Perfectly captures it.

Passport to Entering the Field of International Education

I am asked often for tips on how to enter the field of International Education.  This is a question that I understand well, because when I finished my undergraduate degree, I had no idea this field existed.  I knew I wanted to work in something international, but I didn't know what.  My college advisors and professors had no idea of the field either.  Once I finally found the field of international education, I felt like everything had finally fallen into place.

Typically the questions I get about how to enter the international education surround where to find job listings.  But two more useful questions you should be asking of yourself as a candidate are:

"How do I set myself apart in this ultra competitive field?"
"How do I not work against myself?"

HOW TO SET YOURSELF APART

Have an experience abroad.
It is virtually impossible for me or any other employer to hire someone into the field of international education who has not either studied or worked abroad (or both!)  It is like being a vegetarian working in a steak house.  You need to understand and believe in the product in order to be able to pass on your passion and knowledge in the best way possible.  Also by having gone abroad, you are able to demonstrate a sense of independence and willingness to take chances that is very valuable as an employee.  So if you haven't already, study or intern abroad!  I hear Athena Study Abroad is a good place to start :)

Get your degree(s).
To work in the field of education, having your education is important.  Earning your degrees provides you with the educational foundation and knowledge base to perform successfully in the field.  Also, whether you believe in it or not, having your degrees provides you with the credibility to advance and grow in your role in a field of highly educated and worldly people.

Network, network, network.
While this field spans the entire globe, it is a surprisingly "small" and networked group of people.  We all value the input of our peers, and reputations mean a great deal when looking to hire new employees.  An applicant that comes with a good reputation and/or recommendations from others in the field is sure to be set apart from the rest of the pack.  Making connections can only help you, and we are a very friendly bunch (if I do say so myself!)  Great places to start are national and regional conferences with organizations such as NAFSA or Forum on Education Abroad.


DON'T WORK AGAINST YOURSELF

The devil is in the details.
Misspelling the company or employer's name on a resume.  Leaving in mention of another company in the cover letter from a previous job application.  Calling a woman Mr. or Sir.  All of these seemingly small things are actually quite large errors that would make most employers immediately disregard the application.  When you are dealing with students going abroad or students coming to the US and the extremely precise work of immigration documents, I-20s, visa assistance, overseas enrollments, etc....details are EVERYTHING.  Therefore, if you make large errors when you are seemingly on your best behavior and trying to present your best self in the application process, it stands to reason that details are not your strength and thus you may not be a fit for this field.

Longer is not always better.
There is an art to presenting yourself concisely and thoroughly.  Resumes that are 5, 6, 7 pages long tend to lose the interest and impact for the employer.  Much like friendships or dating, you don't want to over-communicate or disclose too much on the first introduction.  Find a way to convey the important information, and elude to further details that can be conveyed in further discussions and/or interviews.

Don't apply for a job you don't want.
People often apply for jobs that they don't want just to see what's out there.  While there is some benefit to getting interview experience, this can work against you.  The interview process can be a long and consuming one for both the interviewee and interviewing company.  By interviewing for, and rejecting a position due to lack of interest in a position at a company, you could jeopardize your chances at getting another chance at the same company in a position that is a better fit down the road.  Be sure you would at least consider accepting the job before submitting your resume to maximize your time as well as that of the potential employer.

Happy job hunting!

Wherever you are, be all there.

"A child on a farm sees a plane fly by overhead and dreams of a faraway place.  

A traveler on the plane sees the farmhouse and dreams of home."

Focusing on being present in the moment is such an important (and often very difficult!) concept for me.  My life has always been about anticipating the next opportunity, path, challenge, or most commonly, the next trip.  Travel has always been a huge part of my life.  When I was a child I would spend many summer afternoons at our local small town AAA collecting books (yes, this is what we old fogies did before the internet!) and making intricate plans down to the smallest detail for all of the family trips I intended to happen.  I would return home with TripTiks, tour books, hotels scouted out...I would even know what road tolls to anticipate.  Unfortunately, not everyone in my family was as interested in living out of a suitcase as I was, so these efforts very often were in vain.  I would spend my time in my small town and dream of traveling to all of the exciting cosmopolitan places in the world.  Rome, London, Madrid, Tokyo, Sydney...sigh.  I imagined all of these effortlessly cool people sitting outside at cafes and piazzas drinking wine, talking about the world's issues with other effortlessly cool people.  I had a month's itinerary in my mind cocked and ready to execute for any city I could get to.  I spent the majority of time as I grew up in my small PA town not being present there, but with my head in the clouds, always on a jet to some faraway land.

After I turned 18, I was determined to realize my dreams.  My travels have taken me across the North America, Europe, Central and South America, Australia, the Caribbean, and beyond.  They were wonderful experiences and I learned so much about the world through my travel.  In many ways it lived up to my dreams and expectations.  And yet the more I traveled, the more I found myself daydreaming about home.  Missing life in my former small town.  Postulating on what people I knew were doing there.  Were they eating pancakes at my favorite greasy spoon breakfast joint?  Were they all lining up on Main Street for a community parade?  Oh how I miss the sense of a community.  Why didn't I appreciate that before?

One thing has become crystal clear to me throughout my time of travel.  Where you are will never be the one thing that determines if you are happy.  It is being present in the place you are.  Wherever you are, be all there.  Every place has its beauty.  Every place has great people.  It is extremely difficult, and extremely important, to stay present in the moment, where you are, with the people around you.  Put down the phones.  All we have is now.  The things you fear in the future, the things you look forward to while wishing away now...they are in the future.

I just got back from another trip abroad.  Tell me if this sounds familiar.  Before I went, I thought, "I can't wait to go overseas.  The new scenery, the exciting new people, the exotic new food, the new sights....just what I need!"  All I have to do is get through the arduous airport scene.  Then when I am abroad, I thought, "thank goodness I am off of the plane and can stretch my muscles.  Ahh!  I better call home and let everyone know I am here safely.  Hmm, I wonder what they are doing now?  Probably having dinner.  I could really go for some good home cooking.  I love that house.  I miss my husband and son.  Man, I really miss home."

Never in the moment!  At least not naturally.  It is something I work hard at, but often struggle with.  It was subconscious for me for many years, this is why I bring it up now.  Perhaps you are unconsciously doing this too.  Bringing it to my awareness has helped me appreciate life and all of the wonderful things I get to experience, RIGHT NOW.  Soak it up.  Don't miss today thinking about tomorrow, because if you do, tomorrow will be another today that passes you by.