Interning Abroad: Is It Worth It?

So I know what you're thinking: "If I interned abroad, I'd be busy for an extra 16-20 hours per week and do it for free. Why would I want to do that?!" While technically this is true, let's take a step back for a moment. Internships, whether at home or overseas, are a chance to obtain invaluable work experience that not only allow you to grow and develop new skills, but give you a chance to experience industries that you're interested in prior to graduation and your launch into 'the real world'. This experience can reveal whether or not your intended career choice is indeed what you want to pursue. Perhaps the industry you were interested in isn't, in fact, what you thought it would be, or maybe it is. In the end, having that knowledge, experience, and/or peace-of-mind can make all the difference for your future endeavors.

Now that we've established the fact that you should seriously consider pursuing an internship (that you'll also get college credit towards your degree for), let's look into some aspects of international internships. The world is becoming increasingly globalized, so the need for academics such as yourself to have a broader understandingof your industry on a global scale is of the utmost importance. Additionally, the job market is quite competitive these days, so prospective employers are looking for experiences that set you apart from your counterparts; experiences such as a successful internship in a foreign nation. The value of an international internship supersedes that of one in your home country and will help you grow as a person in your career journey.

The next step is to figure out what exactly you want to get out of this experience and the goals you've set for yourself. Personally, I wanted an internship that would stretch me in the areas that I wasn't as comfortable or confident in. For me, that meant an internship where I would need to be more creative in my field of International Business. So, that's my challenge to you: figure out what you want. What are your goals? What aspects of your field make you uncomfortable or challenge you? In what areas do you need to work on your confidence in? These are the things you should be thinking about as you begin your internship search. There's no better place to tackle these feelings and personal goals in an internship setting.

A little about myself: Hello! My name is Taylor Richards. I'm from Southern California and I'm a senior at the University of Oregon completing my last semester of my undergrad in London, England. I will receive my BA in International Studies with a focus in International Business next month, December 2019, and am planning to begin my MBA in Fall 2020 (I'm still in the application process and I'm submitting them to schools all over the US, England, & Australia). I'm working in the evnets industry as an intern at Hire Space and EventLAB - I am abolsutely loving my time at the company and London in general! I hope that through this blog I can answer or address any questions and concerns you may have. Feel free to reach out to me at trichard@uoregon.edu with any and all questions regarding studying abroad, interning, or the wonderful city of London.