After spending three months learning English in California, your newfound and improved English skills aren’t the only thing you can add to your CV. The following are practical tips to help you really showcase a stay abroad on your CV.
The magic word is “soft skills”
Soft skills are very important when it comes to preparing for the world of work or applying for a job. What do you really mean by soft skills? It’s about what skills and knowledge you acquire through other activities outside of school. Key skills employers often look for include: The ability to communicate effectively, build relationships and be a team player, often in a multicultural environment.
You practice each of these skills every day when you are abroad, as you are in a new environment and surround yourself with a different culture and foreign people who often have different cultural backgrounds. You’ll practice these really important soft skills even when you celebrate Thanksgiving with your host family. A corresponding entry should not be missing from your CV.
The right placement
Experience abroad can appear in various places on your CV. It’s best to be as specific as possible and don’t repeat yourself. If you went abroad to learn a language, list your experience under Training. An internship or voluntary work in conjunction with attending a language school is listed under both professional experience and training. If you have more than two stays abroad, add another item to your CV called “foreign experience” or “study abroad” and list your experiences there.
The right content
Now that placement is out of the way, it’s time to consider the type of information you should provide:
- Name of the company where you completed your internship or where you did voluntary work
- city and country
- Time frame
- Degrees (if necessary: grades)
- lessons that have been completed
- Activities (outside of class) that you participated in
- More internships or volunteer work
Here is an example of a possible entry in the CV:
EF Study Year Abroad, London (UK)
August 2013 – May 2014
Degree: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English
Specializations: English for meetings, corporate culture, marketing, topics related to a global environment
Crucial keywords
Pay attention to keywords, especially when it comes to an online application or you want to optimize your LinkedIn profile. You are free to choose, but you should keep the job description in mind: language skills, adaptability, cultural competencies and sensitivity, communication skills, flexibility, problem-solving skills, decision-making ability, good time management and the ability to build your own network.
Use of action verbs
Use action verbs in your sentences: adapted, collaborated, developed, promoted, exchanged, improved, immersed, managed, organized, mastered, practiced, traveled, etc. These terms make you sound like the “doer” you are.
Examples in action
How would these action words look on your CV? Try to include the following sentences:
- “During the period of (period) I adapted to life with a host family in (country)”
- “Immersed in the language and culture of (country)”
- “Attended all courses in (language)”
- “Adapted to unfamiliar surroundings and internalized cultural differences”
- “Opened up a new environment through communication and organizational skills”
- “By communicating with people of different backgrounds and cultures, the global perspective broadens”
- “Developed interpersonal relationships with students from all parts of the world”
- “Gained independence and self-confidence by traveling independently through (country) for (period of time)”
Now all that’s missing is your application. Your next stop could also be waiting for you at EF.
