travel

While Saskatchewan may not be where most new grads picture they will launch their career, it currently has the lowest unemployment rate of any province at 5%, and contains the two cities which have the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, Regina and Saskatoon at 4.1% and 4.5% respectively.

If you’ve read part one and can’t think of a good enough reason not to pursue an international internship (there aren’t many), then it is time to get started on securing yourself a great opportunity. The possibilities are endless and the perfect international internship is waiting for you, if you want it.

Last summer I lived and worked as a marketing intern at a large, international company located in a small wine town in the Alsatian region of Northern France. Believe me, it was every bit romantic as it sounds but, unfortunately, all travel can be fraught with some uncertainty and discomfort.

High school diploma, check. University acceptance, check. Extra-curricular activities, check. Good marks for grad school, check. Degree, check. Now what? Taking a year off was a pipe dream in which I imagined myself backpacking across Europe, but it was never something I thought I would actually do.

I recently read a book entitled Who’s Your City? by Richard Florida, which I am recommending to any new grad who is seriously considering relocation for whatever reason. What would you move for: family, partner, career, weather? These are tough decisions to make.

During the second round of interviews at a multi-national Fortune 500 company, I observed that every candidate had international/relocation experience of some sort. Whether it was through a co-op/internship position or an international exchange, everyone had exposed themselves to new places.

“I can see a lot of benefits — teaching experience is always good. It will be very good work experience. How many people can say that they spent a year working abroad? It’s a full-time paying job too, so I guess it’s pretty cool that I have that guaranteed for 12 months after graduating.”

Never discount the opportunity to seek out connections when placed in a situation where new people come into your life, even for a short period of time. You can find some wonderful opportunities in the oddest of places, you just have to try. Everybody has a unique story and experiences that can be very beneficial to your job search especially in trying times.

After finishing my BA in Canada, I ended up in London doing an MSc at the London School of Economics. In Economic History. Did it help my career? The answer is Yes, but not in the way you might expect. The education itself was useful. In fact I would say it was useful in the […]