Are You Considering An International Internship?

One of the biggest jumps you can make when it comes to your career is the jump from your little safe haven in your home country, to PR internships abroad. There’s going to be so much planning involved, and so many risks along the way. But once you finally take the plunge, it should all be worth it. Careful calculations should tell you whether the move is the right time, and whether you’ll be successful. So if you think your career has come to the point where it’s ready to make the big move, follow some simple advice below to make sure you get it right.

Where To Go

The first thing you need to think about is where to go. You might have a few connections in a few different countries, but which one is going to be best for you? Well, you need to think of the bigger picture. Where is going to be easiest for you to relocate? What country has the most stable economy? Where will you actually go once you’re there? All are things you seriously need to be thinking of. If something does go wrong, do you have a contingency plan?

The Finer Details

There’s going to be a few obstacles along the way. The biggest one being a language barrier. Unless you’re going to a country that speaks British, you’re going to be a bit screwed to begin with, especially if you’re wanting to start up an internship in Germany's booming economy. If you have friends and family in the area it’s going to be a whole lot easier for you however the only thing that’ll get in the way is the language barrier, and this is something a lot of people don’t realise. Translation services are available on the internet, and they’ll come in really handy when you’re stuck with understanding someone. You also need to research the laws and regulations that they have. Always make sure you respect their rules.

Enjoy The Rewards

A lot of people see moving overseas as a big hassle, and always seem to be panicking. Yes, your life will become a little more hectic, but over time you’ll learn how to deal with that side of things. But in the beginning you need to relax into things, and enjoy the fact that you’ve actually “gone international”. It is a huge achievement for any business, and really is a sign that you’ve made it. The financial rewards should come rolling in after the move as well, even if you were a little set back in the beginning.

It may also be worth considering working from home as a remote employee if you have multi-lingual skills and the job can be completed online; this may bring out the best in you as an employee with your productivity, creativity, and efficiency. It’s worth asking yourself if you have anything to offer as a remote employee to bring costs down?

Working from home saves money

When you work from home, everyone saves money. Employees save money on commuting to and from work, on professional suits to wear every day, and on food to eat during their breaks. Not to mention the effects it will have on their mood, as studies have shown commuters have a lower life satisfaction, lower levels of happiness and higher anxiety on average than non-commuters. If enough employees take the option to telecommute to work, then employers can also benefit by moving to a smaller office building.

It expands your business

Considering remote working can expand your prospects. You can look at opportunities anywhere in the world and have the chance to work for your dream industry without having to worry about commuting, and the company benefits from acquiring new talent that they wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

Second, working from anywhere spreads awareness about the business to new locations.

Employees have the perfect work/life balance

Thanks to technology, homeworkers can make sure they’re meeting all their targets without any problems. Employees can structure their daily schedule to fit in with their families and personal lives. If they find they get more work done at night because they spend the afternoon running around after small children, that’s their business. All you need to be concerned about is whether the deadlines are being met. Chances are, you could see an increase in productivity because they’ve all achieved a good work/life balance.

Your meetings become more effective

Recently there has been evidence to support the idea that remote working is another way to bring out these good qualities in employees, as well as a guarantee that they are healthier and happier.

Most employers are sceptical of looking at an international internship or remote working but perhaps the points that I've mentioned will convince you to take a chance on a new opportunity.  Check out the Beyond Academy website for more details.