Are you planning to do an internship abroad? Go for it! There is no better career booster than an internship abroad. It’s not only a test of your foreign language skills, but also an extremely valuable life experience. Still not convinced? Here are six reasons why you should go for an internship abroad:
1. Improve your foreign language skills
Language learning usually starts in primary school, if not in kindergarten. So everyone who attended school should have learned at least one foreign language. But how is it that even after 12 years of learning a foreign language, few are able to communicate in it? This is mainly due to three factors: Motivation, effort and daily use. We can passively understand the language, but what good is that if we can’t even order a meal? For this reason, it is advisable to plan a longer stay abroad. An internship abroad is the ideal opportunity for this. Often you will be accompanied by your school or company, so you won’t feel overwhelmed at first, but when you arrive you will often be on your own. This may sound intimidating, but it is the greatest motivation. If you’re lying around on the sofa at your parents’ house, you probably won’t feel much like imagining a fictional scenario where you’re ordering something in a foreign language. However, if you live abroad, you will be forced to order food in a foreign language. If you don’t, you will be left with an empty stomach. Then, if you can bring yourself to use a foreign language, you will get immediate feedback – if no one understands you, it is a signal that you should say something more clearly or phrase it differently. If you then use it every day, you will soon know it by heart – BOOM! new language learned 🙂
2. International networking
Be it directly at the workplace, in a shared flat or in a café. There are many ways to make contacts abroad. Even if you are not the most outgoing person and may be afraid to talk to strangers, at least you will get to know your work colleagues or possible flatmates. This way you can meet not only locals, but people from all over the world. Many companies that offer internships for foreigners are often international companies where you can meet many different nationalities. Even if you are only doing a short internship of three to six months, you should write down the contact details of your closest colleague or roommates, even if it is just a contact request on LinkedIn. If you are still busy with your apprenticeship or studies, a future job may still be a long way off. But time goes by faster than you think. The people you made contact with abroad may have been employed for a long time and can introduce you to their company. And beyond professional contacts, international acquaintanceships can become lifelong friendships 🙂
3. Leaving the comfort zone
New surroundings, different language and customs – it can be intimidating. Being young is the best time to do an internship abroad. After all, young people are known for being very adaptable and willing to take risks. But it is never too late to try something new. If we always stay in our comfort zone – in the same place, with the same friends, with the same routine – we stifle our potential. Many studies have shown that our brains function better when our lifestyle is varied, even if it’s a different way home. Don’t be afraid of change – the more new things you dare to do, the less difficult it will be. Take the first step and it will become your new lifestyle!
4. Proving yourself
For most young people, an internship abroad is their very first work experience. As a young person who has never worked before, it can be quite difficult to assess one’s strengths and weaknesses in professional life. A good education is very important, but the same skills are not always in demand in professional life. A work placement gives you the opportunity to get to know yourself better and to prove yourself. When you are praised by your employer, you receive confirmation of your strengths. This way you start your professional life with much more self-confidence and can stand out from the competition. For this reason, you should take your internship seriously, as you never know what opportunities it can offer you.
5. Getting a job offer
Who said that an internship cannot become a permanent job? The duration of the internship is determined when the contract is signed. Often it is also set by the university/college if it is a student internship. In many companies, however, an internship is an entry into professional life. If you make a good impression and your superiors are satisfied with your work, they may offer you a job.
6. Setting a new career goal
Not every job is suitable for everyone. So after the internship you may come to the conclusion that the job is not right for you. Don’t complain if you didn’t like the internship and the tasks. Before you venture into something, you can never know 100% if you will like it. Often we have to discover what we don’t like in order to find the right path. Every experience is a valuable lesson and a signpost. Use this chance to reorient yourself – it is better to have a bad experience at the beginning than to live in a dream vision for years.
Conclusion: An internship abroad requires courage, openness and work. If you manage to overcome the initial problems, be it the language barrier, the new customs or the foreign culture, it can become an adventure of a lifetime. You will step out of your comfort zone and learn new soft skills along the way. So it’s not just a career booster – it can be the start of your new self.
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