As the world is getting smaller every day, there is little doubt about the benefits of being well connected internationally not only for companies, but also for you as individuals. Gaining exposure to other countries with different cultures will not only make you a well rounded person, but also help you to stand out in the graduate jobs market.
Recently, a graduate recruitment survey found that more than 12,500 UK students are going on a year abroad during their degree. The benefits of this include developing foreign language skills and learning how to work in a different environment. Including this type of experience on your CV will always create an easy starting point for discussions during interviews. Also, from your point of view, you will see whether you will enjoy working overseas permanently or at least for a few years after graduation, to gain some real international work experience.
It seems that students are responding to the changing requirements of employers. For example, some reputable accountancy, consulting and insurance companies have stated that "global knowledge" is one of the key criteria to succeed in those professions. This global knowledge translates to students understanding not only the cultural aspects of different countries, but also its history, economics and the way that it conducts business. Also, companies are interested in seeing how easily students adapt to living in different places and indeed working with people who have been brought up with their own particular ideas about work and perhaps life in general.
Still, it looks like fewer students from the UK are joining exchange programmes or going on placements abroad, compared to our European counterparts. This could be because some students do not want to spend a whole year away from the UK or that their chosen degree does not facilitate such a placement. In this case, it is worthwhile looking at the possibility of doing work experience abroad for a few weeks or months in your summer holidays. This will still give you a taste of working abroad and show employers that you are keen in gaining exposure to different countries.
This global mindset will not only help during your university studies but also once you have started your graduate job. For example, most large international companies will hold events that involve interaction between different offices. These could include seminars or courses, which may take place in the UK or overseas. One of the main benefits from this is the ability to make new connections that you can keep in touch with or gain advice from about a particular area if required in the future.
Overall, it will take time for you to gain a global mindset, but greater awareness of how other countries do business will inevitably come with experience. Students should consider going on placements abroad as part of their degrees but don't worry if this is not possible. The key thing that employers want from applicants is an appreciation of other countries' cultures and the realisation that UK firms can work well with other countries to improve the efficiency of businesses in the long term.
Arnab Datta
