Many times when students study abroad they merely think they are improving their foreign language skills and their knowledge of a different country. There is another benefit that they don’t normally think about – how it impacts and improves career opportunities.
Part of improving language skills is the ability to think critically and express yourself. Those you come in contact with are just as interested in you as you are in them. Learning how to express your personal view and how to discuss and explain things about your country is an important skill for international businesses.
When you study abroad, you learn a great deal of information about the country that you live in, about its people, history, culture, and government. Your understanding of international affairs grows exponentially. You develop marketable skills that are in high demand in the international business arena. You have cross-cultural communication skills. You understand the culture and local customs and can use that knowledge to help a company build and grow a business in that country. You have resilience to changing situations, flexibility to adapt to those situations, and to work positively in them.
Your perspective on world affairs is broader. Your understanding of political and economic issues is deeper than before you studied abroad. You know how people in that culture think, reason, and feel about different topics.
A study abroad program provides opportunities for personal growth. You grow and mature intellectually and personally. By experiencing the good times and the struggles of adapting while studying abroad, you gain self-confidence – especially if this is your first time away from home. You learn that you can take care of yourself, resolve problems, and not be frightened of the unknown or of new things. International businesses need mature people.