Going global with your business degree: 5 things students should consider

William Woods Business

As globalization continues to flatten the business world, more companies are evolving into international operations with offices, branches and partnerships across the globe. If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your bachelor of business degree global, here are a few things to consider.

  1. Leverage internship experience

As the old saying goes, you don’t really know, until you know. If you’ve hardly set foot out of the country, you may need to expand your horizons first, before deciding on an international job post. One way to do that is by taking on an internship abroad while you are still a student. Today, there a number of large consulting firms who are actively recruiting interns for positions across the globe. For example, PwC — one of the Big Four accounting consultancies — has a vibrant internship program and is comprised of more than 161,000 people in more than 154 countries.

  1. Build transferable skills

If you are earning a bachelor of business administration at William Woods, more than likely you have this one covered. Regardless of your business concentration, the William Woods business program offers a strong core curriculum that requires a wide range of coursework, including accounting, marketing, finance, economics, management and information systems. Building skills across key business disciplines will be critical in your grasp of global forces impacting today’s marketplace.

  1. Be mindful of cultural differences

Culture is an important staple of any society, affecting all aspects of life including business. From nuances of proper business etiquette to language and communication skills, working abroad requires adaptability and sensitivity towards the local culture. Also, while many jobs abroad don’t require fluency in any language besides English, it’s usually a good idea to develop at least basic communication skills of the local language.

  1. Decide which sector you want to work in

You may think that large private conglomerates are the only way to go if you are looking for a business position abroad. However, both the government and the nonprofit sector offer international job opportunities to business graduates. For example, government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Commerce or the International Trade Commission offer many jobs abroad. As for the nonprofits, check out this list of USAID funded organizations and explore their websites for international jobs in business.

  1. Consider any personal tradeoffs

Life of an expat can be exciting, learning a new language, exploring the local culture, and as a result, growing — both personally and professionally. At the same time, being away from family and friends or putting the added stress of distance on personal relationships could seem like too big of a tradeoff to make. For this reason, it’s important to think about how often you’d like to visit home and what kind of vacation and leave benefits your potential employer offers.

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