnostics, Inc., Galway ’97 Music Teacher, Dundalk ’97 ODIN Research Assistant, University College Cork

Interviews Recall skills you noted on your resume, including: – Cross-cultural communication – Foreign language acquisition – Adaptability – Self-confidence and assertiveness S.T.A.R. Technique for Behavioral Interviewing Questions – Situation Explain situation. – Task Describe what you sought to achieve. – Action Describe the steps you took in response to the situation. – Results: Describe the outcome, consequences of your actions (positive or negative – but focus on the positive), what you learned, and what you might do differently in a similar situation in the future.

Jobs and Internships National Association of International Educators: Institute of International Educators: The International Educator: U.S. Government: – U.S. Department of State: – United States Agency for International Development (USAID): Current Jobs on LUworks Bridge Worldwide Music Connection Indeed.com International Job Resources:

Gap Year Resources Peace Corps: JET: GreenCorps: BUNAC Watson (talk to Dean Pertl) Peace Corps, Fulbright, Overseasjobs.com, Crossculturalsolutions.org, WWOOF, Goabroad.com. Peace CorpsFulbrightOverseasjobs.com Crossculturalsolutions.orgWWOOFGoabroad.com

Questions