International Student Employability: Top Tips to Expand Your Prospects
Going the international student route is a heavy investment towards your future career. But thanks to us living in a dynamic, ever-changing world, there’s very little certainty as to what types of jobs will exist 20 years, 10 years or even a few years from now. Career paths are seldom linear these days so it’s critical to possess a skill set that allows to you adapt and except in a constantly evolving global marketplace.
So with this in mind, here some tips for international students on how to expand your job prospects.
The sooner you start to develop the base of skills needed to reach your goals, the better the chance you’ll have to land the job you want right out of school.
So as a student now is the time to plan out where you want to go and how you can get there; attend career planning sessions, meet with your school’s career counselor, and take part in industry specific workshops.
By getting an early jump on your planning (ideally in your first year in school), you’ll be able to take full advantage of the opportunities and services your institution offers.
Here are some career planning questions to ask yourself:
Don’t be frustrated if you’re a bit stumped at first by these questions; if you need some help clarifying your thoughts, you can take a self-evaluation test to get more in touch with your likes and dislikes.
Hard Skills vs Soft Skills
In the working world, skills are broken down into 2 distinct groups: hard skills (technical skills) and soft (personal skills).
A candidate’s hard skills are relatively easy to gauge since they can be observed and quantified based on raw technical knowledge and the abilities possessed to successfully carry out a specific job.
Some examples of hard skills include:
By contrast, soft skills are less concrete. They consist of more abstract qualities such as being a good communicator, a team player, empathy, drive, social intelligence, organizational skills, an active listener and being good with time management.
So which type of skills are more important when trying to get hired?
Well, while hard skills are more heavily weighed when identifying and selecting potential candidates during the recruitment stage, it’s a candidate’s soft skills that are usually more focused on during the interview stage in order to determine which candidate is better suited to be part of the company.
The ability to communicate is vital. Such a skill set involves:
Social Conversations vs Work Related Ones
Work related conversations include customer service skills, interacting with team members and superiors, and communicating during office activities and in meetings.
Social conversations, on the other hand, involve informal conversations about stuff like sports, weather, fashion, movies, music and the unavoidable office gossip. And while these types of conversations might seem unimportant, the ability to communicate on this level with your fellow workers is an essential part of integrating into a team atmosphere that will help you progress through your career.
Remember, communication isn’t just verbal. Body language (non-verbal communication) is highly important; good posture, solid eye contact, understanding the personal space of others, and even the ability to confidently shake hands are all vital part of being a good communicator.
Two other important parts of the application process:
As important as the above skills I’ve mentioned are, you can bet that employers will be expecting candidates to also possess strong problem solving and analytical skills.
Problem-solving skills involve the integration of imagination and logic in order to find solutions.
Analytical (critical thinking) skills consist of a candidate’s ability to take available information, analyze it, effectively articulate any issues or findings and then decide on or recommend a solution to a given issue or problem.
Here are some ways (the IDEAL model) to demonstrate your problem solving and analytical critical thinking skills to an interviewer:
On top of everything else, employers are looking for candidates with drive, passion and enthusiasm. These qualities can be demonstrated by:
As mentioned above, going the international student route is a very serious investment. And while your time in school is extremely important, the ultimate point of international studies is to use what you’ve learned to succeed in the career of your choice. By following and applying the tips laid out above, you’ll not only give yourself a great chance to land the job you want right out of college, but you’ll also be better equipped to succeed once you are hired and to advance from there.
