If you’ve made the decision to intern abroad – great! Half the battle is already won. Summing up the courage to take the plunge and intern abroad is difficult. Fortunately, picking the city in which you’re going to work is the fun part.
Broadly speaking, there are two primary methods of choosing the right internship location – work-led and experience-led. You can choose between these methods depending on what you want to get out of your internship.
It’s important to keep in mind, though, that the two methods aren’t mutually exclusive, and that there’s plenty of crossover between the two.
But without further ado, let’s dive into the two approaches to choosing the perfect city for your internship.
Work-Led
This is the obvious way of choosing your city. You’re looking for work experience, so focus on the work you’ll be doing.
Major cities are host to companies from practically every sector, but you’ll find that certain cities have certain specialities. London and New York, for example, are world financial capitals; as such, a financial internship in these cities will see you working shoulder-to-shoulder with the best there is. Both cities also make up the dual pillars of the international English-speaking literary scene; publishing, journalism and literature abound here.
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in technology, robotics and software engineering, head to Asia. Tokyo is a world leader in tech, hosting companies including Toyota, Nikon, Hitachi, and Sony. Seoul’s rapid economic expansion has led to a similar pre-eminence in tech; you’ll find Samsung and LG headquartered here, among other firms.
How about something more creative? Berlin’s cultural scene is second-to-none; it’s a city with an incredibly rich history, built and rebuilt several times over, with a populace who strive to keep the past alive. Haunting ruins and evocative Brutalist architecture make for perfect spots to snap a photograph or take inspiration for a new design.
And if you’ve got a burning desire to work in an all-hands-on-deck start-up environment, why not tackle Barcelona? An emerging entrepreneurial hub, the quality of life, low rent and highly trained tech talent all conspire to make Barcelona a force to be reckoned with. Whole districts are being built to house the city’s growing start-up empire. Join in and create something new.
Experience-Led
The other approach to picking your internship is making an experience-led choice. The logic of this is that, with so many major cities to pick from, you can be certain that you’ll gain fantastic work experience wherever you go. In fact, it’s guaranteed – so why not think about things differently? You’ve chosen to intern abroad precisely to get that international experience; otherwise, you could have interned at home.
So you’ll want to be thinking carefully about the cultural experiences you’ll gain from your chosen city. Are you a party animal fired up by live music, clubs, drinking and dancing? Berlin’s underground music scene is unparalleled, but the city also offers some old-style fun at the Clärchens Ballhaus; a melting pot of young and old, it’s one of the last remnants of Berlin’s Golden Twenties.
Alternatively, you might be cut from a more sophisticated cloth, searching for high-minded literary, artistic, and theatrical events. In that case, Paris, London and New York are all top destinations for this kind of cultural experience. Experience nights on Broadway, immerse yourself in the lights of the West End, and enjoy the acoustic delights of La Salle Gaveau.
Of course, there’s more to culture than live performances. For some, weather can play a key role in their choice. If you fancy kicking back on the beach after a long day at work, Barcelona or Sydney are ideal destinations. Both also have plenty of hills and mountains nearby if you’re ever in the mood to go out biking; head out for a quiet spot and some unmatched views.
Summary
There are two main methods of choosing the right destination for an international internship. A work-led choice will see you closely matching your career interests to your city of choice; an experience-led choice will have you balancing your work with cultural experiences.
But while these are two distinctive approaches for choosing your perfect city, you don’t have to necessarily choose one or the other. For one thing, employers are always impressed by a candidate who has dived into unfamiliar surroundings; it demonstrates adaptability and a willingness to try new things. In this sense, you’ll be gaining great experience for your CV or resume wherever you end up interning.
Whatever method you employ to select your city, you can rest assured that international experience will look fantastic on your resume. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop new skills and gain meaningful insight into the industry of your dreams.
Beyond Academy offers a wide range of internships in fourteen different cities across the globe. If you’d like to find out more about our destinations, you can read a bit more about them here. Or if you’ve made up your mind and already have your heart set on a destination, apply now!
