Saturday, May 30, 2020

How to Put Study Abroad on a Resume Wow Employers

How to Put Study Abroad on a Resume Wow Employers Your study abroad experience gave you useful skills and broadened your horizons.The bad news isIf you dont show it right on your resume, employers wont care.To really boost your chances of getting hired, you need to show how your international experience can benefit themwhen they give you that job.Dont worry.Youre about to learn how to nail it.This article will show you:Where and how to put study abroad on a resume.What skills to focus on when describing your international experience.How to incorporate your student exchange into a cover letter.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff. Create your resume nowLooking for other resume writing resources? Check out our guides:How to Put Your Education on a ResumeResume With No ExperienceCollege Student ResumeHigh School Student ResumeCollege Graduate Resume1List Study Abroad on Your Resume in Various SectionsFirst things first:Not all types of resumes need to include your study abroad experience. For example, an executive resume will be just fine with a brief mention of your most recent educational background.Putting study abroad on a resume makes perfect sense when youre preparing a:first resume with no work experiencestudent resumerecent graduate resumeor an entry-level resume.In other words, when your professional experience on a resume isnt huge yet.Now that you know when to add study abroad to a resume, lets take a look at where to put it.Education SectionThis is the most typical place to put your study abroad experience on a resume.Put it right below the school you attend or graduated from. Just make sure the for matting is consistent across all entries.Remember to put the school name and location, dates, and degree earned.AndIf you have little or no professional experience, you might want to put the resume education section before the experience section.Pro Tip: If youre using our resume builder, you dont have to worry about inconsistent formatting.Heres how you can add study abroad to your resume education section:Study Abroad on a ResumeExample20152018U.C. Berkeley, CABA in English and PsychologyDeans List all semesters20162017University of Warsaw, PolandConcentration in Language StudiesFulbright U.S. Student ProgramEnglish Teaching AssistantRemember: you can expand your resume education section to accommodate all information relevant to the position. These include relevant coursework, Dean's List, GPA on a resume, or cum laude on a resume if applicable.Professional Experience SectionThis resume section is a perfect place for listing study abroad on one condition:If you managed to combine work and study.Should you choose this option, just see to it that the formatting is consistent for all entries.Here are some basic rules for making a powerful resume experience section:Add the job title, company name, as well as dates worked.Put your duties and achievements on a bullet-point list.Be selective and dont add more than 6 bullets.Remember: focus on the experience relevant to the position and tailor your resume.Start your study abroad bullet points with action words: taught, collaborated, etc.Try to put numbers wherever you can to demonstrate your real impact.Take a look at the example below to see how to include study abroad in your resume work experience section:Study Abroad in a Resume Experience SectionExample2017SEO Juice, Los Angeles, CAContent SpecialistWrote 70+ high-traffic articles optimized for search engines.Prepared copy for 20+ landing pages and microcopy for 5+ products for various clients.Collaborated with external agencies to optimize existing pages and blog articles.20162017Best English School, Warsaw, PolandEnglish TeacherTaught general English lessons to groups of up to 10 cross-cultural adult learners.Prepared and conducted 100+ business English lessons to Poles working for international corporations.Collaborated with a team of teachers and teaching assistants to develop cultural awareness among teenage students.Pro Tip: Don't forget to highlight your key achievements for a resume in a dedicated subsection of your resume job description section.Skills SectionThe benefits of study abroad programs for your future career development are massive.The Learning Abroad Center at the University of Minnesota has identified a skill set you may gain during your study abroad program. Some of the skills include:AdaptabilityCommunications skillsConfidence and independenceCritical thinkingCultural awarenessInterpersonal skillsLanguage skillsLeadership skillsOpen-mindednessOrganizational skillsProblem-solving skillsSensitivity to economic and p olitical issuesTeamwork skillsToleranceRemember: focus on your top skills on your resume, dont list everything you can do.AndPick out the skills you can easily prove by making a reference to your resume education or experience sections.Resume Objective SectionThe resume objective is a short opening paragraph that introduces you to the recruiter in the form of a written elevator pitch.A well-written resume objective should focus on your transferable skills, and show the recruiter how they make you a perfect fit for the role.Heres what your resume objective could look like:Study AbroadResume Objective SampleA tech-savvy and hard-working fresh graduate from U.C. Berkeley with a Bachelors Degree in English and Psychology. Eager to support XYZ Media as a content specialist with strong communication and research skills. Previous study abroad experience as an English language tutor in a cross-cultural environment.Obviously, depending on what position youre applying for and what company you want to join, you will need to highlight different aspects of your study abroad experience on a resume.Pro Tip: Dont forget to mention your knowledge of foreign languages on your resume. Its also a skill you developed thanks to your international experience.When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.2Include Study Abroad in a Resume Cover LetterShould you write a cover letter?Yes!Over 50% of recruiters would like to read yours.A cover letter is another opportunity for you to put study abroad experience in the limelight.Especially when its pretty recent, and you dont much professional experience to brag about.Just like in the case of your resume, focus on whats relevant and leave out all the rest.Follow these tips and learn how to write a cover letter quickly and effectively:First of all, decide on the right format for your cover letter.Then, learn whats the best way to start a cover letter.Next, show how your study abroad experience can benefit the company.See to it that the cover letter last paragraph calls the recruiter to action.And make sure the length of your cover letter is just right.Here are some ideas on the phrasing you could use to describe your international experience in your cover letter:How to Mention Study Abroad in a Cover LetterExamplesMy study abroad experience in France gave me a cross-cultural perspective on international communication issues.As an international exchange student in Spain, I learned how to effectively communicate in a cross-cultural environment.My semester abroad in Japan taught me how to quickly adapt to new environments and effectively cooperate with people of diverse backgrounds.As an international student with the University of Thessaloniki, I understood the benefits and challenges of wo rking within a culturally diverse project group.It makes the most sense to include such information either in the second or third paragraph of your cover letter.Why?This is where youre explaining why youre a great fit for the position or describing the value youll bring to the company.Pro Tip: Learn how to answer the toughest interview questions to show your study abroad experience was an opportunity for you to develop.Key TakeawaysHeres how you can put study abroad on your resume:Add study abroad to your resume education section. Make sure to add the details relevant to the position you're applying for.Put study abroad in the resume experience section if you both worked and studied.Include study abroad in your resume skills section to show off the skills you acquired in an international environment.You can also mention study abroad in your resume objective at the very top if its recent or you dont have much work experience.List your study abroad experience in a cover letter as well to highlight how it will benefit your employer.Always tailor your resume to the position, and pick out the study abroad skills and experience that match the job offer.Not sure if studying abroad looks good on a resume? Still have mixed feelings about how to put study abroad on your resume? Give us a shout out in the comments below! Always happy to help.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

