Gain Skills
Build Confidence Explore Opportunities
Self Awareness Personal improvement
Meet People
Volunteer
Learn/practice a language
Internship/ Work experience
Meet alumni from home university
Give a talk
How might you achieve your goals? What can you do, other than study? Develop Professional networks
Write a blog Be an ambassador
Transferable Skills Specific (hard) or transferable (soft) skills Transferable skills can be learnt in one context and applied to another Can be acquired through work, hobbies, sports etc Examples: Activity
Skill
Organised a conference
Project management
Gave a presentation
Oral communication
What transferable skills have you got?
What transferable skills do study abroad students have?
What employers want: Experiences outside academia
Exceptional people skills Willingness to travel Self-starter Naturally inquisitive
Global outlook Cultural sensitivity Ability to build relationships
Self-awareness Strong planning skills Look for opportunities
Initiative Empathy Adaptability Team spirit Self-management skills
“Confidence and tenacity, resilience and flexibility” (The Cooperative)
“Multi-tasking and flexible with problem solving skills” (JWT)
“At least four months experience working or studying outside your own country” (BMW)”
Translating the study abroad experience…on a CV Iwenna Broad 14 Oxford Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 AB3 01865 234567
[email protected]
Education 2007 – 2011 University of Oxford, BA History 2009 – 2010 Princeton University Exchange Programme - GPA 3.84 - Gave talk on Oxford University to potential exchange partners - Volunteered in Hispanic community centre and learnt conversational Spanish 2004 – 2006 Millstown Sixth Form College, London A Levels in History (A) Physics (A) Chemistry (A ) and Economics (A) 1999 – 2004 Prince Edward School, 7 GCSES at A*, 3 As
Interests: Travel: Planned a month’s trip to follow my year abroad, managing a limited budget to travel south as far as Atlanta, Georgia and sample some of the USA’s diverse regions. Visited Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania, 2006 Conservation: Conference team member for ‘Greening of the Ivies Conference’, Princeton, 2009 Volunteered for Lemur tracking conservation project, 2005 Sports: Founder of Oxford Women’s Softball team, 2010-2011 Softball team member, Princeton, 2009-2010.
Translating the study abroad experience… in a cover letter Cover letter should include
• Why the student wants to work for this organisation • Why they want this position
• What they have to offer (that the employer wants) This last part should address key skills and back up with evidence from a diverse range of experiences. Study abroad might provide one or two examples for this section, depending on the job and criteria.
Translating the study abroad experience… in a cover letter Job 1: The applicant must demonstrate cultural sensitivity when meeting clients and be able to build strong relationships How might Student A draw on their year abroad experience to meet this criteria? Write an example cover letter sentence. Job 2: The applicant must be flexible and resilient; able to adapt and cope with challenges
Repeat above task with Student B
Translating the study abroad experience…in interview When have you managed a budget or a project?
What’s your greatest achievement?
Tell us about a time when you’ve demonstrated interpersonal skills?
Preparing answers to interview questions Read the job specification again List the skills required and the ones you especially want to convey
Prepare diverse examples from across your experience to use in the interview
One or two on study abroad is probably enough
Structure answers using S.T.A.R: Situation, Task, Actions and Result, focusing on your Actions
When have you managed a budget or project? The travelling I did at the end of my study abroad year required significant project management. I had to manage my budget and time and book accommodation, transport and activities in advance. Scheduled goals in diary so that everything would be done in time; Prioritised tasks depending on urgency; Monitored the exchange rate prior to my travels so that I knew how much money I’d have; researched prices of accommodation and transport to find best deals and take advantage of advance booking discounts; read guidebooks to find out what was happening where; watched the news to make sure bad weather or big events didn’t disrupt my plans. I had an amazing time and had $100 left at the end to spend on souvenirs!
Useful resources Third year abroad website http://www.thirdyearabroad.com/home.html Taking Advantage of Time Away, Edinburgh
http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/CaseStudies/LLCTATA.htm#Resources “Packaging your international experience” http://www.abroadview.org/avmag/2008fall_larsson.htm “The benefits of Study Abroad” http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0403/benefit s_study_abroad.shtml University of Oxford Careers Website http://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/
