“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
For most college students, the primary goal of an undergraduate education is to find employment in a career field we have spent years preparing for and dreaming about. We realize that a college education is more than going to class and taking tests. It is the sum of our experiences at our chosen institution of higher learning, including classroom instruction, extra-curricular activities, and building relationships. But some of us attempt to set ourselves apart from other graduates by participating in a study abroad experience. We are often asked how important studying abroad is to a college graduate? But another key question is asked more often:
Will Studying Abroad Help Me Get a Job? Yes, studying abroad will help you get a job. Recent research appears to indicate that study abroad programs
- Strengthen Key Life skills that include communication, improved self-confidence, and higher level of independence
- Develop an improved ability to build lifelong relationships
- Increase the ability to form new relationships
- Increase the number of important references and relationships that lead directly to introductions to employment opportunities.
- Help future graduates acquire a job before graduation
- Help graduates find a job more quickly after graduation
Research indicates that Study Abroad Programs Strengthen Key Skills that make Graduates More Attractive to Employers
The Erasmus Impact Study, commissioned by the European Commission in 2014, found that students who study abroad gain knowledge in their fields of study and strengthen key skills valuable to prospective employers.
The study reported that 64 % of employers recognize the importance of international experience when recruiting college graduates. Employers confirmed that graduates with some level of international experience are offered more professional responsibility once they are hired.
A study by IES Abroad asked a range of questions of a sample of 1200 college graduates who participated in a study abroad experience. Their answers concerning their ability to get jobs more quickly after graduation are interesting. (review the study here
According to the study, 67% had entered the workforce within six months of graduation, 20% were attending or planning to attend graduate school, and only 5% were still seeking employment. It is interesting that the national average of college graduates gaining full-time employment following graduation is lower than the study’s 2014 sample of 56.4% study abroad participants. Most of the students, about 65%, agree or strongly agree that their study abroad experience helped them prepare for success in their first job after graduation.
In addition, the sample indicated that their study abroad experience helped them to develop a variety of job skills and the confidence required for landing a job and performing well in their job.
Another study offered insight in salary performance by students who study abroad. The research indicated that those students with international experience earn 25% more than their peers.
During my first visit to Texas Tech University I was excited to hear that all Engineering students were required to participate in a Study Abroad Program. I learned that the Dean of the Engineering College, a former NASA Payload Specialist for the Space Shuttle Program, asked the CEOs of major corporations, leaders of non-profits and heads of government agencies “what can the Texas Tech Engineering Department offer to our students that will set our graduates apart from other high quality engineering programs?” Not surprisingly, Study Abroad experience and foreign travel were at the top of the list. I was hooked and I knew I wanted to study abroad while at Texas Tech. Not all engineering students nationwide, or students in other degree plans are required to study abroad like Texas Tech. However, a foreign experience will set you apart to employers.
Students with Study Abroad Experience Improve Life Skills
“Education must not simply teach work—it must teach life.” – W.E.B. DU BOIS, American Civil Rights Leader and Writer
I believe if we make a list of life skills that appeal to employers, each one would apply to positive outcomes study abroad programs achieve. Multiple college surveys suggest that students feel a variety of skills are improved, including cooperation, decision-making, leadership, listening, empathy, networking, respect, problem-solving.
But the skills most often identified by students and study abroad administrators are the life skills of communication, self-confidence, and independence, as well as language skills, an acceptance of others, a more robust worldview, and relationship building. Let’s review each one more closely.
Communication Skills are improved by studying abroad.
When studying abroad, it is vital for the student to ensure that they recognize when their counterpart understands them, and they understand their counterpart. It isn’t always easy in a foreign country.
When studying abroad, students interact with advisors, teachers, students, friends, family, and strangers. It is vital for the student to understand the importance of communication. Communication skills improve with practice. Advisors require in-person meetings, but if questions arise after a meeting it is the student’s responsibility to communicate via email. The student must convey their point in a professional manner. Classes are often conducted in a different manner than students normally encounter. Again, two-way communication is important for the student to achieve in order to gain the best education possible.
Living in a foreign country also provides a multitude of opportunities to engage in conversations with strangers on the street, sitting on a bus, or while living with a host family. And learning the intricacies of non-verbal communication is also extremely important in a foreign country. Facial expressions and body language often speak louder than words. Communicating effectively is a skill each student will always benefit from, especially later in life when interacting with any potential employer.