6 Ways to Turn Stress into Success #MondayMotivation

6 Ways to Turn Stress into Success #MondayMotivation The dictionary definition of stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.  In a fully connected world, its easy to often feel consumed by work unable to relax and remove yourself from a working environment. But with the distinction between work/life balance blurring, its important to keep some time to yourself to make sure you dont overwork yourself and become burnt out. This in turn will lead to higher quality of work. So what are some ways to turn your stress into success? Read on to find out: 1) Unplug This is an important point for anyone. In a world where everything is connected, its important to disconnect yourself from work. Leave the house without your mobile, dont check your emails for a whole weekend or just giving yourself a break from technology can work wonders for stress levels. Make sure you set certain boundaries too, such as no checking emails after 6pm, or turning off your laptop and television an hour before you go to bed. This allows you time to re-charge. 2) Talk If youre feeling over-worked or burnt out, the best thing to do is to talk about it. And it could be with anyone chat with your partner, your friends, your boss or your colleagues. The cliche is true a problem shared is a problem halved! Talking through your problems means those close to you can support and help you through your stressful time. It also is great to put into words how you feel, which will in-turn make things clearer for you. 3)  Get moving This point works with the idea of unplugging for a while. Its been proven that getting up and moving can actually reduce stress levels. So get up, go for a walk to relax. Its also important to make exercise a routine in your life so why not join a gym or a weekly running club? 4) Spring Clean Having a spring clean may be the last thing on your mind when youre feeling overworked and stressed, but it can work wonders for your piece of mind. Start small clear out your desk drawer or target a specific area of your office to spring clean. Youll feel fresher, lighter and de-cluttered. 5) Relax Taking enough holiday is an important aspect of working life, and it really reflects in the quality of your work too. Make sure you take a break every once in a while even if you use the time off to  relax close to home, everyone needs some RR no matter where you are! 6) Sleep Having a regular sleeping pattern is very important for both mental and physical wellbeing. Make sure you have at least 8 hours sleep a night and wake up early so you can take time in the morning to reflect and relax. Theres nothing worse than feeling rushed off your feet all day and waking up early will help you feel like you dont have too.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

