How to boost your professional career with your internship abroad

Internships abroad are not new… In fact, every year, many programs require their students to fly all over the world to improve their language skills by working in foreign companies. Direct immersion in a foreign country is the best way to improve your language skills, to immerse yourself in the culture of the country and to gainprofessional experience abroad.

In addition, today’s companies generally require a first professional experience, which makes an internship a highly coveted experience. An internship is already a great experience for your professional career, but an internship abroad is doubly so because it offers even more advantages.

What is an internship abroad?

An internship abroad is a real opportunity to improve your employability, and it is even more so if you are considering an international career. So, don’t let it pass you by!  As part of your university program, you can choose to spend several months in a company located anywhere in the world. The principle remains the same as an internship in France, however, it requires a certain amount of organization, some administrative documents and above all motivation.

In this article you will discover how a work experience will boost your professional career, even when you return to France.

The advantages of an internship abroad on a personal level

Experience above all 

We start this article with the biggest advantage of doing an internship abroad: the professional experienceyou will gain. And this plays a role on a personal level too! Indeed, this professional experience will allow you to have more confidence in yourself.

Going in internship abroad is a real challenge, and you can be proud of yourself!  You have to learn everything again: a new culture, a new office dynamic, a new language. Outside of work, you will also meet new friends, new life habits… In short, everything will change! Everything changes for you and yet, you will not have the choice to adapt and evolve professionally in a new environment. You have to be motivated, resilient, flexibleand have guts to live this kind of experience to the fullest and succeed in any environment, but it allows you to gain self-confidence and that is a great reward!

This experience abroad gives you the satisfaction of having been able to do it and confirms that you can thrive in any place because of your ability to adapt, which can only flatter your self-esteem.

Gaining independence and adaptability

While interning abroad in any field, you can be sure that you will gain skills. However, an internship abroad will give you both professional and personal skills.

If you are looking for a challenge and are tired of routine, there is no better way to get out of your comfort zone than to leave your family and friends and go on an internship in another country.

Your adaptability and independence will be put to good use as you settle into a new environment. You will have to get used to a new way of life, to public transportation, to the population, to your new home…

Also, throughout your professional career, you are likely to work in an office with people who come from several countries. This means that you will have to learn to communicate differently with your colleagues and adapt to their way of working. This means that your internship abroad will help you understand different cultures and master different languages. Indeed, this internship abroad will have increased your knowledge of different cultures. This is not only interesting from a personal point of view, but it also helps you strengthen your professional skills by helping you understand the country’s practices and different ways of working.

Learning a new language

The skills you acquire in a foreign language are part of the things that benefit your personal and professional development. It is another strong point that works in your favor. So, if you have the chance to do an internship in a foreign country, take it! You will be able to develop your ability to communicate with people from different countries. Being able to speak another language is a great asset for employers. So it’s also an asset for you professionally.

The professional benefits of an internship abroad

An expanded professional network

An internship abroad also means meeting new people and making new contacts!  Indeed, one of the tools that will be most useful in your career is your professional contacts. Indeed, your professional contacts can recommend you to their own network when you want to apply for a job. They can also inform you of job openings and opportunities around them. As you can see, a global network is even more interesting because it gives you the opportunity to make the most of what is available, not only at home, but also in other countries.

This is an opportunity for you to build a global network of colleagues and friends as you meet new people at work or in your daily life. Once you return to your home country, don’t delete your contacts, on the contrary, they could be useful to you. You never know, you might find someone you met during your experience abroad in your future professional career and work with them.

New job opportunities

Thanks to your experience abroad, you will be more appreciated by employers. Indeed, when an employer is interviewing for a job, they are always looking for candidates who stand out from the rest. And that candidate is you! Indeed, your experience abroad makes you the ideal candidate, it proves your ability to adapt and will force your employer to be interested in your experience.

Indeed, international experience is favored by employers because it shows that you are not afraid to leave your comfort zone and face the unknown. You will then have to present to your employer all the skills that you have developed during this experience, which will allow you to stand out from the others.

In addition, internships naturally offer great job prospects. Finally, an internship is already an opportunity for you, but who is it? You may be offered a full-time job later on.

An enriched CV

One of the great advantages of doing an internship abroad is to add important experience to your resume.Indeed, you probably plan to return home at the end of your internship. You should know that the time you spent as an intern abroad will have been worthwhile and will have a positive impact on your future life and resume.

By working in a foreign environment, you will improve your adaptability, flexibility and communication skills. Also, the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people to achieve common goals will greatly enhance your teamwork skills. Indeed, you will have to take into account different points of view from your own, which will strengthen your reasoning, analysis and perseverance and these qualities will be useful for your future job.  You will be able to add all these skills to your CV, which will make you more employable in the future. Your ability to speak the language of your host country will also have a place on your resume.

You will come back home with real skills! We know it can be scary but going abroad for your internship can be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made for yourself and your professional career! Go for it! 

 

 

Frequently asked questions about the contribution of an internship to a professional career

How to make a difference on your CV?

Nothing could be simpler than to follow two or three tips to make recruiters want to see it! First of all, your CV must be clear, i.e. it must not be overloaded and well thought out. To do this, make sure you are as concise as possible about your different experiences. In addition, it is important to put your most recent experiences forward on your CV as these are the ones that represent you the most.

Add a photo too, so recruiters know who they are dealing with!

What is LinkedIn, the social network that also allows you to boost your career?

LinkedIn is a social network reserved for professional and business relations. It will allow you to search for an internship, to connect with employers, companies or employees, with whom you can exchange, and more. Also, like a real social network, you can post publications and comments to gain visibility and attract users.