Why Volunteering Abroad Needs to Be on Every College Student’s CV

An international experience always looks good on every person’s repertoire. It teaches you first-hand a lot of values and cultures that the other country represents and stands for. A visit to a foreign land as a tourist or on business or as a volunteer is bound to have an indelible mark and leave a positive impression. The most memorable experiences are those that are acquired on the go while travelling when volunteering.

It’s a memory you cherish for a lifetime and relate at social conversations

You’ve always wanted to visit certain countries abroad and have been saving for the trip. You’ve been planning a backpacking tour for a couple of days and were waiting for the ideal weather or the tourist season. Its then you decided to opt for an international volunteering work that came your way and got the chance to stay there and soak in the all-round experience. Isn’t it nice when some things come by your way when you least expect them! Imagine the surprise that your friends and relatives will get and the admiration they show when they hear about your volunteering work. It easily scores way higher than circulating a freak photo-op with a celeb at the airport lounge!

You make friends for life and memoirs for a lifetime 

Volunteering for a cause abroad instils a sense of pride and belonging in you. When you relate to their efforts and find your feet you enhance your emotional quotient for good. It turns you into a better person and a responsible citizen. We live in a connected world and staying in touch and contributing from a remote location can keep the bond alive and continue the relationship you have with the particular country, its people, and your acquaintances who you have grown close to while working towards the cause. You look forward to hosting your friends at your place back home. It may also give rise to an opportunity for all of you to plan a trip to another country to catch up and exchange notes!

You do it for the joy you get and the blessings you receive

Ernest Hemingway had famously said: “You don’t really own anything until you can give it away.” Not everything can be measured monetarily and materialistically. Some of it is spiritual while the others are plainly enlightening when you put your heart and soul into your volunteering stint abroad. The fun and the excitement that fill you when you make a difference and see it unfold right in front of your eyes give a sense of accomplishment that is for you to take pride in. You learn a lot about teamwork, sacrifice, planning and quite a bunch of free lessons as blessings. Not to mention earning the wide smiles on the faces of the community you connect with who appreciate you lending a hand and extend a token of a lasting relationship in return!

Broaden your outlook on various cuisines and cultures

When you see things from close quarters in an unhurried way you tend to notice much more than what mere tourists miss out on. A volunteering stint abroad can help you de-stress, live it up, learn the local language, fully take note of local cuisine and sights and sounds. You can take a break during weekends for a short trip to other parts of the country and live among the locals for the truly been-there-done-that bragging rights. You can pen your thoughts in a blog and start your travelogue as you go on further visits to various countries in your professional life or for a holiday with your family!

Acquire domain knowledge on your chosen field of volunteering

Volunteering abroad gives you immense knowledge and helps develop insights as you work towards offering practical solutions to your area of work. It makes your effort all the more worthwhile as you gain domain knowledge and work around the hurdles. It looks attractive to college authorities and potential recruiters who hold you in great respect for your contributions and the role essayed by you in your selected discipline. It is not necessary that you have to align your volunteering based on your academic background. It is, in fact, essential that you may choose something else so that you can widen your expertise on the subject. It would give prominence to your CV and highlight the fact that you are already moulded in co-curricular activities. No knowledge ever goes waste and it may tilt the scales in your favour when seeking admission abroad or when applying for an employment opportunity.

Bring out the goodness in you and let it show the world what you are capable of and give destiny a chance to be a part of you in a distant land. Become a part of the Global Volunteer Program with AIESEC and leave your mark upon the world.

Happy volunteering, everyone!

 

How You Can Make a Difference in Vietnam by Working as a Volunteer

One of the things Millennials care about the most is bringing about a positive change in the world. Working as a volunteer could be one of the most rewarding things you do in college. While volunteering is always fulfilling, volunteering in a new country opens up the doors to a unique experience. Some of the reasons to volunteer abroad include the rare opportunity to learn about different cultures and come into contact with people you would never otherwise meet. Among the many countries that students can volunteer in, Vietnam definitely tops the list. Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries in Asia where you can meet some truly inspirational people. However, it is also a country that is still dealing with poverty, gender issues and the aftereffects of war. If you are looking for a volunteering experience where you can make a genuine impact, here are a few reasons why you should choose Vietnam.

Experience Vietnam’s Growth First Hand

Vietnam is at a very interesting point in its history where the country’s GDP is growing at a faster rate than ever before. But while the number of people living in poverty has gone down significantly over the years, Vietnam still has a long way to go. As a volunteer in Vietnam, you will have the chance to witness Vietnam’s growth for yourself and play an important role in its development. While conditions are slowly improving, a lot of Vietnam’s economically disadvantaged need better living conditions, education and vocational training. When you work as a volunteer here, you can do your bit to contribute to these needs and leave an impact on its people.

