A Career Abroad Can Be Yours with an MBA

Many people dream of living in a foreign country - learning new languages, exploring lands they've only read about. An MBA could make it a reality.

A vacation overseas may make the idea of living and working there intriguing. But you need more than a rudimentary knowledge of the language and a desire to live there to secure gainful employment. It's expensive to send Americans overseas (especially when affordable talent may be within reach), and businesses need employees that understand their own culture and language. Unless you offer what no one else can, your chances are slim.

But if you possess an MBA from American, particularly an international MBA, as well as fluency in a second language, you improve your chances. In Europe, the educational requirements to work in technology, engineering, and finance are especially rigorous, which accounts for widespread employee shortages in those areas. Your MBA makes you a tough competitor. And if you're in an online degree program, you could have your MBA in only a year.

If you're serious about working overseas, consider the following:

• Foreign countries need people to teach English; starting in a job like this is a great way to learn the culture of an area while conducting a more targeted job search.
• Many international MBA programs offer internships abroad, and about 40% of interns receive offers of full-time work. Even if the internship produces a part-time opportunity, it gets your foot in the door.
• Your MBA makes you attractive to many top international companies. Even if the position you start with is in the States, you might be able to transfer to international offices down the road.

Whether you've earned your MBA from a traditional or online degree program, you could already have your ticket to the international career of your dreams.

Sources:
Navy Times
Wall Street Journal's CollegeJournal.com
Business Week Online