Top Tips for Grads: Financial Advice with a Global Twist
Posted on May 21, 2012
Graduation season is upon us and with it lots of practical advice and tips for these newly minted grads. GO Global! is my number one piece of advice and I’ve incorporated it in my my Top Tips with a global twist for new grads.
- Be smart about credit cards. Always pay your balance in full every month. If you can’t and you’ve run up debt, begin paying it off aggressively, and call the credit company to request a reduced interest rate. To reduce interest while paying it off you may want to transfer the balance to a 0% balance transfer card, but investigate these options carefully and read the fine print. Don’t open up additional cards. If you close a credit card, write an official letter to the lender and request complete closure — not temporary. Use credit cards carefully to earn cash rewards. For globetrotters: Find out about your credit company’s fees before you travel overseas and make purchases; if they’re too high, consider signing up for Capital One, which does not charge a currency conversion fee.
- Pay off student loans early. Many loans are interest-free for the first six months after graduation; pay off as many of your loans during this time as possible. For globetrotters: Minimize your student loans and debt while in school. Plenty of opportunities exist for jobs outside the U.S., but the salary and benefits may be commensurate with local standards; i.e., you may not make enough money to pay off your loans. But you would make enough to live well, build your international credentials and start moving up the career ladder.
- Use your mobile phone smartly. Review and reduce your monthly minutes and text messages. Price competition is fierce among carriers, so shop around for the best prices. If you find one, ask your current carrier to match a reduced plan or leave (but check your contract for penalty fees before doing so). For globetrotters: Check into international calling, texting and data plans and, if they’re too expensive to use while traveling for personal use, consider using local phone cards and free (or low-cost) internet café access to stay connected.
- Understand your taxes. Look into tax breaks for students and recent grads, such as student loan deductions, tuition and fees deduction, lifetime learning deductions and the benefits of Roth IRAs and 401(k) plans. For globetrotters: Note that the first $87,600 you earn outside the U.S. is tax-free and that many countries’ domestic tax rates are far lower than the U.S. But do your research: some countries’ tax rates are higher for non-citizens.
- Keep living like a frugal student. Live within your means. Buy what you can afford. Whether it’s a car, a home or a new smart phone, buy only what you can afford. The old one-third rent, one-third living expenses, one-third savings model really works. For globetrotters: Travel on a shoestring budget, yet be prepared to find professional work in countries you’re interested in (always make sure you understand and follow local labor laws). Consider volunteering abroad to build up your professional experience; many times not-for-profit organizations will pay for your airplane ticket and accommodations, while you gain valuable global experience.
- Wait to go to graduate school. Although graduate degrees can be a differentiator, unless you need one for your particular field, consider waiting for 3-5 years after college to return to grad school. Spend this time building up your professional credentials with real work experience. You will find that when you do pursue graduate work, you’ll get so much more out of it. You may also find that your future employer offers to pay for a percentage (or even all) of your tuition, or that you don’t even need the additional degree. For globetrotters: Nothing beats the experience of actually living and working abroad, and, in fact, many globetrotters agree that it can be more valuable (and certainly cheaper) than earning an MBA stateside. Expand your global awareness, build your international credentials, and go global!
- Make money. Work hard at getting the best “first job” you can to help you meet your needs, whether they be financial, career aspirations or personal interests. Too many students graduate with debt piled so high that it effectively minimizes their choices, generally forcing them to decline a low-paying but great-opportunity job. Be careful to keep your options open. For globetrotters: Consider how you can both make money and build an international career. Sometimes a position may seem less glamorous or even a lot more difficult than you imagine, such as working in developing markets, but stick with it; research shows that you can fast-track your career by working abroad so the payoff could be great.
- Think globally. Whatever you think of globalization, nearly everyone agrees it’s here, now, and happening faster every year. Hiring managers increasingly look for candidates with global perspective to satisfy their global growth needs. Having a global mindset may be the differentiator between you and a competitor in landing the job stateside. For globetrotters: Competition is fierce around the world, and you will be competing with recent grads from Bangkok, Buenos Aires and Berlin. Make sure you can compete: practice foreign language, build your international credentials, and follow global markets and business trends.
- Network. It may prove to be relevant to future opportunities that lead to jobs, or even entrepreneurial ventures. For globetrotters: Networks may prove to be one of the most important aspects of building an international career. It may help you land a global job, build your reputation as a global thinker, and help you on the ground while on assignment.
