There are multiple benefits associated with working for global firms, from travel and the possibility of overseas living to making you more culturally sensitive.
As a global company ourselves, we’re big fans!
That’s why we want to share with you what we think are the main benefits of working for a global company or organization. As well as offer some key advice to help you land a role in a worldwide firm.
First, we’ll look at the benefits.
Benefit 1: You’ll gain the opportunity to travel regularly to, or work in another country
It’s a dream of a lot of graduates to move overseas for work at least once in their life. Not only is there the excitement of a new city or new environment; it’s also a chance to prove to yourself that you are independent, resilient and adaptable. It also broadens your cultural awareness and can provide you with a springboard to even more career opportunities.
When you work for a worldwide firm, travel will no doubt form part of your role. You might be travelling to business meetings in Paris or meeting with stakeholders in Tokyo. All the while, you’ll experience differing work etiquettes and learn to build relationships effectively. Of course, travelling for work isn’t a holiday. After all, while a novelty at first, hotel rooms and constant travel can become tiresome.
You may not get time to visit the sights or take in a city before your return flight. But sometimes, you might get a little free time in the evenings to explore each new place and try new cuisines.
Some global firms will present opportunities for growth that involve relocating overseas. Get to know another way of life and broaden your horizon.
Working in a new country will make you resilient too. You’ll encounter new challenges that might otherwise be non-existent in your home country.
Benefit 2: You’ll experience different work cultures in multiple countries
Work cultures and etiquette differ hugely over the globe. Each country has its own rich tapestry of history, culture, religion, politics and sociology which can all influence its work ethic.
Through your exposure to a range of cultures and beliefs, you’ll naturally become a more progressive and culturally sensitive person. You’ll develop an understanding of various religious holidays, reduce misunderstandings and enrich your own life.
You’ll meet a wider range of people and contacts in your industry too. For many, having a larger network of people is beneficial both personally and professionally. Not only will you have a wider range of knowledge to draw on; you’ll also build varied friendships that can last a lifetime.
Experiencing a work culture that’s different to your own will pay dividends down the line. Imagine you work for a firm which, in the future decided to expand somewhere new.
Instead of encountering problems or causing friction due to differing work styles, a pre-existing understanding of different global work cultures can save time and make things more efficient.
For instance, in Japan and South Korea, etiquette plays a larger role in business than it does elsewhere. Respect for your elders and for those in higher positions is extremely important, so speaking informally is often frowned upon. Whereas collaborative, open-style work cultures in certain European cities like Amsterdam thrive on informal discussions and frankness.
Benefit 3: International experience will equip you with even more skills
While experiencing new cultures, you’ll be relying on and developing new skills. Your international experience will likely be a first, and with that comes plenty of unknowns. Plus, you’ll be navigating much of it alone; there’s only so much that the organizers of your internship can do. So you’ll have to draw on all your adaptability skills as you acclimatize to a new country and culture.
And whether that’s working habits or a language barrier, your host country will be different to what you’re used to. And sometimes, you might find yourself feeling isolated, lost, or overwhelmed. That’s why international experience is a great way of boosting your resilience and self-sufficiency skills. Learning to adapt to life in another city can be a challenge, but it’s one you’ll rise to. Whether it’s immersing yourself in etiquette guidebooks, learning a new language, or becoming an expert in your host country’s cuisine.
Best of all, working with a diverse group of people will help you develop your interpersonal skills. Every workplace you enter will have its own unique ethos and culture; by facing the challenge of adapting to the culture of a foreign country, you’ll prove that you can work with anyone, anywhere.
With this experience under your belt, you’ll also have concrete examples of resilience and adaptability to point to in interviews. There’s no better way of convincing employers of your skills than the unique life experience you have to draw on.
If you’d like to find out a bit more about how international experience can boost your skill-set, take a look at our article on adaptability and its importance to employers.
How To Land a Job in a Global Company or Organization
So, you know the perks of working for a global company or organization. You definitely want the possibility of overseas travel, the chance to live abroad, to become culturally sensitive and to get as much exposure to multiple areas of the business as you can.
You’ve got your heart set on working for a global company or organization. But, where do you start?
Joining a global company straight from university may feel like an impossible task. After all, you can only draw on your experience, which at this point is normally extremely localized to one zip code, one city and ultimately, one country.
Competition for multinational organizations is high. This is because candidates come from all over the world.
But there’s one thing that can put you miles ahead of other candidates; an international internship.
It may sound obvious, but if you can show experience of having studied – or better still, worked – abroad, then your dream of becoming a global employee is one step closer. Sure, employers want to know you can do the job. But more importantly, employers want to know you can handle clients and work well with colleagues from all over the globe.
That’s why international internship experiences, much like the ones we offer here at Beyond Academy, are so valuable.
Find out more about our amazing international internship programs. Whether you want an Art & Design adventure in Tokyo, or you’re searching for unmatched Engineering opportunities in Amsterdam, check out our international internships and go Beyond!
