Do Expat Students have an Employment Edge that works in their favor?

Are you an expat student? If yes, have you wondered if the experience of living as an expat student really worth all the expenses, homesickness, and upheaval? You’ve probably aware of the fact that studying abroad will help you develop your cultural understanding and language skills, but there are many more benefits than that. 

Does studying abroad expand career possibilities and provide an employment edge?

According to a recent study conducted by the Institute for International Education, studying abroad will help the students gain communication and intercultural skills, leadership, tolerance for ambiguity problem-solving skills, and other needed skills desired in today’s workforce. Overseas education also improves and develops both the hard and soft skills that the 21st century employers identify as most desirable at the time of hiring.

In fact, a national study of more than 4,500 alumni who participated in abroad study programs between 1999/00 and 2016/17 were asked how studying abroad contributed to the development of their skills and whether they felt that it contributed directly to their employment gains. 

Of the 15 skills that they surveyed, a large portion of the respondents reported that they developed a broad range of intrapersonal, cognitive, and interpersonal skills to a huge degree through studying abroad. The skills named were curiosity, intercultural skills, confidence, flexibility & adaptability, interpersonal skills, self-awareness, communication, problem-solving, tolerance for ambiguity, language, and course-related knowledge. Other skills that were developed or improved up to some extent were leadership, teamwork, and work ethic. 

The only skill area that wasn’t improved or developed through study abroad was the technical side (software skills), with the respondents largely noting that these skills were developed mostly through the academic programs on their home campuses and were not a huge focus of their study programs. 

Studying abroad will significantly contribute to the needed development of skills those employers these days are looking for - 

1. Studying abroad will have an overall positive impact on developing a wide range of job skills that are needed in the 21st century.
2. Studying abroad will expand career possibilities and give you an employment edge.
3. Most employers often value the gains made in the development of skills outside of their majors during studies abroad.
4. The skills that are gained through studying abroad will have a long-term impact on career promotions and progression.
5. Having longer periods of studying abroad will have a high impact on receiving subsequent job offers and developing most of the skills needed in the 21st century. Short-term programs are highly effective when it comes to developing teamwork skills.
6. Choosing a less familiar destination is positively associated with skill development and to have a huge impact on your career. 
7. Students intentionally and through highly structured programs contribute greatly to skill development. 

Use BlaBla Connect and feel at home even as an expat student 

Being a former expat student now working in a job, I have experienced the journey from being an expat student who was new to the country to finally get the job of my dreams. Initially, I felt a bit left out and not-at-ease because I didn’t particularly have any relatives to help me out. However, I was made aware of apps that could be used for making international calls. I tried numerous apps and in the end, found out BlaBla Connect that I absolutely fell in love with. It helped me a lot as it allowed me to make international calls and messages to any number. I was able to stay connected to my family any time of the day and consult them for their help and expertise whenever I needed it. 

The best thing about BlaBla Connect is that it is an app that allows you to call any cell phone, anywhere, anytime at extremely low rates. The calls are connected through local phone lines, the number you are calling will not have to rely on the internet to receive your calls so you can call landlines as well.

Conclusion

Expat Students often face extreme challenges when moving abroad for studies. Not only do they have to leave behind their family, their friends, their culture, but they also need to adjust super-fast, learn the language, and acclimatize quickly so that their studies are not hindered. However, the benefits of moving abroad far outweigh the negatives. You get to travel to new places, learn about their cultures, and know what it feels like to live in that country. The icing on the cake is that you also pick up a lot of skills that give you an employment edge over others. 

To ease your move abroad, you can take the help of the highly reliable BlaBla Connect. It will enable you to make phone calls internationally and connect with your family and friends at a fraction of the cost. 

Download the BlaBla Connect app through the following links - 

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blablaconnect&hl=en
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blabla-connect/id722557476