Support the Women of Vietnam

 The women in Vietnam are some of the most resilient, inspirational people you will ever meet. Undoubtedly, Vietnam’s women are the backbone of the country’s growth. Almost two-thirds of the women are actively involved in the country’s economy. However, most of their contribution isn’t recognized, with an astounding 80% disparity in the gender wage gap. Social prejudices also hamper many women from getting a proper education or a good job. Many women in Vietnam face the brunt of domestic violence and sexual assault. As a volunteer in Vietnam, you can help counsel to these women, help them rebuild their lives after a trauma and offer to educate them for a better tomorrow.

 Help Educate Vietnam’s Next Generation

 Children hold the key to Vietnam’s growth because they will make up the country’s future leaders and workforce. Educating its children is the only sure way for Vietnam to speed up its economic growth and development. Yet, education remains a distant dream for many children in Vietnam. As formal education (especially education in English) is expensive, many families below the poverty line cannot afford to pay for it. This is where volunteers can really make a difference. By working with young children and imparting good quality education to them, you are playing an integral role in the development of Vietnam.

 Provide Vocational Training for the Poor

 Due to Vietnam’s continuing economic disparity, not everyone has been able to reap the benefits of development. Many teenagers and young adults in Vietnam continue to live on the streets as they do not have sufficient skills to earn a proper income. As a volunteer, you can do your part to alleviate their condition by providing invaluable vocational training to them. Vocational training provides important skill sets, making it easier for them to gain employment. This ensures that they can earn a sufficient income and build a better life for themselves.

Save Endangered Species

 Vietnam has a rich, diverse variety of flora and fauna, making it every wildlife enthusiast’s dream come true. However, many of these species are under threat from deforestation, poachers and illegal trade. By volunteering with Vietnam’s wildlife organisations, you can play an integral role in the rescue and rehabilitation of several endangered animals. You can also gain an insight into Vietnam’s conservation efforts and the problems they face in maintaining their biodiversity. If you have always wanted to do your bit for the voiceless, volunteering with Vietnam’s wildlife organisations will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.

Vietnam is set apart by its rich history and cultural heritage. This beautiful country is full of breathtaking sites to see and delicious food to eat. Do your bit to give back to Vietnam with a meaningful volunteering program. Vietnam is also one of the countries which have an easy visa process for Indians. Visit AIESEC to learn more about our Global Volunteer Program and how you can make an impact in over 25 countries, including Vietnam.

Things Every Student Should Know About Interning in Indonesia

Gone are the days when leading countries like the US, UK or Australia were the most preferred regions for a rewarding internship program. Tropical countries like Indonesia have emerged as promising destinations with placements in varied fields from real estate and education to tourism and publishing. If you are planning to intern in the off-beat country of Indonesia, read on to know more.

Top industries in Indonesia

The flourishing tourism industry of Indonesia has given rise to a number of internship options for students around the globe. These tropical islands are rife with employment opportunities in varied fields. Though you can reward yourself with an internship from any industry in this nation, the following are the top fields you can consider for an application.

Business Management

Business Management is one of the leading fields for an internship in Indonesia. Applicants will get hands-on experience on the basics of business administration along with daily lessons on the local Indonesian languages. Internships in this field do not require any prior experience and have guaranteed placement records.

Teaching

Completing an internship in the education industry will be a feather in the cap for all aspiring teachers and educators. The exposure and experience attained can be extremely useful for teaching English in primary and middle schools. The learnings can also be implemented for education in the healthcare sector.

Best locations for internship

There are a plethora of different localities in Indonesia that are feasible for a good internship. However, Jakarta and Bali top the list with the most number of opportunities and internship programs in a multitude of industries and fields.

Bali

The picturesque destination of Bali has put Indonesia on the map and played a huge role in transforming the local tourism industry. Internship programs offered here are mostly in the fields of marketing and logistics with lots of openings for community work and teaching.

Jakarta

Contrary to the scenic nature of these tropical islands, the bustling capital of Jakarta offers a fast-paced city life to job seekers and white-collar professionals. The employment and internship opportunities here are immense with an endless number of placements and rewards.

Benefits of interning in Indonesia

Apart from the multitude of job openings and opportunities for both personal and professional growth, a quintessential internship in Indonesia comes with a package of irresistible benefits and rewards. Few of them are listed below:

  • The internship programs are available in flexible working hours as per the preferences and lifestyle of the applicant. They are often paid internships in competitive salary brackets.
  • The programs are clubbed with medical insurance and retirement plans.
  • They also offer liberal holiday allowance.

