Why international volunteering will give you the edge you want
In today’s global economy where international relations play a crucial role, international work experience can be the most important and impressive piece you add to your resume. International volunteering places you at an advantaged position in the competitive working world. Employers are eager to see that you have international experience, which usually brings with it maturity and a sense of responsibility, open-mindedness and adaptability as demonstrated by your ability to work in different environments.
“I gained so much more as a person both professionally and personally and loved the experience,” says former international volunteer Theresa Higgs, who spent 19 months working with youth in Niue, South Pacific. As she explains, “international [volunteering] experience gives you the edge over your competition, it shows your future employer that you are flexible, creative and able to adjust to any given situation. No matter what field of occupation you plan to go into, what you learn through international volunteering is what every employer looks for. It also gives you the opportunity to build your own global network which can serve as a resource for future personal and professional endeavors.
United Plant, a non-profit organization based in Boston, offers great international volunteering opportunities, called Quests, all over. You can participate in a United Plant Quest for as short as one week to as long as one year. For more information about international volunteering, visit United Planet’s site.