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills. In a world of 140-character tweets and OMG! texting abbreviations, communicating well in English, both written and spoken, can differentiate you from your peers at this important time in your life. Such skills are important in every career, so focus on speaking, writing and presenting succinctly; it will pay off. For globetrotters: Excellent communication skills are critical to a successful career working abroad — or even on a global, virtual team here in the U.S. Professionals with such skills have been known to advance much faster than those without.
For more global advice, order your copy of Go Global! Launching an International Career Here or Abroad today!
Guest Blogger: One Soon-to-be Grad’s Advice on Going Global
Posted on May 3, 2012
Being born in Colombia and growing up in the United States with a Norwegian step dad and a mother who was in international business made me realize early on the differences between developed and developing countries. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel to more than 20 countries on 5 different continents, and with my array of international experiences I have learned that the world is vastly different — but we all have passion for one thing: bettering ourselves.
For as long as I can remember, I have had a vision of traveling the world and understanding what makes people tick. I have wanted to learn about the differences and similarities between developed and developing countries. Thus, when it came time to make a decision about where to go to university, I decided that I needed to be in a place where international life was vibrant and intellectually stimulating for me.
In the fall of 2008 I enrolled at The George Washington University, a school in the heart of Washington, D.C., that is surrounded by embassies, as well as the World Bank and the IMF, and is the center of U.S. political power; the U.S. State Department and the White House are within a one-mile radius of campus. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Washington, D.C., has been my perfect location to launch an international academic career.
When I decided to study at The George Washington University, I wanted to learn about political science and economics, but then decided that business, specifically international business, was my true calling. From all the traveling I’ve done, I wanted to learn how business worked on a global scale – both the inter-connectivity within and the impact globalization is having on businesses all over the world. 
I took advantage of my location and participated in as many events as I could within the diplomatic, political and business circles. As my academic career began to reach its halfway point, I decided the time was right to explore another international city: PARIS. My junior year I studied abroad in Sciences Po Paris, where I was able to visit multinational corporations such as General Electric, Ferrero, Merrill Lynch, Pfizer and Four Seasons Hotel to learn about their international operations.
Throughout my stay in Paris I not only listened and observed how people functioned on a daily basis, but I focused on understanding how this sophisticated, cosmopolitan nation was both suffering and thriving in this new globally competitive business environment. I spent time speaking with French individuals about their country and what it’s like to be living and working in France, a leader (along with Germany) throughout the Eurozone Crisis.
So what did I learn? I learned that French individuals have a different way of doing business with more lax hours, but at the same time they were intellectually curious about the rest of the world. They kept up with not only current affairs in their country, but also the rest of the world. In terms of work ethic, I learned that their prime focus in life was not work but rather having the ability to connect with people and build relationships.
These experiences lead me to understand that a country such as France is still both constantly struggling and thriving. The French people are well educated and are trying to focus on more than just work while at the same time staying intellectually stimulated. They constantly want to improve.
As soon as I returned from France, I decided it was time to explore my background. I’m originally from Colombia, a country that has struggled to repair its reputation as a placing teeming with drug lords and suffering from civil war. In the past decade, the country has been trying to make a turnaround, which presented itself as an opportunity to me to create a business that enables students to travel to Colombia. My experience has led me to the conclusion that people are more alike than different; the main difference is usually the opportunities they have.
In 2011 along with two colleagues, I launched my own company, ViveLA. My goal is to provide the opportunity to students to intern, volunteer and teach English in Colombia. I have learned so much about cross-border work, most specifically the importance of cross-cultural skills as an absolute necessity to work with individuals from another country. I realized that the opportunities in a developing country were so much greater than in a developed country, and there’s so much work to be done! 
For example, in Colombia semester internships do not exist. In Colombia, internships are called “practicas,” which are mandatory in order for university students to graduate with a degree. Students do not intern like they do in the U.S. Thus, my co-founders and I had to bring this idea to Colombia. We met and spoke with representatives from companies so as to educate them on the importance of internships for foreign students and the benefits of cultural and professional exchange to both the interns and companies. In addition, we learned a lot about how things worked in Colombia, how connections and work environments function differently. We had to learn this if we wanted to be successful; we had to understand the work environment and realized that differences are overcome by openness and cooperation.