Accommodation

Your accommodation and stay at Indonesia solely depend on the type of internship you are applying for and the benefits offered by the company. Most companies offer paying guest accommodation with a local family or opt for independent housing if the program is extensive. Accommodations are usually packed with basic amenities like hot water, bedding and air conditioning, and will mostly be in one of the happening neighborhoods of the city you are placed in.

How to apply

Once you have conducted a thorough survey of all the internship options available, you can apply for it via the corresponding website. Once the application is verified and confirmed, you will have to sit for a Skype interview with the company’s board or recruiters. After a short one-on-one session, the accommodation and visa will get confirmed followed by the confirmation of dates and travel procedures. You can quicken the process by applying for an internship through renowned organizations like AIESEC for the experience of a lifetime.

Global volunteer programs

You can club your internship with rewarding global volunteer programs to take back as much as you can in this land of never-ending possibilities. These volunteer programs will help you experience the new cultures Indonesia has to offer and will push you outside your comfort zone towards self-discovery and growth. AISEC will also identify your efforts by providing you with an International Volunteering Certificate that will help you make an impact on the career passport.

So, what are you waiting for? Log on to AIESEC today and change your future! You can also check out our detailed blogs on the 6 countries which have an easy visa process for Indians and 10 reasons to volunteer to make the right choice.

5 Important Ways an Internship Abroad Could Transform Your Career

The time you spend in college can often be the most important, transformative years of your life. If you put these years to good use, then you graduate with more than just a certificate. You get a wealth of experience and exposure that can be taken along for life. Today, students need more than just a degree to help differentiate themselves from the thousands of eager applicants competing for the same job. An internship abroad could help you achieve just that. Apart from giving you an edge over your competition, an internship abroad can fundamentally change the way you approach life, the workplace and ultimately your career. If you are considering doing an internship abroad, here are five reasons you’re on the right path.

 1. Intercultural Skills

Today, most workplaces include employees, offices and clients spread across the world. To be employable in this scenario, you need to have experience mingling with people of other cultures. When you intern abroad, you’re often in a country where you aren’t fully aware of the language and customs of the locals. To adapt, you need to be flexible, immersing yourself fully in the culture of the country. For an employer, the need for entrepreneurial leadership makes them look for these very same qualities in individuals. Since you learn the language of your host country, this fluency in a foreign language also works in your favour when applying for a job in today’s interconnected world.

2. Gives You an Edge

 If you don’t have any internship experience on your CV, then your chances of landing your dream job are severely diminished. According to a survey by Psychology Today, as many as 82% of managers specifically look for internship experience before they hire someone. The problem, of course, is that most students seek one out while they’re still in college for this exact reason. This means that having an internship experience might not necessarily guarantee you a good job because most other applicants have one too. An internship abroad, on the other hand, is the perfect way to set yourself apart from your competition. When a manager sees that you have interned abroad, it immediately piques their interest. It tells them that you are willing to challenge yourself and that you come with invaluable international exposure. Even more interestingly, studies have shown that students who have interned abroad are offered higher salaries than other applicants.

3. Builds Character

 One of the biggest, intangible ways an internship abroad could benefit you is by making you a better person. Interning abroad pushes you out of your comfort zone. It forces you to leave the easy convenience of being in the same country you have lived in all your life and takes you away from the safety net of your family. When you start living in a new country, you are forced to stand on your own two feet, tackle challenges alone and become independent in the truest sense of the word. These traits also translate to your work ethic because you aren’t afraid to take risks and don’t need anyone’s supervision to work to your full potential. An internship in a new country also makes you a more flexible, adaptable and an open-minded person. These qualities are immensely important at an office where you have to work with different kinds of people from all walks of life.

4. Forms an International Network

 Arguably, more than your educational qualifications and GPA, it’s your contacts that can actually have the biggest impact on your career. Having a strong network to tap into can help you get your foot in the door of any organisation you want to work for. When this network extends across countries, it can be your most valuable asset. Doing an internship abroad can help you develop a connection with your host employer, along with other employees within the organisation. You can even extend this network beyond your organisation by forming connections outside of work through friends and friends of friends. A vast international network isn’t just an important resource for you; it also makes you a more valuable candidate in the eyes of your future employer.

5. One of the Best Ways to Travel

 If you truly have been bitten by the wanderlust bug, then a weeklong stay at a holiday resort just won’t cut it for you. You can’t really experience a country from a superficial visit to its most famous tourist spots. If you really want to understand a country and its culture, what better way than to live in it for a few months? Interning abroad can help you become a true local within your host country. It lets you explore the place for yourself, form deep friendships with the people living there and understand it better than any travel guide would let you. When you intern in a new country, don’t be surprised if you find a new place you can call home.

If you are excited to do an internship abroad, take your first step by exploring our Global Entrepreneur Program by AISEC. This program will put you in touch with over 120 countries, where you can gain invaluable international exposure and work experience.