Studying abroad provides students with a chance to learn about themselves and their world, opportunities to learn new languages and meet new people, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Studying abroad also sets you apart. Many graduate schools and potential employers seek candidates with international experience because they believe such students have the skills to succeed in a global world. It’s important to know how to best market the knowledge and skills you have gained from your study abroad experience.  The Study Abroad Office encourages you to meet with Career Services to discuss how to do this best—but, for now, here are a few tips.

1. Focus on your accomplishments and skills. Your resume should focus on the “results” of your study abroad experience, not simply where you went or what you did.

2. You can include your study abroad experience under education or relevant experience (see examples below). If your experience was heavily academic (large course load, research work, etc.), it may be best to include it under education. However, if you completed a professional internship while abroad, you might choose to include study abroad  under relevant work experience.

3. Adjust your resume to your audience. You likely won’t submit the same resume to a graduate school and to a potential employer.

4. Don’t forget to include any other relevant aspects of your experience - such as volunteer work, independent studies, etc.

Study Abroad as Education
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA  (2007)
- BA in Political Science, magna cum laude
- Thesis: Evolution of Women’s Rights in Argentina

Study Abroad, Institute for the International Education of Students, La Plata, Argentina    (2006)
- Earned 12 credit hours in coursework related to Latin American culture and society.
- Achieved proficiency in Spanish.
- Produced research project on the effect of birth control on population growth in Argentina.

Study Abroad as Relevant Experience
Volunteer ESL Tutor, The Hispanic Center, Pittsburgh, PA    (2004 -2007)
- Developed and implemented lesson plans for ESL adult students.
- Managed classroom of 10 -15 adults from diverse backgrounds

Study Abroad, Institute for the International Education of Students, La Plata, Argentina    (2006)
- Established rapport quickly with individuals in an unfamiliar environment.
- Developed culturally appropriate questionnaire and interviewed 25 rural Argentinean women.
- Analyzed data using Argentinean software and produced final report on the effect of birth control on population growth in Argentina.

Source: http://www.skidmore.edu/administration/int-programs/coming_home/resume.htm

Talking About Study Abroad in an Interview

1. Be professional. Talk about your experience and how it relates to potential employment, not about what a great time you had.

2. Prior to your interview, take an inventory of the skills and knowledge you gained from studying abroad. For example, consider:
- course work
- professional experience (i.e. an internship)
- cross-cultural communication skills
- language ability
- personal skills related to living abroad (i.e. ability to adapt quickly)

3. Be specific when talking about what you accomplished or learned. Use the STAR method to answer interview questions:

S – Situation: Explain the situation.
T – Target: Describe what you wanted to achieve.
A – Action: Describe what you did.
R – Results: Describe what happened, how things turned out, what you learned, and what you’d do differently if presented the same circumstances.  

4. Focus on your successes and accomplishments while abroad, not challenges that you weren’t able to overcome.

5. Be positive. Avoid complaining about your host country, family, etc.

6.  Avoid shocking or inappropriate stories.

7. Avoid potentially unfamiliar language such as “reverse culture shock” or country-specific lingo.

Review the following interview questions.

Which response (a or b) do you think is the most effective in each case?

1. You studied in Argentina. Why did you decide to go there?
(a) I thought it was an interesting country.        
(b) I wanted to improve my Spanish language skills and I was interested in women’s issues in Argentina because of my undergraduate thesis.
Tip: Think back to why you decided to go. What did you write in your application?

2. What did you learn oversees that would help you in this job?
(a) I learned how to adapt to new environments quickly and how to take on tasks or roles to which I wasn’t accustom.
(b) I became more independent and gained a lot of self-confidence.
Tip: Think about how you have changed in terms of new skills or abilities.

3. What was the most challenging thing about studying abroad?
(a) My host family was too strict. I had to adapt to a completely new culture and way of life.
(b) I lived with a host family that was quite different from my own. I needed to learn about their culture and way of life in order to adapt. By spending time with my host mother and her son, I learned more about them as people and eventually developed strong relationships with both.
Tip: Use the STAR method to answer questions about a specific time or situation.

Sources: www.transitionsabroad.com, http://ucso.indiana.edu, www.ric-swpa.org