Ready to gain practical hands-on experience and hone skills that will benefit you throughout your life? An internship in the United States will make you a better student and employee, cultivate your entrepreneurial and innovative spirit and foster skills that are highly prized by employers across the globe. Here are four reasons why you should cross the Atlantic and intern in the States.
Advanced skills in your industry
The United States is an entrepreneurial powerhouse, meaning the trends for many industries are set here. If you want to learn the newest, most cutting-edge techniques and work with professionals at the top of their game, the U.S. is the best place to do that. You will have professional experiences here you won’t have anywhere else.
Intern Milos Ivanovic was able to advance his CV in 2016, noting, “I improved my knowledge on front-end and back-end frameworks such as Backbone.js, Marionette.js, and Node.js, Ruby, Rails, Go, PHP, and Zend. I also learned about the concept of client-side rendering, which will be invaluable with technology going forward.”
“One of the valuable skills which I have gained is building a more efficient and robust financial model,” comments intern Syariza Ghazali. “I have also learnt the analyses methods used in the private equity space.”
American business culture
A unique, innovative business culture is one of the reasons why the U.S. remains a trendsetter in many industries. Interns often comment on the inspirational environment that encourages the sharing of ideas, and they tell us they will continue using these techniques as they progress in their careers.
“I was working very closely with the directors and also the CEO,” explains trainee Denise Hanft, “which not only forced me to fulfill tasks in a very professional manner, but also to develop a sense on how to justify and explain how and why I executed a task the way I did.”
“I learnt a lot about Hollywood and the entertainment industry and how it functions and what defines it. I also feel like I understand a lot more about how technology is used and far ahead of other places in the world,” says intern Kristine Schofmann. “I have a better understanding of the future and how the internet will play such a large part in it.”
English language and intercultural communication
English is the global language of many industries, so working in an English-language environment is a critical aspect of your internship programme. However, practicing the language isn’t enough. Learning widespread American standards and American cultural skills will make you stand out and truly ready to engage in the global sphere.
“The ability to deal with clients, and team member at the same time has been improved exponentially… in a language that is not my primary language,” says intern Mauro Di Buono. “I am now ready to listen to customer needs and have deep and technical conversation with professional from different industries, understand their needs and provide them with an adequate solution.”
“I became more confident about my own work and learned how to present project proposals to convince the team to focus on a certain idea,” says intern Malgorzata Blachnicka.
Personal growth
Some of the most important skills you will learn won’t be the ones you list on your CV. Living abroad and navigating a new culture gives you the tools to make the most of your life, no matter where your career path takes you. InterExchange alumni report that they are more confident, know what they want to do, and are able to take any situation in stride.
An internship in the U.S. “has definitely taught me flexibility and adaptability – not only in daily life, but in understanding and dealing with different businesses and people as well. I have learned how to quickly adjust depending on what the situation/scenario requires,” explains Ma Consuelo Camacho.
“I grew both from both a business and a human standpoint,” says intern Martina Fattorini. “I put in practice most of what I have studied for five years, allowing me to understand what I can be good at and what I would like to do in my future career.”.
InterExchange Career Training USA is a cultural exchange programme that enables current university students and recent graduates from all over the world to pursue professional-level internships in the U.S. for up to 12 months. InterExchange provides J-1 Visa sponsorship, accident and sickness insurance that meets programme regulations, and ongoing support throughout your entire programme. If you have already found a U.S. internship in your field of study, InterExchange can help you take advantage of global opportunities as you gain practical experience in your field and learn American methodologies and technology.
Are you ready to take your career to the next level? Learn more.
Written by InterExchange