Once you graduate, you’ll need to gather precious experience in order to get a good job. This gives you the opportunity to try doing different things and see for yourself which type of work you’ll enjoy doing the most. Another thing you can use this period for is travel. Visiting foreign countries and spending some time working there can be very beneficial for building your career in the future. And if you’re in search of more reasons for living and working overseas after graduation, here are some of the them.
Widening your horizons
While you were a student, you managed to get a broader view of life by reading books, watching films and documentaries, as well as through occasional trips. Once you decide to work overseas, it’s like becoming one of the characters from those stories and films, and this is one of the benefits of changing your surroundings. By getting first hand experience with a completely new place and culture, you’ll be able to see and learn things that you never could from books and TV. Coming into contact with new people, ones whose everyday lives differ greatly from yours will enrich you intellectually and spiritually, as will trying new food, listening to new music and simple making new friends. Embrace this as a huge plus for building any career in the future, since you’ll be more prepared for dealing with people from all over the world.
Learning a new language
Any new skill you acquire can help you progress in life and business, and this is especially true for learning languages. The difficulties of sitting in classes and having to do your homework in order to learn the basics of a language are replaced by throwing you straight into the fire and making you communicate with people, which is definitely the best way to actually be good at speaking a language. Adding another language to your CV might just get you in front of other candidates when you decide to apply for that job you really want.
Gaining experience
There is a huge difference between being taught about something at university and being able to do it in practice. Finding a job overseas can help you a lot in this area. For example, studying English language and literature can be amazing, but even if you’re a native speaker, once you actually have to start teaching groups of children or adults, you might feel nervous and unprepared. This is why you should be additionally trained in one of the incredible Monkey Tree TEFL courses. Institutions like this one offer you the opportunity to further develop your professional skills, learn from people with classroom experience and gain confidence necessary for actually stepping in front of a class. This is an effective way to advance in your career, no matter what part of the world you choose to work in afterwards.
Becoming better at adjusting
Any employer will be more than happy to hire somebody who is able to adjust to new people and circumstances quickly. Just like anything else, the ability to adjust is something you can upgrade by practicing. And what better way to achieve this than by moving and having to adapt to new living conditions in a strange place, where you don’t really know anybody. The way you handle new situations and how fast you do it can be a significant factor when building a career in any business, so make this one of your strengths by getting a job abroad.
Broadening your contact network
You met a lot of people while you were studying and you made some very useful and interesting contacts. However, by moving to another country you can widen your circle of acquaintances and potential business associates. Not only can the professional connections you make abroad vouch for you when you decide to try for a new job, but they can let you know when there’s an opening in the companies you’d like to work in as well. This can prove to be a huge advantage over other candidates applying for the same position as you. And since many of these people will, just like you, be from various countries, they can actually open doors for you all over the world, so that you aren’t limited to your country only. Finally, when you get to meet experts in your own field, there’s always a good chance for you to learn something new or discover some innovative ways of using the knowledge you already have, which can be a valuable asset.
If you’re ready for a change and trying out something younever have before, the period after your graduation is the perfect time forthat. So, pack your stuff, grab your passport and go for it!
Tracey Clayton is a working mom of three girls, passionate about traveling, marketing and everything tech related. Her motto is: “Live the life you love; love the life you live.”