Fortunately, Colombians are always trying to better themselves. With hard work, we have been able to establish an understanding of internships in the country. To date we work with more than 20 organizations that accept interns, volunteers and teachers.
This experience led me to the understanding that working in a developing country offers a wide range of responsibility that might not be offered elsewhere. Implementing and developing new ideas or even taking methods of how developed countries work and putting them in place in developing countries is a challenge, but a very rewarding experience. I grew both professionally and personally. Be open to looking at opportunities in developing nations. It is critical to understand that at times the economies of those sophisticated, complex countries we all dream of working in may not be the best place to launch a career. Therefore, look for those countries, such as the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), to make your mark.
My advice to students and recent graduates is BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD. I learned both in Paris and from growing up with a Norwegian stepdad that knowledge is power. If you do not follow current events you will be lost. Doing so may be time-consuming but it’s easy — just a click away really. To not do so is not okay. If you want to stay competitive in this global job market, you need to experience and work toward understanding where the world is today — and how things are changing. We must take advantage of our interconnected world to be competitive and become successful. Competition is fierce and if you are not on par or better than students from around the world…succeeding is questionable.
María A. Villaquirán, a senior from Cali, Colombia, will earn her Bachelor of Business Administration from The George Washington University with a field concentration in International Business and a minor in Economics in May 2012. After a semester abroad in Paris, Maria co-founded ViveLA, a company dedicated to offering internships, teaching English, and volunteering opportunities for students in Colombia. Maria is fluent in English, Spanish and Portugese.
Learning 2 or 20 Languages: Is There a Secret?
Posted on Apr 27, 2012
Originally published on the Huffington Post on April 26, 2012.
In my line of work, I am constantly talking about the importance of learning a second or third language in order to effectively compete on a global scale. Americans, in particular, are at a disadvantage in this space. Studies indicate that approximately half the world is bilingual, while Americans hover anywhere between 8-17 percent. I hear countless numbers of stories about how difficult learning a second language can be and why some people just seem to have a knack. I wonder if it has to do with cognitive ability (perhaps) or something to do with our education system (I believe it does) and how we can improve our odds at learning at least two languages proficiently.
I’m surrounded by people who speak several languages. My parents grew up bilingual as children of Polish-American immigrants. My husband speaks fluent French, passable Spanish, knows some German, and he picked up Swedish easily during his one year working and living there. When we lived in Hong Kong, we took Mandarin lessons together (three times a week from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, a difficult environment to learn anything!), and he was adept despite the Cantonese environment in which we lived. To boost their global success odds, my twin daughters are learning both Spanish and Mandarin to complement their English. My best friend, who is Italian, speaks (Italian) English, French, Spanish and German fluently and although she might graciously demur, I bet she could learn most any language easily if she tried.
I, however, am monolingual, or a monoglot as Michael Erard, the author of Babel No More: The Search for the World’s Most Extraordinary Language Learners (FreePress 2012), might refer to me. Someone who can only speak one language. And so it was with a great deal of interest that I recently read his book on both living and dead super language learners and how they do it. Erard attempts to learn whether these superlearners’ talents lie inherent in all of us, or if it’s a function of a rare sort of brain wiring.
Because we’re not talking about two or three languages but rather at least six, which Erard deems to be the number that defines a polyglot, or 10 plus, the number which determines a hyperpolyglot. Whether six or 12 it is an unusual feat and one that deserves the in-depth look Erard has given these superlearners. He does a fabulous job of taking the reader on an international, historical adventure and his book reads much more like a novel at times than an academic treatise. And that’s a good thing.
The colorful characters past and present are quirky, interesting and make one gasp with their abilities to master 20 to 50 languages, sometimes in just a manner of weeks. These superlearners are dubbed hyperpolyglots, such as the 19th century Italian cardinal Joseph Mezzofanti, who was said to speak more than 38 languages, and who learned Ukranian in two weeks once challenged. He also found a “living legend” in Alexander who showed Erard tricks of learning a language and from which I took away the “secrets” to hyperpolyglot success.
1. All languages are not spoken equally. Depending on the most recent use, how the language is used, for example business or pleasure travel, can have an impact on the level at a hyperpolyglot speaks.
2. Learning languages requires commitment. Everyone has to work at it, even if it comes more easily for some. Practice, dedication and commitment yield positive results.
