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Internship and job opportunities

Is an internship abroad a career booster?

Can an internship abroad help you take the first steps in to building your career path? We at PractiGo wanted to know and for this reason, we created a survey on “Internships and job opportunities”. This was then given to 33 participants, directors and human resource managers, who typically are interested in higher qualified graduates.

On the basis of five questions, the participants had to assess how an internship would apply in different application phases.

We also added three distinct phrases to the application process: an invitation to an interview, the interview and the final decision for one of the many applicants. Our survey has shown that internships in the application process takes a crucial role in the final decision.

Here you can find short and concise summary of the most important conclusions from the survey:

Does an internship help me get an interview?

In rare cases are internships required to be able to attend an interview. However an internship abroad increases your chances in passing the first application phase and personally presenting yourself in a job interview.

In the application phase, do you pay attention and decide on applicants who have already completed an internship abroad?

Will I be asked about internships abroad in the interview?

In most cases, yes! International experience is almost always an issue in the interview. Although the HR managers differ with this questions, the majority agreed that this is a very important and highly spoke topic.

Does an internship abroad give me an advantage when decisions are made?

With this questions we had very surprising results. An internship abroad is an advantage for you when you are competing with equal applicants who have also completed an internship abroad as well as with applicants who have no international experience. Either way it sets you apart and is crucial in the last phase, the decision making. Between two applications with similar qualifications, you would rather choose the applicant who…

Why is that so, when I can learn a language different ways?

Much to our surprise, it seems that an internship abroad is more evaluated than the actual linguistic aspects.

In question 3, we found evidence that doing an internship abroad, doesn’t just improve your language skills, it gives you a wider horizon and better knowledge of foreign countries. Clearly there is a big difference between an “internship abroad” and a “language course abroad”.

The evaluation of the 4th question tells us that knowing a foreign language is rarely used as a decision criterion. This does not quite match with the answers given above. How is it that an internship is such a crucial decision maker, however mastering a foreign language is rarely seen as a crucial point?

This answer was explained in our final question. Internships abroad better your personal development and help with maturity and strength of character as well as many other positive aspects.

An internship abroad helps form your career path

Of course it always depends on yourself, your decisions and your past experiences. However when staying abroad and doing an internship it helps you with deciding on what career path you would to take and where.

During the application process, the topic “international experience” is increasingly important. Especially important if your neck to neck with another applicant. It was very clear that most employers would decide on the applicant with international experience. This is due to the positive feedback employers have received from employees who have completed an internships abroad. Through an internship abroad you don’t only improve your language skills and your cultural knowledge, you also have a positive effect on your future employer and on your career.