Today’s Students Must Embrace the Global Economy

The global economy is here. Large-scale employers, multinational companies and all types of organizations want and need, more than ever, employees with international experience. Today’s newly minted grads find themselves on the front lines of an increasingly competitive global marketplace, competing for jobs from Boston to Beijing to Barcelona to Bombay. Students who begin building their international resumes before they graduate stand a better shot at landing a job at home or abroad.

What’s a Student To Do?

Undergrads can lay the foundation of an international resume with study abroad, international internships, foreign language and – despite your major – knowledge of basic business tenets and current economic, geographic, political events. Many students greatly underestimate the need to understand business issues and how they impact a prospective employer, at home and abroad. MBA gradsare increasingly expected to have significant international experience.

Beyond business, however, governments are focused on the need to better understand cultures beyond their borders. Take, for example, the U.S. Government’s focus on critical languages and the importance it has placed on increasing the number of Americans mastering critical languages – and the relevant teachers and resources allocated for K-16 school years to reach the objectives: The National Security Education Program (NSEP), STARTALK, and The Language Flagship are but a few of the many programs that recognize the importance of foreign language learning for both security and global competiveness. Moreover, many of these programs offer career opportunities to students involved in the programs, thus becoming more than educational as they evolve into networking channels as well.

The international job search mirrors domestic in many ways: A great resume is only one component. Students must be strategic in their planning, preparation, research, and networking in order to land that coveted international job — or any job that offers global prospects down the road. Don’t be too picky and take nothing for granted as you diligently pursue opportunities in today’s tough times; it could prove to be what differentiates you over your competitors.

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