Study Abroad and Stand Out

Matthew Guerriero, Campus Representative, Pittsburgh University

College students are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves from other students across the country. This is the reason many students join student organizations and take leadership positions. However, another way to differentiate is to study abroad and employers may favor this over other aspects. Many universities offer the option for students to study abroad and this experience could be extremely valuable, especially if it is in a foreign country and a student learns a different language. Sheila J. Curran of GoingGlobal writes about some advantages of studying abroad when it comes time to interview with a company:

Consider these ways of standing out from the applicant crowd and finding your ‘hook.’

• Study in the language of the country wherever possible, even though it makes for a tough first few weeks. (That’s assuming the native language of the country isn’t English!) You’ll smile when your potential employer realizes you really can conduct an interview in fluent Spanish.
• Live with a family, rather than with fellow Americans. You’ll start to understand the nuances of culture and how things work: great for a question on cross-cultural communications.

These are just a few advantages of studying abroad, and the rest that Ms. Curran writes about can be found on the website. I found this article particularly interesting because I am studying abroad in the Dominican Republic next semester. I hope to become fluent in Spanish and ultimately use this experience as an advantage when I apply for jobs. Understanding a foreign language and culture is becoming increasingly important as the ethnic groups in the United States continue to change. I encourage everyone to study abroad because it is one experience that cannot be missed.