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A Brief Note on Experience

Internships, part-time work, entry-level jobs, volunteer work, and research are all types of experience. Although students often think they must focus on getting internships, it is important to recognize that employers are primarily interested in the substance of your experience, not what it is called. They want to see that you have taken the initiative to gain experience and have developed knowledge, both general and in your field of specialization, as well as the ability to communicate and work collaboratively in a professional capacity.

So start early, envision where you want to be in your future career, and seek out experiences that will lead you down that path. Don't limit yourself to the types of experience we discuss on this website, experience can be any application of skills to a real-world setting.

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What is an International Career?

As the economy globalizes, more and more careers are becoming international. Working abroad for a multinational corporation or diplomatic office might come to mind when you think of an international career, but it is important to recognize that there are numerous other possibilities. Not all international careers involve working abroad or even travel. Many employees of corporations, government, and international organizations and institutions participate in a range of international activities, including development, diplomacy, education, environmentalism and trade, while remaining in the United States. Of course, there continue to be many opportunities abroad. The main thing to bear in mind is that an international career is international because of its geographic scope and inclusion of people and phenomena from across and beyond national borders.

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