3. If you enjoy it, it’s a whole lot easier.
All of these not only make sense but they’re often the same tips that language teachers offer to anyone attempting to learn another language: You don’t have to be perfect, just practice and have fun.
If you’re interested in languages, whether you’re monolingual or a polyglot, check out Babel No More. It’s got all the right elements for a great read, and one that’s important to our current trends: Beyond just an interesting intellectual exploration, Erard agrees that the need for language learning is growing. We all could use some greater insight into who can and how to learn more languages in our interconnected global world.
Investing in Women Pays Off for Business
Posted on Apr 23, 2012
Coauthored by Stacie Berdan & Liesl Riddle, PhD. Originally appeared in The Huffington Post on April 19.
Ah, the “mommy wars.” The kerfuffle between Hilary Rosen and Ann Romney this past week has once again side-tracked national attention into the ongoing debate over women’s choices. Does working for pay hurt or help us as moms, hurt or help our kids? Really? We’re still debating this as a nation? This in the same week that President Obama’s White House Forum on Women and the Economy heralded the crucial impact women make on family, economics, growth and competitiveness in America via full participation in the economy and society.
President Obama’s comments apply to women around the world — not just in the United States. This topic was addressed at “Why Organizations Need to Invest in Women,” a panel discussion with international women recently held at George Washington University and sponsored by the university’s Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER), an event we organized and moderated. We discussed that while investing in women certainly yields positive outcomes in terms of human rights, education, and family planning, there is an even more compelling reason to invest in women. It makes good business sense.
For example, 40 percent of the world’s workforce is female. Women in the boardroom have proven to provide a competitive advantage for businesses’ bottom lines. The input of diverse decision-makers is a boon for organizations in all sectors of the economy: public, private, and NGO.
Women also manage money well. A recent study by Barclays Wealth and Ledbury Research found that the conservative approach that most women take in investing generates greater long-run financial payoff. That is because women are more likely to buy and hold, rather than make higher-risk investment choices and frequently trade. In recognition of both the financial and social benefits of lending to women, most micro-lending institutions aim the vast majority, if not all, of their lending portfolio toward the female borrower.
The International Finance Corporation has noted that the financial power of women is expanding at a more rapid rate than ever before in human history. They estimate that global consumer spending by women will increase to $28 trillion in 2014, up from $20 trillion in 2009. This is particularly noteworthy given the fact that women already control 65% of global spending today.
Women have a multiplier effect as consumers, building markets as they make the majority of purchase decisions in households. Women tend to focus on purchases that increase family welfare, strengthening the consumer base. Yet surveys consistently find women feel underserved and patronized by many of the companies trying to sell to them. Women’s power as global producers and consumers has been compared to that of China and India because, over the next decade, the impact of women the world over will be at least as significant as that of those two growing global powerhouses.
Who better to understand and meet the needs of these 1 billion women around the world than women? Women understand women.
It is time organizations began recognizing the immense payoff that women offer not only in the United States and in the industrialized nations around the world but also in emerging and developing economies.
In the next 50 years, the majority of worldwide economic growth will take place outside the industrialized nations. Organizations that are able to understand and navigate the dramatic and rapid changes taking place in these economies will be best positioned to recognize and seize opportunities.
Women employed in these markets can help their organizations keep up with the rapidly changing and expanding role of women in these societies, identifying new opportunities to market to female consumers and to mentor and nurture women leaders in these contexts. In other words, investing in women leads to greater global returns as women tend to invest in other women.
It is time more organizations invested in women internationalists so that more women can fully participate in next-generation global leadership. It is time more internationalist women started leading the teams trying to understand what women around the world want so that they can better serve the women who continue to be their most important sales market.
President Obama’s focus on women is right on target and has implications for the world economy. Investing in women has a multiplier effect for economic growth. Since we know investing in women pays off, now it is time to put our money where our knowledge shows it will be most effective — in women.
Liesl Riddle is the Associate Dean for MBA Programs and is an Associate Professor of International Business and International Affairs at The George Washington University.
Guest Blogger: One Recent Grad’s Leap Abroad
Posted on Apr 13, 2012
The Light Bulb Moment
“What are your plans after you graduate?” This is the dreaded question most seniors in college are asked repeatedly, by family, friends and sometimes even complete strangers. For me, I didn’t have a nice, neat and succinct answer.
