Spend Just a Few Weeks - Gain Valuable International Experience

Many would like to incorporate international experiences into their resumes, but they aren’t quite sure how to go about getting any. Without previous consulting experience, it is almost impossible to get a paid international consulting position. The Peace Corps sounds good (and it is), but that takes more than a two-year commitment. Those traditional Fulbright scholar awards are prestigious, but they can take up anything from five to ten months of time – time many do not have or cannot manage to arrange with a busy schedule. So how does someone get international experience and make international connections quickly? Well, the connections can often come at international conferences – there are often local scientists who would like to connect to a US academic. Presentations at international conferences are good for the resume, too. However, there are several other short-term ways to gain valuable international experience. One available route is as a volunteer expert on a USAID-funded project. Many of these take only two weeks, occur in many different countries and provide the volunteer with valuable field experience and opportunities to make connections as well. Another great way to gain international exposure is to become a Fulbright Specialist. This program involves just a two to six week commitment overseas and makes you a “Fulbrighter” – that always looks great on the resume. The “in and outs” of these two short-term possibilities will be discussed.