What Sets You Apart?

As the economy continues to sour and the unemployment outlook worsens, it is becoming more important to differentiate yourself from the millions of others entering the workforce each year and the countless others who have already been there for years. Let's be frank. As a university graduate, particularly one with a liberal arts degree that brings little to no immediate value or return on investment to a prospective employer, you are not as competitive an applicant as someone with even a year of experience or perhaps a more focused, skills-based university degree.

Complimenting your academic experience with an internship is a no brainer, something that will provide some skills training while also enhancing your resume immensely. The image above highlights the value of such experience through an analogy using stacks of resumes. Hopefully you can read what is beneath each stack but it essentially is asking which stack you are in and why would an employer consider you a unique candidate for a job?

Getting an internship is one thing, getting one abroad is something entirely different, and getting the RIGHT internship is probably the most important consideration. When looking for an internship, be sure you know what you are getting into and exactly what to expect.

Global Experiences is second to none globally in matching the best applicant to the best employer, particularly in an international context. By assessing your academic background, career objectives, language proficiency, where you want to be in 5 years, and other essential variables, an internship is sourced to best meet the needs and expectations of each applicant.

From the Intern - My DC Experience by Sabine Dunac
This post comes directly from one of our DC summer interns.

Originally I was taking Pre- Media and Communications at Algonquin College in order to gain more knowledge of the media. After finishing a year in Pre- Media and Communications I had planned to enroll in the Print-Journalism program at Algonquin, but I did not pass the entrance exam. After this I became very discouraged but was determined to go to J-school.

I decided to work for a year and save up money, but I wanted to do something with myself. At first I wanted to do volunteer work but then someone suggested to me that I should do an internship. I thought this was a wonderful idea! My sister and I researched online for an organization that would set up an internship for me in a different country.

After doing an hour of research I came across the Global Experiences website. I looked at the prices, read the testimonials and checked out what the internships had to offer.

When I first called the organization I talked to Jessica Burns, who was an internship consultant for Global Experiences. Jessica was very friendly and was easy to talk to. She also answered all my questions about the internship. The thing I liked about Jessica is that there was constant communication between us and I felt like I go to her if I had a random question or concern.

When I first arrived in Washington, D.C. it was an overwhelming feeling of nervousness and excitement. I instantly fell in love with the city. Jessica came to meet me at the airport, which was awesome because I finally got to put a face to the person I had been speaking with for months. As I said before I was very nervous but Jessica welcomed me to city and I soon felt right at home. On the first day in Washington we went to eat some lunch then we did a little shopping. Jessica then took time to show me around the area. I knew where to go grocery shopping, go out for entertainment, and how to take the subway and so on.

I loved staying at the George Washington residence because, not only did I meet people through my Global Experiences, but I also met people in the GW residence. The residence was full of people all over the U.S. who were all partaking in an internship. Every one for the most part was very friendly and I made many friends that I still keep in contact with today.

My first day at work was discouraging but the reason for that is because I got way too ahead of myself. On the first day of work I thought I was going to just jump right into things. I can tell you now that if my mentor had thrown me into the tasks she had planned for me at the beginning I would have cried. Throughout the week I progressively started to get bigger tasks. I talked to Jessica about it and the advice that she gave me was that I needed to constantly ask to do things. “Your internship is what you make of it.”

I told my mentor at work that I wanted to work on the media aspects of things because I was going to school for journalism and she let me take care of some press work for the firm. My first big project I did was that I planned out a press conference for our health care campaign. That was a very stressful week but when I look back at it I smile and say “Wow I actually did that by myself.” I still have the article from the TV stations that covered the event. This was invaluable experience, especially because I received this experience at such a young age. I met a former AP reporter at the firm and she, not only guided me, but gave me advice on how I could reach my future goal of becoming a foreign correspondent.

When I say take advantage of your internship I mean it! There are so many opportunities in Washington that I took advantage of. There were many press conferences and hearings that I went to. I went to a journalism press conference and it was fantastic. I met a well - known reporter from the Washington Post and I actually got to sit down and talk with him about how journalism is changing and what that meant for me as young adult entering the field.

Washington has completely changed my perspective on things and I feel like I really grew up. When I got back home I felt more confident about myself and my future. I know what I want and I know how to get there. Washington was a huge stepping stone for me. I have no doubt that I will be revisiting the busy city sometime soon!

My advice is to take LOTS of pictures and blog about your trip if you can. It’s something nice to look back at and to see what you have accomplished over time.

Find Your Strengths and Find Success

At Global Experiences, we focus on developing skills and life changing opportunities for students all over the world. As an active team member in this globe-trotting group, I have come to realize just how unique each of our strengths and weaknesses truly are and how much I have in common with the students that we successfully place season after season.

We spend the majority of our adolescence and adult lives carving out our little piece of the world and figuring out where we fit in the big picture of society. For every employee at Global Experiences, this process has included either an international internship or travel experience.

