Videos:

Christian Rytting –  Global Lead, Partner Marketing Center at Symantec

1. Clarify your motivations: Why are you interested in an international career?
2. Vocalize your interest: Wherever you work, express your interest in international roles and responsibilities. People can’t help you get there, if they aren’t aware of your interest.
3. Don’t forget to network internationally: No one is going to make this happen for you. Find the right associations, groups, and companies to network into.
4. Become a student of the culture right now: What can you do that will set you apart from others seeking international opportunities and experiences. Explore culture locally, student other languages, volunteer for causes, etc.

Kyle Gray –  Study Abroad Coordinator for the U of U Center for Learning Abroad

“Get to know the locals, because this has various benefits that help you make the most of your time abroad. A connection with the locals helps you combat homesickness and culture shock. It will also give you contacts that may be able to help you in surprising ways. You will also have people to visit when you ever return, and this will be the difference between returning to an old home or as a tourist.”

Kristy Reese –  Program Manager for MIAGE (U of U Master's of International Affairs and Global Enterprise)

“Complete a substantive internship. A good education is really important, but it is not complete without substantive work/internship experience. Straight A’s in a class, unfortunately, do not translate into a valuable and competent employee.”

Jason Anderson –  Technical Systems Lead at Rio Tinto

“Expand your skill set. You should include multiple disciplines in your studies. Make sure to develop that additional discipline or expertise in industry. It is very difficult to compete in an international workforce when you don’t bring multiple expertise or disciplines to the table.”

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Advice from Alumni

Keely Coxon – Founder of Publikka, Inc.

Keely’s advice for students who are interested in pursuing international experience is to be tenacious! She states, “Tenacity is key! Depending on your citizenship and where you hope to pursue an international experience, obtaining the proper visas and work permits can be challenging. However, I firmly believe that where there is a will, there is a way. In today’s global economy, international experiences are KEY for career advancement.”

Oladapo Eso  – Works for Allegheny Technologies, Inc.

Oladapo advises students to pursue an international experience in order to increase their cultural awareness and experiences. He states, “An international experience provides an opportunity to learn a different language and form friendships. It enhances employability since coporations now view international experience as an asset that can give them a competitive edge in certain markets.”

Jen Davis  – Designs Engineer at Chevron Downstream Refining

For students interested in pursuing international experiences, Jen states, “Networking is a key factor to finding the right kind of jobs and career paths locally, but especially internationally. When applying for jobs, I looked for companies that would provide me with international opportunities.”

Kristina Hetherington  – Consultant with the Field of Information and Coordination Support Section of the United Nations Refugee Agency, in Geneva, Switzerland

“Having strong writing skills is an advantage for a native English speaker in an international professional environment. In addition to improving writing skills, study another language! The United Nations has 5 official languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic. Chinese and Portuguese are also very useful to learn.”

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Last Year's Participating Vendors

Ascend Alliance Career Services Office Center for Learning Abroad Choice Humanitarian

GPS Capital Markets Hinckley Institute HELP International International Center

International Internship Academy State Department U.S. Commercial Service Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy The World Trade Center Utah

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Special Thanks