Why do an internship abroad?
As part of your academic career, an international work placement is a great way to develop your skills. More and more students are taking advantage of this opportunity, because it has nothing but benefits for them. Some of these reasons include
- improving your foreign language skills : an international work placement is the best way to develop your language skills. Your stay allows you to experience total immersion in your learning. By interacting with the local population, you’ll learn to use vocabulary and expressions more effectively;
- Professional enrichment: travelling to another country gives you the opportunity to discover corporate cultures abroad. It gives you the opportunity to understand international leadership. You will learn at a different pace and with a different working method;
- added value for your CV: an internship abroad is an asset that helps you stand out from the crowd once you enter the job market. It proves your independence and your ability to adapt to another environment. So the company can have confidence in your skills;
- network development : your professional and personal encounters abroad form your network. These are important resources that can help you develop your business later on.
How do you define your international work placement project?
The first step in your international work placement project is to define your professional sector. By this we mean the sector of activity that interests you, depending on your course of study. This could be industry, communications, hospitality, commerce or marketing.
Next, you need to identify the types of assignment and areas of activity that you can carry out during your placement. These are the professional tasks that the company will give you to do. This will help you structure your search and refine the area. We advise you to define your internship objective clearly. This will help you specify your destination. There are many internship opportunities abroad, so you need to find the best one for you. If you’re too vague, you run the risk of missing out on a great opportunity.
Once you have completed these steps, you will prepare your CV and your interview with the future employer.
Adapting your CV to find an international placement.
To make sure you find an internship abroad, you need to adapt your curriculum vitae to the country you want to work in. The first step is to translate your CV. Ideally, you should write two CVs. The first version should be in the local language of the country and the second in English. If you are applying for a job with a French company abroad, write your CV in French and English. It is important to adapt it to the country’s recruitment techniques.
Depending on your destination, the type of CV may vary. The information requested, the presentation and the length of the CV may all be different. In Germany, for example, family situation is an important factor. In the United States, the employer only asks for your contact details. We advise you to find out more before writing.
When it comes to translation, remember to translate your CV using the right words. Your CV is your first shop window. It shows your language skills. You should also mention the school where you are studying, as its reputation is crucial. It’s best to go for a safe bet like Sup de Pub. You should also emphasise your professional skills. This will grab the recruiter’s attention.
Working on your interview
The secret to a successful international work placement is preparation. Your interview can be face-to-face, by telephone or by video call. You need to be prepared for all three. You need to present a well-practised presentation during the exchange. Beforehand, find out about the company. This could be :
- the history of the company ;
- sector of activity ;
- current and future projects;
- the name of the founder and CEO;
- the company’s key figures.
You can use this informationto convince the recruiter of your interest in the company.
During the interview, it’s essential to get to grips with your CV. The recruiter may ask you to talk about yourself and your qualities. So you need to be able to sell your skills.
Do your work placement abroad with Supdepub.
Sup de Pub, a leading school of communication, offers various forms of mobility for international placements. It suggests academic mobility. This means an exchange as part of your studies. You can do your 3ᵉ and 4ᵉ year in one of the school’s 45 partner institutions. You can choose between institutes in Europe or around the world. At the end of the academic year, you can stay on to do your placement or return to France.
There is also the internship as part of professional mobility. In this case, you can apply for international placements from your first year until your 5ᵉ year. The duration of the placement is as follows:
- SP1: the school requires a 2-month placement between June and August;
- in SP2: you must complete 3 months of work experience;
- in SP3: it is essential to complete 2 placements, the first of which must be in November and December.
To make it easier for you to find an internship abroad, the Sup de Pub platform regularly posts offers.