Each year, we pop the champagne and resolve to correct certain setbacks of the previous 365 days. We direct attention to improving upon our deficiencies whether it be packing on the pounds, being a couch potato, slacking off at school or work….you get the picture. We rarely focus on the strengths that we bring to the table and how we can increase the use of them in every aspect of our lives.

Why aren’t most people taking on this mindset? One big problem is that most people are unaware of or unable to describe their own strengths. My challenge to you is to think of five of your greatest strengths, write them down, and make a list of ways in which you can make yourself even stronger in these areas.

If you have made it past this step, reply to this blog post and I will give you the name of a great book that has helped me prepare for a brand new year!

As the ball falls in your corner of the world, remember that in your strengths you will find success. Hopefully the Global Experiences team will get to be a part of the journey!

Summer in Washington DC

Washington DC is shown in movies and on television screens throughout the world, with its majestic monuments lighting up the night sky. The town is a symbol throughout the world, and perhaps the most influential city in the entire world. But, when you live there, it is a great town that you love to call home. In the course of two months there are so many experiences that occur which simply cannot be found anywhere else in the world. You hear a faint humming coming from the direction of the White House, and you find a protest, or advocacy group rallying for their cause. If you have a free hour, why not walk down to the Lincoln Memorial, sit on the steps where history has been made, and reflect on life while gazing down the National Mall?

When three "Marine 1" helecopters (the President's private guard) fly over your head when you are buying fresh produce at the Farmer's Market on 24th Street, you think, this is an amazing city to be in! Between the museums, monuments, restaurants, bars, and other culture, Washington DC is an incredible place to work and live!

Why be stuck in a boring, cold, mundane, office job when you could be in an exotic or historical location like Costa Rica, Thailand, Italy or Spain (just to name a few)!!!

People always talk about their New Year’s resolution. Why wait? Start today by looking into teaching English as a foreign language. You might be asking how can I teach if I do not have an education background. The answer is simple – if you have are passionate about traveling and experiencing other cultures then we can teach you the rest in our 4 week intensive TEFL course.

Can I really do this? Yes you can! I not only work for TEFL and will be your consultant assisting you through the process but I have completed the course myself. I have been educated, prepared and inspired to teach. People have chosen to TEFL for many reasons such as; needing a change of pace, just graduating from college and desiring to see a little of the world, retiring and still looking for a little adventure, and feeling the need to give a little back to the world. So, what are you waiting for, there is a classroom of eager students waiting for you!

In the Lazy Days of Summer…

In the lazy days of summer, it’s easy to lay by the pool or go down the shore. But just when it’s quiet is when one can dream and plan out one’s future.

What is your dream job? What do you want to be when you “grow up”? Whether you are a recent graduate or near retirement, it’s always important to seek a career that fulfills you. To that end, while you’re lying on the beach, why not make a list of all the things that would be important to you in a job or a career. What do you think it will take to get there? This list-making helps you stay focused on your goals and dreams, and allows you to take steps to attain them.

What next? Share with others what you’ve discovered about yourself. Ask for advice. Always try to learn, and be open to new experiences. And just when you think things are not going according to plan, maybe that is the plan. If your expectations are not being met, see it as a new experience and learning opportunity. What is the positive that comes from the experience?

At the end of the day, if nothing else, at least remember to put on sunscreen!

Travels throughout the south of Spain! By Rebecca Hahn

Andalucia:

Although Sevilla is by far my favorite city in Andalucia, and I am so lucky to live here, there is no way you can miss the other Andalucian towns and monuments.

Ronda is one of the most beautiful and unique towns I have visited. Only 2 hours on bus from Sevilla, it is a totally different world. It's built around a gorge right on the cliffs, and this makes for beautiful pictures. You can walk down into the gorge, which is a nice hike after eating some delicious chicken with almond sauce tapas, and there you have wonderful views of the town above you surrounding the gorge. You can go visit one of the oldest Plaza de Toros (bullrings), old Arabic baths, many interesting museums, wine tastings, and the old Moorish King's house that has a water mine you can climb down and end up in the bottom of the gorge. You can really do all of this in a day, but they also have cheap hotels, and everything in the town is easily within walking distance.

Cordoba is also an amazing city with cobblestone streets everywhere. The old fortress (Reales Alcazares) has beautiful gardens. You also don't want to miss the amazing Mezquita (Mosque), which was turned into a Cathedral when the Muslims were overtaken.

It is definitely not something you want to miss. It's truly amazing to wonder how it was sitting through a service in the14th century in such a beautiful creation, and it's also surreal to wonder how long it took to build something so huge and with the most intricate details way back then.

Granada is a city in Andalusia that houses the incredible Alhambra, the old palace and fortress of Moorish rulers that was built in the 14th century. It felt like we were walking through the old Moorish town because we walked down the roads that messengers rode down on their horses to warn the King of an attack. It sits on a hill in Granada, so you can see the whole city which is beautiful. You also don't want to miss the neighborhood of the Albayzin, the old Muslim area that is built on a hill. It's nice to walk up the hill and see all of the extremely old buildings and also have a view of the Alhambra from down below.

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