Internships open doors, especially when the economy is down

In the presence of a less than stellar economy, what can you do to make yourself stand out from your peers?

I was listening to a story on NPR the other morning about how fewer employers are recruiting on campus, and how much harder it is for students to get jobs and internships with US employers. It’s times like these that make it especially important to make an investment in your future, and boost your resume with as much professional work experience as possible.

The economy is forcing companies to make difficult hiring decisions, so why not make it easier for them? Having work experience directly within your field of study while still an undergrad may set you apart, but by showing the initiative and confidence that it takes to live and work internationally will show prospective employers that you are the right candidate.

While the above will get you in the door, it’s up to you to nail the interview. Employers want a candidate that is sure of him or herself, can work independently yet also work well in a team. Your independence, confidence, and self-reliance will grow as a direct result of, for example, figuring out the public transportation system in a new city or having to ask for directions in a second language. Having the experience of working within an international and multicultural team prepares you to work all over the world, or right in your backyard as the world comes to you.

In this global and tight economy, you can’t afford not to undergo an international internship. This is an investment in your career and your future, and your opportunity to assist the recruiter in making the right decision: to hire you.

A Host of Opportunities: Homestay Accommodations

Remember the first time you spent the night at your best friend’s house? How weird the family was? How the younger brother kept giving you dirty looks? You entered a world of different rules, different habits, and different preferences. And what was that stuff they tried to pass off as dinner?

Now imagine living with a family like that in a foreign country where the culture and language is different from your own. You’re getting closer to picturing what it’s like in a homestay setting.

But don’t let that scare you. If you are willing to handle the challenge of communication and cultural differences, living in a homestay offers you the opportunity to forge beautiful friendships and understand your host country and city inside out.

Homestay accommodations offer a private single room in an apartment or house shared with a family, couple, or older person.

If the differences between your family and another family at home can be drastic sometimes, recognize that the differences are multiplied when the families are in different countries.

Your homestay hosts may live in a culture with extremely different views on politeness and socially acceptable behavior. Do your best to study these views before you get there, but there will always be some things you just have to learn firsthand. Your homestay hosts know this, and they will be willing to break from their customs if you need help. Even in cultures that typically find directness rude, your need for understanding and help from your hosts trumps this, and they know it. So it is okay to speak up and be direct, especially when you first arrive and need some time to adjust. Tell your hosts if you don’t like a certain food or don’t understand something. However, try to fit in and follow the customs more the longer you are there. Your hosts will appreciate your effort and respect for their culture.

Take the time to get to know your hosts—what they like and dislike, their thoughts, their hopes, even their prejudices. See how they compare to your preconceived notions of the culture. Also observe other people who cross your path and see how your hosts compare to them. You may never have a better opportunity for cultural understanding.

Finally, try to take advantage of your hosts’ knowledge when it comes to travel and tourism. They are likely going to be much more helpful than the mass-media travel guides. While you don’t want to annoy your hosts (they are normal people, not travel agents or a concierge service), they should be able to show you attractions that go beyond the big tourist traps and take you to some lesser-known treasures. Combine this with the possibility for making life-long friends and a point of contact for any return trips, and you’ll find that you’ve come away with yet another “edge in life.”

MOBILE EXPERIENCES

It is my firm belief that there are no straight roads in London, England. As a Global Experiences Intern, I walked the winding pavement of this glorious modern metropolis to my office at the British Museum everyday for nearly two months. Living in a circular city encourages you to find constants in your surroundings; the sixty-something spiced nut vendor in Russell Square, the monotone “Mind the Gap” announcement of the Underground train doors, and the lively Indian wedding music following you home on a Saturday afternoon.

Without even thinking about it, we insist on being creatures of habit, even as travelers. Researchers from the United Kingdom are tapping into one of the biggest constants in our lives: hello moto!

The whereabouts of more than 100,000 mobile phone users have been tracked in an attempt to build a comprehensive picture of human movements. Each time a participant made or received a call or text message, the location of the mobile base station relaying the data was recorded. According to Jonathan Fildes, reporter for the BBC News, this study concludes that humans are creatures of habit, mostly visiting the same few spots time and time again.

My advice to future interns: plug in but don’t tune out! Having your cell on hand can be a great travel resource, but it can also create a wall between yourself, potential connections, and independence. Here are some quick tips that helped me work wirelessly and wall-free:

• Use your laptop to purchase bus, train, or ferry tickets online. Ticket information can be sent to your cell phone. This makes drivers happy and gives you one less paper to carry around.
• Instead of calling the same number (mom and dad) each day, set a goal to get one new email or phone number each week. Okay, now I don’t mean a date, guys. I met all sorts of people by walking around college campuses, going to free community dance lessons, sitting near families in the airport, and talking with people on the train. Common interests can lead to job connections and more trips abroad!
• Wear a watch! So many of us keep our cell phones handy just to keep track of time. Stowing your phone away in a closed bag when walking the busy streets not only protects you from pick-pockets and running thieves, but it also encourages you to stay glued to your travel guide, not your Bluetooth.
• Fill that mobile with as many co-workers from your internship site as possible. Everyone needs a network of support, especially when you are hundreds of miles from everything you know. One call led to three hours cut from my travel time to Wimbledon!

It takes a lot of courage to let go of the familiar winding path of life and branch off into unknown territory. Be a creature of new habits and keep an open mind. Start by visiting the Global Experiences website for more information about London, as well as our other five global internship destinations.