5 Things You Need to Know About Pursuing an International Business Career
Business School Course Requirements
Successful international business professionals have prepared themselves with the right educational foundation. They usually have an undergraduate degree in business or a related discipline before entering a graduate level degree program in international business. Once in an international business degree program, these professionals specialize in a business concentration like global marketing, finance, or management. Multinational corporations hire international business professionals for highly specialized work that requires more than general business skills.
Inter-cultural Communication And Etiquette Are Required
Although reputable international business degree programs include multi-cultural enrichment courses, international business professionals seek additional opportunities to learn and put into practice their inter-cultural communications skills. This is achieved by participating in study abroad programs or overseas internships. When these opportunities are scarce, savvy international business professionals improvise using information technology tools that allow them to join multicultural online forums of interest and even communicate verbally via voice-over-IP services.
Learning A New Language Pays Off
Careers in international business are for those with solid business acumen, diplomacy skills, and a sense of adventure. Obviously, by definition, international business will require you to work with clients from around the world. Although technology is changing to help with language barriers, nothing compares to real human interaction, and being able to speak the language of your clients will make a huge impact. Many of the students who are seeking their NU Degree in Diplomacy are also taking language classes, so that when they graduate, they will have a leg-up on those who are competing for their jobs. Also, learning a language helps you to tap into a niche market, depending on what language you learn, and this will give you an advantage over the competition.. Learning a language could be the factor that gets you your dream job.
International Business Careers Are Highly Competitive
It turns out there are many people with business skills that want the opportunity to live and work abroad. Successful international business career candidates map out a way to distinguish themselves from the crowd. For example, some decide to do volunteer vacations to immerse in different cultures while serving the host nations’ communities. Others pursue special certifications that give them a leg up with employers. Either instance presents continuous learning opportunities that hiring organizations deem impressive.
Understand That Salaries Vary By Industry
There are many career opportunities within the international business community, but salaries vary the most by the industry one chooses to support. For instance, an international business professional working for a global retailer may not command as high a salary as the same professional working in defense or the oil industry.
While a solid business educational foundation is definitely needed, there are many other things that an international business professional must know to be successful in their chosen field. For instance, diplomacy and the soft interpersonal skills are sometimes just as important as competently executing the functional skills of one’s job. Those interpersonal skills often stem from a natural curiosity and a true love of learning about other cultures.