The thought of traveling overseas had always been enticing, but I knew I didn’t just want to take the typical backpacking trip through Europe. It was important to me to have an opportunity that would allow me to continue expanding my professional experience in the communications field, in addition to gaining a global business perspective. I also wanted the ability to immerse myself in a new culture, not just be a tourist. 
Visiting Africa had long been an interest of mine, although one I kept to myself. The details of where, when and in what capacity were still unclear to me. After doing some general internet research, I came across an internship program called Volunteer Adventure Corps in Cape Town, South Africa. The program had all of the aspects I was looking for and even helped arrange housing, weekly activities among other interns and general assistance if needed. After discussing with the program staff what type of work I was interested in and the logistics of my arrival, my internship with a small PR agency was confirmed. Then I was off to South Africa.
Jumping in head first
Taking the leap to move to a city almost 9,000 miles away was completely terrifying, intimidating, yet exhilarating. To date it is the best decision I have ever made for myself, both personally and professionally. People say you will learn so much about yourself living and working abroad, and it’s true. Each Day in Cape Town I was tested. From having to figure out where simple things like the grocery store and laundromat were located, to taking the train to and from work. Also a more complex issue was having communication barriers because someone couldn’t understand my accent or vice versa.
Public Relations Internship
One of my mai
n responsibilities during my public relations internship was to create, plan and implement a social media campaign for one of our clients. I learned how important vital planning and staying organized are to the success of any project. In addition, I was responsible for researching which members of the media to contact on behalf of our clients. Acquiring these hands-on work experiences allowed me to develop transferable skills, which include managing client and media relationships, as well as being able to seamlessly transition between working on accounts in two different industries and in a culture that’s different from mine.
Regardless of the task, my internship increased my self-confidence in my skills and knowledge. This experience reaffirmed working in the public relations field is the right career path for me, whether it is in the U.S., South Africa or anywhere else. I proved to myself I can be thrown into any situation and thrive.
When I reflect on my internship in Cape Town, I was a part of some pretty incredible moments – from attending the announcement of the city being named World Design Capital 2014, listening to live music during a concert sponsored by one of our clients or watching the children’s eyes light up after opening their gifts at another client’s Christmas party. My co-workers not only were teachers in the office, they were also my personal Cape Town tour guides. They constantly educated me about the city’s complex history, delicious food and numerous languages. Without them I would not have felt so connected to a place so far from home.
Advice
Having professional international experience will always be advantageous. As a current job seeker myself, my internship is a great conversation starter. It is usually the first topic a hiring manager bring ups during an interview. Listing my PR internship in Cape Town on my resume is not only eye-catching, but it makes a bold statement regarding my willingness to challenge myself. It also says that I value cultural awareness, particularly in the workplace. With business becoming increasingly global, an understanding of others’ customs is essential.
My bungee jumping adventure the third week is quite symbolic of my entire time in South Africa. I was completely and utterly petrified. I second guessed myself a lot in the beginning, but once I took the plunge, I was so thankful I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. With that, I will pass on this piece of advice I received when first contemplating working abroad: GO! You will never regret exposing yourself to a world undiscovered, meeting people from all walks of life and learning more than a thing or two along the way.
As St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Jennifer Quayle has a Bachelor of Arts in Written Communications with a minor in Graphic Design. She resides in Wisconsin and is currently job searching. She is open to pursuing opportunities both locally and abroad, particularly in Cape Town. Connect with her on Twitter, LinkedIn or via email at jenniferequayle@gmail.com.
Go Global! Now Available in Paperback
Posted on Mar 16, 2012
Go Global! is now out in paperback!
Available on Lulu for $11.99 and coming soon to book stores near you, online and around the corner. If your bookstore doesn’t have it, ask them to order it!
If you’re interested in taking a peak, check out the preview:
Interested in a Global Career? Consider PR
Posted on Mar 8, 2012 2 Comments
If someone told you that you could fast-track your career and significantly increase your pay while achieving a high degree of job satisfaction, significant attention of senior management, and the respect of your peers and clients, would you be interested?
If you’re thinking, “Just tell me how?” then consider working abroad, for it has done all of these things—and more—for me and countless other public relations professionals.
I became a vice president at public relations giant Burson-Marsteller at age 27. I was transferred to Hong Kong, where I worked for three years. I returned to Washington, D.C., and within one year jumped to global account managing director despite taking six months off to have my twins.
