Panel discusses careers abroad

What does it take to work overseas?

Wednesday, the Career Development Center sponsored the International and Language-based Jobs and Internships Career Night, a panel discussion and networking opportunity that focused on careers in an international setting.

The center has these career nights to give students a chance to hear advice from professionals in the field, as well as to provide an opportunity to network with each other and the professionals.

“This is one of my first ones so I really didn’t know what to expect,” freshman Helena Correa said, “but it’s nice having someone already in the field and being able to see about their experience. They can tell me what I have to do to get to where they are.”

The panelists came from both the public and private sector. There was a representative who volunteered in the Peace Corps, two agents from the National Clandestine Service and Martin George, founder and owner of the Language Training Center, an Indianapolis-based international language-service company.

George said to get these sought-after jobs, students have to work hard.

“Not just expecting something is going to just happen to you, and putting a ton of work into what you want to do,” audience member Geoff Stewart said about George’s advice. “He mentioned that a lot. He put together a company and worked and went to school at the same time. Putting in the time will really help you get to where you need to go.”

All of the panelists stressed language learning as essential if one wants to work abroad. They also said the skills to work abroad are learned while studying abroad.

IU graduate student Mariah Coley said she agreed with the emphasis on studying abroad.

“I’ve been abroad a lot,” Coley said. “Studying abroad is what you have to do to get those jobs.”

Shan Weatherbee, a School of Public and Environmental Affairs graduate student and former Peace Corps volunteer in Kazakhstan, said his volunteer service before going overseas prepared him for his work with the Peace Corps. He expressed a wish that he had studied language before shipping out and told the audience members that language training is invaluable.

After the talk, George gave one last piece of advice: Do not get bogged down on the
“right path.”

“I think we get into this cookie-cutter mentality and I think it’s all bull,” George said. “Be passionate about it and go for it. You can do anything. It doesn’t matter what age you’re at or what your major was. You can really do a lot.”

The Career Development Center will be sponsoring a similar information session from 6 to 8:30 p.m. today for the National Clandestine Service at the Center.