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In this day and age, companies ask for many requirements in their job descriptions: you need to have a degree, X years of work experience, speak several languages, be an IT wizard, have the same amount of professional connections as Bill Gates …

19th March 2019

It seems that to be able to meet all of these requirements you would need to either live for 200 years, or have no social or personal life!

However, it's not impossible to meet some of the criteria listed above. We're very lucky that we live in an era where we can travel almost anywhere we want for cheap prices. We can take the train and go to Paris for the weekend, take a plane and be in Spain in less than two hours, and for Christmas you can hop over to the Christmas markets in Germany or Austria.

In this multicultural world, it's crucial to show that you fit in, and to show that you're a flexible person keen to learn different things and willing to have new experiences that could be translated into new skills for a future job position.

It's now easier than ever for our generation and younger generations to experience at least a year studying abroad. Student loans, grants and scholarships allow us to travel to different countries where we can live and study for a year.

That year will be a crucial addition to your CV and how you present yourself to future employers as it will show your initiative to improve your professional skills ready for the workplace.

In your year spent abroad you'll have the opportunity to experience a different educational system, see how other countries work, and it will open your eyes to new cultures and ways of living. And it's a fantastic opportunity for you to learn a new language. On top of all that, you'll make friends that become an important part of that journey.

It might then be the case that after your year of studying abroad you decide to stay in that country because there are more job opportunities, or because you want to continue your education there. One of my best friends came to the UK to study a master's in biotechnology and decided to stay to pursue a higher qualification - she's now finishing her PhD.

My experience

In my case, I decided to come to England for a different reason. Several years ago, I was looking for a job and I found a position that allowed me to improve my English language skills and that helped me find different roles soon after.

Ultimately, though, I decided to study in England, and after finishing my BA in media production last year, I decided to carry on and study a master’s this year, because I knew it would help me improve my CV and become more employable in the increasingly competitive job market.

Taking the first step and moving to a foreign country might sound scary at first, but don’t worry, you won’t be alone and you will find lots of people who are going through a similar situation as you.

Whatever your reason for studying abroad, you should take the opportunity to do it. It will definitely be an experience you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Feeling inspired? Find out more about studying abroad