Working in another country can expand your horizons professionally and personally in ways you might never have considered. Overseas achievements can enhance your reputation and set you apart from your peers. Doors will open for you, because companies need more people who can apply international experience to local business challenges. Knowledge and understanding of foreign cultures, regulations, economies, consumers and work habits are now crucial for corporate survival—and they can be your ticket to the fast track.
Companies want and need globally minded and experienced employees. Having global experience continues to move from “nice” to “must-have” as a driver for career success. Your clients’ supervisors may be just as likely to sit in Bangalore as in Boston, and your clients may be sourcing from South Africa to manufacture in Chengdu to sell throughout Latin America.
Meanwhile, companies that have always had extensive international operations are expanding them. And the biggest news: There’s a growing collection of multinational corporations that are expanding from China, India, Brazil, Mexico, and the UAE, which means cross-cultural competence and language skills are increasingly important.
All of these companies will need public relations support—be it agency or in-house—to expand their manufacturing, launch brands, or sell new products, services, or supplies.
PR practitioners have at least two traits that many of the experts note as vital to succeeding in a cross-cultural situation: excellent communications skills and adaptability. These will help ensure you get a seat at the most senior management tables overseas.
When you are abroad, many times it’s the outstanding performance a PR pro demonstrates in a “nontraditional” moment or business situation that leads to recognition by senior management and clients. Plus, the chances are greater that you’ll be exposed to higher-ups simply because you are outside home turf.
If your CEO travels to New York, there may be 500 people fighting for his or her attention. But in Bangkok, you may be one of just a handful of players making a difference for the company in that market. Likewise, it is not uncommon for a mid-level manager to counsel and escort traveling political leaders, members of the C-suite, and even client CEOs when they are on an international tour. You can’t beat that exposure.
Of course, it’s important to note that working abroad is also tough, demanding, and, at times, lonely. You must learn many skills, unlearn the things that have become second nature, and perform at the top of your game in a strange environment. Most professionals who’ve worked overseas admit that it was one of the most difficult things they have ever done—but that also makes it one of the biggest confidence builders around.
So, how can you land one of these extraordinary assignments? Here are my top 10 tips to increase your odds of landing a coveted overseas posting. They’ve been honed over decades of international experience:
1. Perform your current job flawlessly.
2. Make your international desires known.
3. Find a mentor to advocate for you.
4. Learn or practice a foreign language.
5. Research the countries you’d like to work in and be flexible enough to ensure a match between what you want and what the company needs.
6. Demonstrate your cultural awareness of these countries.
7. Point out ways you can make a difference for your company overseas.
8. Package yourself and your accomplishments.
9. Volunteer for special projects that involve international work.
10. And if you still aren’t having any luck, move yourself.
Finally, know that no two experiences are alike, so going global is never predictable. But if you’re even the slightest bit interested, check into it. I bet it will be one of the smartest things you’ll ever do for your career.
Preparing Our Students for the Global Marketplace
Posted on Feb 29, 2012
I’m on college campuses a lot talking up the importance of preparing our students for the global marketplace. I have met so many campus counselors, professors and administrators eager to help their students in this area because they know globalization is here. And sometimes it helps to have an outsider share her experiences and provide a step-by-step approach to launching an international career — here or abroad — upon graduation or a few years down the road.
This is where I can help.
Many job seekers mistakenly think that domestic job search can simply be tweaked for international positions. Not so. Global employers need to know as much about an applicant’s international credentials and personal traits as they do about their professional abilities.
How exactly can soon-to-be graduates prepare themselves for interviews with employers who want global workers? How can you help them navigate the maze of the ever-changing global job search?
Proper preparation begins with Thinking Globally. To cultivate a global mindset, students should follow world news, pay attention to global stock markets and currencies, and keep an eye on global events and international business trends. They should follow global organizations, targeted companies and international experts on social media sites.
This approach must be encouraged in all students, not just business students. An exercise I recommend is to help students connect the dots between global news and their own job search. For example, where is there a need for Portugese-speaking engineers (Brazil)? Which countries are most important to finance majors (Hong Kong, New York and London)? Has the Arab Spring opened up opportunities in tech, communications and journalism majors (yes)?
Tomorrow it will change, and so everyone must keep current with the evolving global jobs marketplace.
