Well, you succeeded! You decided to study abroad, and now you have the proof in the form of both the experience and, more importantly, the degree. Yet the adventure is just getting started. Put all that you have learned into practice right now.
You can get the practical skills necessary to be successful in any career field by studying overseas. It could be cross-cultural communication, critical thinking, or inventive problem solving. Employers like applicants who mention studying abroad on their resumes for this reason. Those who have studied abroad develop skills through actual experience rather than through a book.
You must first learn how to properly add studies abroad on your resume if you want to get their attention. With the right advice, you may easily list your study abroad experience on your resume. Get our advice on how to mention study abroad on a resume to really catch employers’ eyes and land that dream position!
Highlight Your Skills
You definitely have the skills needed to manage any job that comes your way thanks to your study abroad experience. You might not consider it, but things like finding a place to live, establishing friends, and adjusting to different cultures all require talent to manage. But, you must consider how to successfully highlight your skills and mention your study abroad experience on your CV.
Recruiters are aware that a student with experience studying abroad internationally is capable of handling practically anything without even glancing at the experience you’ve listed. Employers value applicants with a study abroad resume for this reason!
It’s crucial to bring potential employers’ attention to your study abroad CV and the qualifications you wish to emphasize. There are several ways to include studies abroad on a resume:
Try this:
If you participated in an internship or gained work experience while studying abroad, be sure to specify how you put your newfound knowledge to use.
For example:
“Completed an internship while studying abroad where I used my critical thinking skills to solve complex problems, communicated with customers from around the world, and successfully navigated an international workplace.”
By emphasizing your international experience on your study abroad resume, employers will get a sense that you are able to quickly adapt and communicate with your peers no matter what situation you find yourself in.
Speak Their Language
Did you learn any languages while you were studying abroad? Another method to make your study abroad CV stand out is to add a section labelled “Languages” after you’ve highlighted your academic and professional experience.
Particularly in today’s globally interconnected world, language proficiency is highly valued. Therefore when considering how to incorporate study abroad on your resume, whether you learned Spanish while studying in Spain or Mandarin while earning your degree in China, you should highlight them. It’s excellent to demonstrate to potential employers that you possess the abilities to speak with clients, coworkers, or business partners from around the globe.
Anybody who has attempted to learn a foreign language is aware that it is a time-consuming process that necessitates extensive practise and study. Language proficiency on your study abroad CV will thus demonstrate to potential employers not only that you have the necessary practical abilities, but also that you are willing to accept a challenge and see a project through to completion.
Don’t forget:
Be sure to note on your study abroad CV your proficiency in each language. Using one of the following categories is the most typical approach to categorize your level of language proficiency:
- Native
- Elementary proficiency
- Limited working proficiency
- Professional working proficiency
If you feel that you are stronger in some language skills than others, you can also split down your language abilities on your study abroad resume by reading, writing, and speaking ability.
Show That You’re Social
During your time spent studying abroad, did you participate in any social activities or groups? Or perhaps you made a tonne of brand-new, worldwide friends and business connections? When including studies abroad on your resume, make sure to indicate any international contacts you have.
One of the most crucial abilities in cross-cultural work contexts is communication. Participating in social activities with other international students will show that you can get along with individuals from all backgrounds and should be added to your study abroad resume. When include study abroad on your resume, make sure to mention your involvement in any organizations, particularly if you served as their leader. Your leadership potential will also be able to be seen by future employers.
Don’t forget:
Consider setting up a LinkedIn profile if you don’t already have one so you can connect with all the new business people you encounter. It’s a fantastic method to present your study abroad resume while also growing your network. Also, it’s a fantastic method to learn about job and internship openings and submit a direct application.
Consider Cultural Differences
It’s possible that you are familiar with creating a simple study abroad CV at home. Nevertheless, do you know what a potential employer in the United States, Germany, or Japan will be seeking out in a job or internship application?
Although it may not be immediately apparent, every country has a separate standard resume format. Thus, before submitting your CV, you should understand cultural differences before thinking about how to include study abroad.
For instance, attaching a picture to your CV is customary in several European nations. However, it is considerably less widespread and can be viewed as going against equal opportunity employment norms in the US. Understanding these variations enables you to improve and fortify your study abroad resume.
Take Our Tips to the Interview
When you properly highlight your study abroad experience on your resume, you boost your chances of being noticed by employers, but that is only the first step. It’s equally crucial to emphasize your experience travelling abroad in your interview.
When the employer asks you to briefly describe yourself, you can start the dialogue right away. Don’t forget to include the place and nation where you stayed while discussing your study abroad experiences to subtly highlight your study abroad resume.
You never know, your interviewers may have travelled to your study abroad location or perhaps studied abroad themselves. Making a personal connection like that will help you stand out on your study abroad CV and get that callback.
Of course, you should start by highlighting your study abroad experience on your resume and how it helped you develop as a person and professional. Nonetheless, don’t be hesitant to share some of the difficulties you ran into along the route. When discussing your study abroad resume with potential employers, show them how you overcome obstacles and transformed a setback into a success to impress them and demonstrate your tenacity.
Study abroad on resume examples
Below are two samples, that will guide you on how a study abroad resume should look like:
