by Megan Taylor Morrison / © CTW Features.
For most young people, the job market feels more like a black hole than a door to limitless possibilities. It can be hard to find a job that pays the bills, let alone a job you like.
[So], some recent graduates are choosing to start their careers abroad. While some spend years building their credentials in a foreign country, others go for only a short time. Upon their return, many young people find their international experience provides the competitive edge needed to survive stateside.
Short-term experience
Peter Richards graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in photography. With dreams of working in the adventure field, he applied for several internships at National Geographic. After none of those worked out, Richards changed his tactic: He moved to Tanzania.
Working in an orphanage at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, Richards used his free time to photograph the landscape, animals and children. Soon after, he also began working with a Kilimanjaro and safari expedition company and was invited to document a trip.
“In Tanzania, I found opportunities that weren’t available in the States,” Richards says. “In the U.S., employers look for your résumé. Over there, it was more of a conversation about how we could help each other rather than how I looked on paper.”
After almost six months, Richards returned to the U.S. with additional experience and new language skills. Just three months later, he was hired to lead summer trips to Tanzania for National Geographic Student Expeditions. Today, Richards continues to build his photography business and lead trips, while also working as a medical logistics coordinator for Remote Medical International.
Richards’s experience helped him stand out to potential employers.
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