Self-Confidence is also a life skill learned abroad. Many students lack the self-confidence required to succeed in situations that are new or untried. Most students after a study abroad experience realize their level of self-confidence improved exponentially through the rigors of living and studying in a foreign country. Even with a satisfactory or exemplary support system, the student must rise to the occasion to be successful. That success carries on after returning to the states.
Independence is an often undervalued skill. One of my favorite quotes is from Denis Waitley. He said, “The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” During my study abroad experience, I earned my wings of independence. Prior to landing in Madrid, I had never been on my own, other than living one semester in an apartment at Texas Tech. Being on another continent, miles away from home, taught me to make decisions for myself and take responsibility for my actions. It came naturally when isolated from my family. Any student that experiences study abroad will become a more independent individual, ready to take on the world.
Language Skills
Improving foreign language skills are high on the list for students who choose to study in a foreign country. The ability to completely immerse oneself in the culture by living day-to-day with non-English (or other language) speakers improves language skills. And mastering more than one language sets you apart from other candidates. Learning the nuances of the culture and language of the host country is exciting, but also somewhat daunting. But after the initial struggles, most students learn to focus, to listen and to allow themselves to fail, all while improving their skills through trial and error, and ultimately learning to succeed more and more often.
Acceptance of Others Unlike Ourselves
Diversity is prevalent in the United States, but most individuals travel through life inside the comfortable communities in which they live. Traveling abroad forces us to acclimate to a new environment in order to survive, and more importantly, to thrive. It is more difficult to judge others with whom you have lived with, socialized with, attended college classes with. Once we can witness the daily lives of people in the host county, not blurred through the foggy lenses of the media, books and the opinions of others with their own biases and agendas, only then will our attitudes begin to change. We must be open and willing to see and experience for ourselves the truth around us, good or bad. And it is in that willingness and desire to accept others who are different from ourselves that ultimately helps us shake off the misconceptions we may have learned. Often, it is a revelation.
Worldview
Living in or visiting a foreign country is extremely enlightening. The exposure to people and cultures with different styles, attitudes, habits and experiences presents us with an opportunity to grow and mature. And the impact is more often long-term.
Relationship Building
“If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships – the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Building new relationships is a major benefit of studying abroad. Learning to meet and build friendships is a desirable skill that can be learned. Often new friendships lead to a wider range of interesting people. The connections often a future benefit that may include a professional reference or introduction to the right person into a new employment or business opportunity.
Life Changing
“Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes” – Johann Wolfgang
I once heard that preparing a speech offers every speaker a unique challenge. It is the speaker’s job to communicate some vision or purpose that will “change the world” in some way. I was skeptical. But after my time abroad in Seville, Spain, I was changed. My eyes were opened to the realities of my place in the world-at-large and my obligation to my neighbors around the globe. I became a citizen of the world, a world that offers hope and opportunity. Now, I’m still a proud American and an even prouder Texan, but I carry a little piece of the European cultures I witnessed first-hand while studying abroad. Today, I’m a wee bit Scottish, a dash of Spanish, a little Irish, a tad British, a sprinkling of French and a smidgen of Dutch. The world changed me. Now it’s my turn to return the favor.
Every day I open my eyes a little wider and my vision is sharper when I consider others with experiences and cultural mores much different with mine. My study abroad experience made me a better person. And if you or members of your family are considering a study abroad experience, I fully believe your life, or their lives, will be changed. And in that change, I also believe that a potential employer will notice “the better you,” and will be more likely to beg you to join their company or team. Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” I encourage you to cast your stone across the waters.
RELATED QUESTIONS
What are the types of study abroad experiences?
There are primarily five study abroad program types.
- University Study Centers operated by the university in a foreign country.
- Short-term Programs that are brief, often one to four weeks.
- College Sponsored Programs led by professors from the college.
- University Exchange Program at a host country university and taught by their faculty.
- Affiliate Program sponsored by a third party company that are approved by the college.
How many students normally study abroad each year?
The Institute of International Education determined that approximately 330,000 students studied abroad during the 2016-2017 school year. They also estimate that about 11 percent of all undergrads study abroad at some time during their undergraduate careers.
Is it safe to study abroad?
Most study abroad programs have already vetted the countries and cities where their programs are available. But there are always skills men and women must hone to ensure a safe experience. Two resources to keep in mind are: 1. The U.S. State Department, which offers up-to-date travel alerts and on foreign countries. 2. Locate the nearest U.S. embassy and consulate at your destination by visiting foreignborn.com.