Getting an overseas internship can be difficult, but it can be a great experience to help you break into the job market. International internships offer great opportunities besides the on-job experience. You also have endless options to choose from for work, to make some extra cash. International intern jobs are an excellent opportunity for you to gain new skills, experience a new culture while getting paid for it! If you are an intern seriously looking for great job opportunities overseas, then you have come to the right place.
What are the jobs that work great for international interns? The options for you are endless. However, there are many things to keep in mind before launching into a paid job as you intern overseas. One of these is the laws that govern internships in your new city. Remember, the laws in different countries may differ concerning jobs for international interns. Be sure to familiarise yourself with the laws of the country you are hoping to work in. Additionally, what kind of hours are you looking at and the base pay rate for interns? Again, this law will differ from country to country, so you should be clear on what it says and whether it works for you or not.
Remember, as you look for a well-paying job in your capacity as an intern, your motivations should be clear. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you scout for a job as an intern.
- Tips to consider before getting a job as an intern
- Administrative assistant
- Customer service representative
- Research assistant
- Home health assistant
- Sales representative
- Teacher’s assistant
- Public relations assistant
- Advantages of Working During an International Internship
- Smash Your International Internship Goals
Tips to Consider Before Getting International Intern Jobs
Before settling on any of these international intern jobs, there are various things to keep top of mind. These will determine whether or not you take that job that you are considering. Some of these factors include the ones listed below;
Consider your current lifestyle and interning hours
The job you settle on should fit your lifestyle well without altering too much of it. As an intern, you are already probably engaged in a 9 to 5 shift, leaving you very few hours to moonlight. Consider an international intern job that will be flexible enough to work outside of your internship hours. There are plenty of jobs that offer you a few hours of work outside your ordinary shift if you search well for them.
Learning the culture of the country that you are in is a bonus
Look for international intern jobs that will allow you to experience this new culture of your city or town as much as possible. Learning new cultures serves to give you a new perspective and worldview that only international internships can offer.
Consider the pay scale
While you may still be an intern, do not settle for bottom-of-the-barrel pay. Remember that your contribution to the job is worthwhile; therefore, your reimbursement should match your contribution.
A job that has prospects of future employment is a good choice
This means that the job you are seeking would be great if it gives you an opportunity for full-time employment in the future. While this may not be possible all the time, if you do get such an opportunity, be sure to snap it up quickly.
Keeping all these points in mind, here are seven international intern jobs that we think will work great for you.
Administrative Assistant
An administrative assistant is in essence the backbone of any office. The tasks that they handle include answering the telephone and taking messages. They also schedule the office itineraries for their supervisors and the entire office in general. This means that office assistants usually take on organizational responsibilities for their colleagues. If a meeting needs scheduling, then an office assistant will be on top of this. Other duties and responsibilities involve performing basic bookkeeping functions and managing databases. Data entry duties are also a part of an administrative assistant’s duties. Administrative assistants may also take up the role of an office manager by planning events and activities for the entire office for a particular period.
Generally, administrative assistants can make anything between $19 to $24 per hour. The pay rate may vary depending on various factors such as education, previous experience and any additional skills. This pay is excellent for an international intern, keeping in mind that you may still be receiving a stipend from your current attachment to cater for your housing and travel expenses.
Customer Service Representative
Working as an international intern will open up other opportunities for you to work in, such as this one as a customer service representative. This work opportunity can be both remote or an office type of job. Customer care representatives are found in every business sector, from telecommunications to IT, to the field of medicine and commerce.
If you are passionate about providing assistance to people, then this job is right up your alley. It seeks to address any concerns that customers may have with the services or products offered by an organization. These representatives receive training to provide the correct answer and solutions in real-time to issues. Different jobs fall under this umbrella of customer service including, call centre agents, concierge services, front desk receptionist, among other related fields.
The general pay scale for a customer service representative in any of these fields is extensive. However, it ranges from $10 to 20 dollars an hour, based on various factors such as experience and the area of work you will be in.
Research Assistant
If you are in the field of education, this is a potentially great international intern job for you. Research assistants essentially give support to professionals whose job involves data gathering and analysis and any experimental work. The most common organizations that will have such an opening for you include consulting firms, marketing research organizations, medical research outfits.
