Young People are Getting Ahead by Going Abroad

December 9, 2011

Many young Americans think about going abroad after they graduate from college. And with options like the Peace Corps to backpacking around Asia, there are many ways to arrange a trip abroad. Some people postpone these ambitious plans for a variety of different reasons, but a common concern is that taking so much time abroad will hurt their careers in the long-run.  However, a recent article in Forbes presents the situation in the exact opposite light.

Employment specialists Forbes spoke with suggested that time spent away from home can prove more important than time spent at work in the U.S. Whether that means working abroad or simply getting to know a foreign culture and a different way of thinking, travel can prove a critical part of a person’s development.

“We definitely see overseas experience as an advantage,” Dan Black, director of campus recruiting for the Americas at Ernst & Young, told Forbes. “Our clients are demanding more of us these days. They want diversity of thought and diversity of values, and many of our clients are multinationals.”

Black highlighted one man from Ernst & Young who rose rapidly through the ranks of the company based in large part on the experience he gained at a post in Tokyo.

"The Japanese sojourn probably shaved a year or two off the man's promotion track," Black told Forbes.

While international positions might be easier to find at multinational corporations, businesses with numerous branches located around the globe, even smaller businesses can see the benefits of cultural exchanges. Even companies based entirely in a single country often conduct business abroad, with the increasingly globalized economy pushing the search for customers and for service or product providers ever farther from home.

In this type of situation, where a domestic company is first looking abroad, someone who understands different cultures can prove a valuable asset when dealing with businesses from that region. Simply being exposed to different environments could help to reshape a person’s perceptions of the world, potentially helping them better appreciate cultural differences and teaching them how to accommodate different practices.

Some people have turned to volunteer programs to gain the international experience many companies now expect, but cultural exchange organizations have also emerged as a popular option for aspiring professionals, giving them the opportunity to find more industry-relevant work abroad, along with a choice in the destination.

Nonetheless, international jobs expert Stacie Nevadomski Berdan told the Hartford Business Journal Online that work in non-profits can be just as beneficial if it includes going abroad.

"Although each organization is different, the opportunities to live and work overseas are both financially and professionally beneficial," Berdan explained. "It all comes down to doing your research, networking, and going after the job you want."