How to Become a LinkedIn Influencer

How to Become a LinkedIn Influencer If you have been active on LinkedIn lately, you might notice the uprising of “LinkedIn Influencers”.You may be asking yourself, “What exactly is a LinkedIn Influencer?” Or, “How can I become a LinkedIn Influencer?”For the sake of this article, we will not be talking about the actual LinkedIn Influencers who have the little logo (see below) next to their name.Instead, we will be talking about the self-proclaimed, new era of “LinkedIn Influencers.”In this article, I am going to tell you exactly how to become a “LinkedIn Influencer.” But first, let me explain what a “LinkedIn Influencer” is and what qualifies someone as a “LinkedIn Influencer”.What is a “LinkedIn Influencer”?A “LinkedIn Influencer” is an individual who has reached “celebrity” status exclusively on the LinkedIn platform. This person has built a large enough following to be considered influential to the general public. LinkedIn Influencers come in all forms. They come from different backgrounds, industries, professions, and locations.While the job title does not qualify one to be an Influencer, the vast majority of Influencers are founders, business owners, or entrepreneurs.Now, there are a variety of different terms you may hear used to describe these people, however, the most popular is “LinkedIn Influencer”.Some of the most common terms are:LinkedIn Influencers Thought Leaders LinkedIn Celebrities Top Voices LinkedIn Gurus Purple UnicornsWhat Makes Someone A “LinkedIn Influencer”?Becoming a “LinkedIn Influencer” takes time, effort, and commitment. One must feel confident that they are filled with information, insight, and expertise that not everyone else has. They also must be willing to share this expertise with an audience on LinkedIn.The medium in which these Influencers share their knowledge is through posts on LinkedIn. While many LinkedIn Influencers claim there is no secret formula to their popularity, more often than not, there is.Below, I will explain how to improve your chances of becoming a “LinkedIn Influencer”. I will tell you the best times of the day to post, what kind of content typically goes viral, and the habits necessary to influence your network.How to Become a“LinkedIn Influencer”Becoming a LinkedIn Influencer does not happen overnight. But it can be achieved by just about anyone. Especially with the recent changes to LinkedIn, more and more people are becoming Influencers than ever before.1. Weekly HabitsTo become a LinkedIn Influencer, you must commit to posting regularly. Posting a minimum of 2x per week will keep the momentum going and ensure that you are staying fresh in your audience’s mind. Many LinkedIn Influencers choose to post daily.Once you have made the commitment to post a minimum of 2x per week, you have to start thinking what you will post about. What are you an expert in? Where do you have the most experience? My background is in recruiting, so it makes the most sense for me to talk about recruiting. I tend to offer advice to job seekers, recruiters, and hiring managers.2. Strategic TimingThere is a best time of the day to post on LinkedIn. There are also best days of the week. Common sense tells us that posting when the most people are online will yield the greatest results. That is indeed correct.The best days to post on LinkedIn are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Mondays tend to be a little crazy in the office. You are catching up on work that has piled up over the weekend. This means you have less time to hang out on LinkedIn reading posts. Similarly, on Friday, you might be hustling to finish your week off strong. Additionally, your mind is focused on making plans for the weekend.The best times to post on LinkedIn are before work, and after work. While LinkedIn is a professional site, your boss still does not want you dilly-dallying around on LinkedIn during work. Many people check LinkedIn first thing in the morning, kind of like a morning newspaper.While these stats have been tried and tested by myself, I did not create them. Check out this great infographic by HubSpot which shows the best times and days to post on ALL social media sites.3. Juicy ContentAt the end of the day, content is king. It doesn’t matter how often you post, or what time of the day if your content is crap.The hard part is knowing what content is good content before you post it online. This takes a little bit of practice. Chances are, you are going to make some mistakes in the beginning. Accept this reality before you start posting, or you will become very discouraged.While learning from your mistakes will be the very best way to improve your content, you can always study the way other “LinkedIn Influencers” post, writing styles, tone, and overall flow.One thing you will notice is that showing a little personality is OK. People want to see that you are human. Not a perfect little angel. People do not like to be told what to do. Do not make one-sided comments. Ask your audience whether or not they agree? The goal of your post should not be to receive 1,000,000 likes. It should be to receive 1,000,000 comments.4. FormattingRecently, the vertically long posts seem to perform the best. You know what I am talking about right?The posts that look something like this.Very short sentences.That move down the page after a few words.They make you scroll down the page.The suspense is building.Now you are this far…You can’t stop now!So, you keep reading.And finally, it is over.Conclusion“Influencers” are revolutionizing the way that people view LinkedIn. If you want to voice your opinions or share your knowledge, LinkedIn is the place to be. By following some of these basic principles above, you will begin to reach a larger audience than ever before.Evidence of Credibility…I don’t claim to know it all. But I do create posts regularly that do fairly well. Below I have added a few sample posts from 2017 including one post that received over 15 million views.Age Discrimination: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:634852540245719449Be Grateful: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6335855349190524928Follow Your Dreams: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6323109030856400896