As a research assistant, you will gather and log data, conduct data analysis, fact check documents and proofread them. Additionally, you will prepare reports, create spreadsheets and graphs using the data collected and carry out any additional research that is needed. This job is more specific and will require you to have the professional know-how required for this field. To become a competent research assistant, you need to be detail-oriented, enjoy carrying out research and working odd hours. As expected, the pay scale for research assistants varies depending on the organization you will work for and qualifications you have.
Home Health Assistant
A home health assistant or aide’s main job is to care for chronically ill patients in their home rather than at a care facility. Home health assistants also tend to patients with disabilities or debilitating conditions that would not allow them to perform daily tasks with ease. Elderly people also need the services of a home health assistant to carry out normal routines of everyday life.
This job is an excellent opportunity for international interns who are in the medical field. While the job description does not entail specialized medical care, it does help to have a medical background. Some of the tasks you will have to do include administering medication, checking blood pressure and temperature, helping to feed and bathe the patients, preparing healthy meals and assisting to feed them. If you have a passion for helping others and are empathetic, this is an excellent opportunity to put your natural abilities to use.
Sales Representatives
Of all the international intern jobs available, this one takes the cake for being the easiest to learn and excel at. Being a sales representative means selling goods and services to the end consumer on behalf of manufacturers and producers. Part of the job description includes:
- Sourcing for new market segments.
- Taking part in sales meetings and training.
- Identifying new customers.
Sales representatives are required to be outgoing and individuals with a never-say-die attitude. You must also have excellent communication and people skills to convince strangers to buy an item that you are selling. The main perks of a sales job are the inclusion of commissions to a current base salary. Additionally, you can perform your sales anywhere, thanks to the explosion of online business platforms the world over.
Teacher’s Assistant
Typically, a teacher’s assistant works with a lead teacher in a classroom set-up. Their main job is to supervise the learning process in a classroom and assist the primary teacher in reinforcing the day’s lessons. Usually, a teacher’s assistant role comes into play in a classroom with students that have psychological, physical and mental learning disabilities.
To become a teacher’s assistant, you do not need to be a licensed teacher. However, it does help to have an associate degree or some sort of an undergraduate degree, even if it’s not in education. Most of the training you will receive will be on the job, making this a straightforward job to take on if you are passionate about teaching.
Public Relations Assistant
Working in the public relations department of an organization means being the organization’s face to the public. Your job will entail projecting a favourable image to the public about an organization to help them achieve their goals.
The main tasks that you will take on include writing press releases, organizing interviews with the press, writing newsletters, among others. To be able to take on this job, your writing and verbal skills should be impeccable. You must be well organized and be detail-oriented too. Furthermore, you should have outstanding networking skills and be comfortable about being in the limelight often.
PR professionals are paid between $37,000 to $49,000 a year for their services. However, this figure could change from one industry to another depending on experience and so on.
Advantages of Working During an International Internship
You will quickly develop a global network
By working during your international internship, you will have the opportunity for friendships and connections. These translate into global networks, which are highly valuable for your future work prospects. Having international connections will help you in the future by giving you professional, global links that are invaluable to your career prospects.
You may end up learning a new language
Working overseas may have you speaking the language of your new country in no time. Learning a new language in a classroom vis a vis learning it while fully immersed in the culture gives you a whole new perspective that a classroom learner will not have. Some nuances of new cultures are best learned while fully immersed in them.
Your future applications will stand out
Interning abroad is a pretty outstanding achievement. Working as an intern abroad gives you a considerable edge over job applicants in the future. Your resume will highlight you as a unique individual who can take on challenges even in new environments, making you a quick hire anywhere.
Your transition to real life will be easier
Interning abroad is a major feat to achieve. Working as an intern abroad will give you excellent communication and networking skills that you cannot learn in any classroom. You will have lessons in life that will make your transition into a real job and life afterward very easy to achieve.
Smash Your International Intern Goals
All these benefits of international intern jobs barely scratch the surface of the available opportunities for you as an international intern. The only limit that you have are the ones you will put on yourself. Go out there and apply for all the jobs that are an excellent match for you. You will be surprised what you can achieve with just a little confidence.
Remember, being an international intern is a massive achievement in itself. Therefore, anything else that you undertake to do will only serve to underscore your winning streak. Look forward to making lasting friendships, valuable networks, and exciting moments in a different culture than yours.
