Work experience abroad: useful advice by AVI International

Are you planning to go abroad for a work experience or an internship? Here is some useful advice from AVI International Travel insurance with the first steps to take before you travel abroad.

Often useful today, an internship or a first work experience in a foreign country will always be favourable on your resume.

Here are a few tips by AVI international to help you find your way towards your first job abroad.

Where to begin: a few hints

If you are not sure in which country you want to work, you may think first according to the language you want to improve, practice or even discover, this will help you with a first selection in your search.

It is important to start looking for a job several months in advance, and maybe as soon as you have decided on the country and the position or the field you wish to obtain. It will leave you some time to search in several countries and, if the case arises, a plan B in case of last minute cancellation.

Check out local regulations applying to trainees in your future host country in order to know if companies usually hire foreign trainees. Getting information on local customs may also prevent you from wasting your time or being disappointed: getting additional information such as if trainees usually paid there and how much, is there a legal minimum monthly allowance? Can trainees ask for a lodging, food or travel allowance to their employer?

Applying in countries that are less popular will increase your chance to be hired. Choose for example New-Zealand instead of Australia, Ireland instead of London. Contacting international branches of companies from your home country may be a good way of having a first contact abroad and being chosen.

Must do's to stand out:

The spelling of your resume and application letter should be perfect. Choose the right presentation for you, with or without a photograph, and do not hesitate to ask around you. It is essential to give a positive first impression to the person who will be reading it. If you have any doubts about the spelling, feel free to have someone proofread it. An external eye and second opinion are always beneficial.

Take the time to customize your application letter. If the person reading it gets the feeling that you send the same letter to everyone, there is little chance that he or she will take the time to revert to you for more details.

An internship must be earned. There is no miracle solution. While surfing the web, you will find companies that you like and to which you should send specific requests. You will need to convince the person to whom you write to that your choice is thoughtful and communicate your enthusiasm and motivations. If you show that you know the company and the person you are addressing to, you will have greater chance to get a positive answer!

Where to find job or internship offers?

Here are some tips that will help you in your search for internships as, for instance, in some of the many dedicated organizations worldwide.

In each country, public organization permanently files internship or job offers online. In France for example, the main source of information and offers comes from the CIDJ through its local branches or website CIDJ.com. In Australia, we would advise to check offers on jobsearch.gov.au.

The internship offers of French embassies are centralized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. You may consult them online on the MAE website and send up to 5 applications but you will need an identification code provided by your internship referral /teacher. You may check the ministry of foreign affairs from your home country to know if equivalent positions are available there.

You can apply to Economic bureaux of embassies. They regularly offer internships in their offices.

According to the CIDJ, the Ministry of Defence also offers internships to Master 1 students. They are located within the French foreign embassies and are dedicated to research, analysis and synthesis in the area of defence and international relations. They cannot exceed six months. To apply, send a resume and application letter specifying the chosen destinations (by order of preference), availability and duration of the internship at the following address: repremil.stagiaire@defense.gouv.fr

The 819 Alliances françaises offer numerous internships on their websites. The 96 French Institutes are doing the same; if no offers are available on the pertaining website do not hesitate to send your application directly the person in charge of human resources there.

Private companies or association also offer as part of their services a job or internship placement abroad. Such service may not be free, a membership fee or service charge may have to be paid to access to work experience offers.

In this respect, we would advise you to contact our partner Center for International Career Development which will help if you are looking for a position in the US. The CICD will offer unique experiences to qualified international applicants from around the globe from their website www.cicdgo.com and will also help you in filing your visa application.

We also would invite you to contact Calvin Thomas who developed the program Experiment for internships in the US and volunteer positions in the US and South Africa for students aged 18 till 28. Check out all details and application forms online on calvin-thomas.com/experiment/.

The association Club Teli can also be of great help in finding job offers abroad on their website teli-asso.fr.

Internship abroad and travel insurance

Once your job offer is settled, buying your trainee travel insurance from AVI International Planet Studies will prove to be very valuable.

To apply for your visa, an insurance certificate is often required. It should include and state medical expenses, repatriation to the home country and third party liability coverage.

It is crucial to choose internship travel insurance adapted to your country of destination, with appropriate maximum coverage for medical care in relation to fees applied locally and repatriation limits adapted to the distance from and to your home country.

You will also need a student insurance that covers you during all your internship activities, typically in the case of training in farms, laboratories, restaurants or if your work will include manual activities, or even if you will engage in wwoofing.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via our website. We will do our best to answer your questions concerning your needs during your internship for you to travel abroad covered and enjoy this unique opportunity safely.