Once students begin to think globally, they can then be encouraged to see the value in – and then take advantage of – the variety of international opportunities on campus. Here are five pointers that I recommend every student follow beginning in their freshman year:
Pursue language study. All students should be encouraged to graduate as close to bilingual as possible through a combination of formal and informal study.
Take globally-oriented coursework. Students should take international classes within a major or coursework focused on specific regions or cultures – or courses that address broad global issues/globalization and classes on the global marketplace.
Participate in exchange or study abroad. Study abroad is one of the best ways for a student to acquire international qualifications before graduating. Students should be encouraged to pursue non-traditional locations in developing markets (where the jobs are).
Work or intern abroad. Real work experience differentiates all students and the global experience tells future employers that students are risk takers, explorers, go-getters and have the guts it takes to work in an unfamiliar environment.
Encourage the global experience. At its heart, going global is a mindset. International campus groups and presentations will make a difference as will cross-cultural experience in the form of art, music, movies, food, dance and travel for personal pleasure or on volunteer assignment.
Once students have acquired some international experience, it’s time to help them package it in their Winning Global Job-search Toolkit. It’s important to note that students should not simply adapt their domestic approach; they must pursue the global job search with a fundamentally different mindset. This generally requires starting from scratch; campus counselors and professors can play a critical role in helping students:
Define a Global Brand. This is a thinking exercise and you must help them define both their hard and soft skills. Global employers need to know as much about a candidate’s personality as they do about her professional abilities. Ask them to write it down as that will help them frame their experiences, skills and personality traits in ways that are accurate, relevant and showcase cross-cultural competence.
Draft an Elevator Pitch. When I lecture on campuses, I ask students the most difficult aspect in creating their job-search materials. More than half say defining their skills in an elevator pitch. Any successful elevator pitch includes both hard skills (e.g., professional qualifications, education and language proficiency), and soft skills (e.g., personal attributes and interests that make an excellent global worker). Successful pitches are unique, catchy and brief, and use active verbs. Students should be encouraged to have two pitches – one with more international flair than the other. And they should practice with advisers, professors and fellow students so that they become completely comfortable saying it.
Write a Superb Cover Letter. The same rules apply as in the domestic search, but in addition, an applicant’s international persona must come through loud and clear so that an employer’s interest will be piqued by the relevant qualifications. I recommend that students draft their first cover letter in response to an actual global job they want. And don’t forget that eMail communications matter!
Draft a Global Resume or CV. A good global resume illustrates a student’s international education, experience and skills. But rather than organize the content around professional experience, the international resume should be built around the international skill set. Global employers need to not only understand what an applicant can do – her technical skills – but also how to assess her ability to operate in a foreign or cross-cultural environment.
Build an online brand through social networking sites. Although it can be a double-edged sword, employers expect to find applicants online and students can do a lot to differentiate themselves. Students should also be prepared to address any negative issues that may come up due to embarrassing online activities or photos.
Campus counselors play an important role in helping students launch an international career. As long as our higher-ed institutions embrace the importance of increasing students’ international exposure while on campus, everyone can work toward adequately preparing them for the global marketplace. Many internationalists I know recall that their very first overseas post came through a campus career center. Go Global!
If you’re interested in having me speak on your campus — or advise you one-on-one with your job search — connect with me at stacienberdan@gmail.com. I offer an affiliate program for students.
If you liked this blog, please share it with others. I’d appreciate it.
Go Global! Can Be Read on Any Device – Not Just Kindle
Posted on Feb 19, 2012
Many people write to me asking if Go Global! is available in any other format since they don’t a Kindle. I have GOOD news!
First, Go Global! Can be downloaded from Amazon, BN.com or iTunes. If you choose Amazon, you don’t need to have a Kindle, you can download the book for $5 and the relevant FREE app to read it on your PC, Mac, smart phone, iPad or other eReader. I published it as an eBook to keep the selling price low.
Second, due to popular demand, Go Global! will soon be released in paperback! The response to the book has been overwhelmingly positive, and I appreciate that some people just like to page through a “book.” It will be sold through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, PLUS you’ll be able to ask your local bookstore to order it. Keep an eye on this site for exact dates!
And if you haven’t seen the Go Global! video…check it out and pass it on! Thanks again for the positive response to Go Global! I really appreciate it.