Nikki writes:
I have been out of college for two years. During those two years I was a public -school teacher. Now I would like to make a career change toward international business. I enrolled into a graduate program for international management and commerce. What kind of job should I seeking to gain experience in this field? How can I land the position with my education experience?
The Career Doctor responds:
There is a bit of a misunderstanding among students who are enrolled in international business programs, though more so at the undergraduate level. Students think they are going to graduate with this international business degree and travel the world, working for large multinational corporations.
You seem to have a better understanding of the situation. Businesses who have operations in other parts of the world do want graduates of international business programs — especially graduate programs — but those graduates need to have proven domestic business careers first.
So, the critical thing for you is to get experience while you are in the graduate program. I don’t know the details of your program, but find a way to work full-time, part-time, consult, and/or volunteer. If you can work for the next two years as you earn your graduate degree, you will be a very attractive candidate to a multitude of companies that are doing business overseas.
Talk with the professionals in your school’s career services office, network with alumni of the program, and join at least one professional association. Start researching potential employers now, examine the types of job offers graduates have received over the past few years, and begin putting yourself in a position to receive multiple job offers upon graduation.
One final piece of advice. Do you know one or more foreign languages? If not, I would also suggest you take the time to become as fluent as possible in at least one other language besides English.
