Introduction: Your Overseas Experience Still Matters
According to British Council research, international talent may bring strong cross-cultural communication skills to the workplace. A CNBC report says that 41% of employers offer higher salaries to those who study abroad.
If you have worked in Nigeria, Ghana, India, Kenya, Pakistan, or somewhere else before you left for your studies abroad, you may be wondering whether you can put your overseas work experience on your CV. Yes is the answer.
Remind your prospective employers that you already understand workplace responsibilities, teamwork, and professional communication. Also, show them that you’ve learnt all these things in your previous job and can transfer those skills to your new role. Working overseas shows that you have experience working with people from other cultures.
You cannot rule out your experience even if it does not align with your studies. It’s the way you explain your overseas work experience on your CV that will stand out.
The Importance of Overseas Work Experience on Your CV
Generally, employers will be interested in what you have learned from previous workplaces. They might not expect every international student to have experience in their home country first.
For instance, as a journalist in Nigeria, if you are currently studying in the UK, Canada, or Australia, you can still emphasise your writing, research, interviewing, and communication skills.
The same applies to all occupations.
Your overseas assignment may have given you experience in the following areas:
- Customer service
- Communication
- Leadership
- Research
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Computer skills
- Project management
Remember, the key is to show how you can use these skills in the job you’re applying for.
How to Include Your Overseas Work Experience on a CV
Including your overseas work experience on your CV will give you a better advantage over other applicants. Here are some of the ways you can do this effortlessly:
Describe Your Previous Job
Add a Few Details About Your Past Position
Start with your job title and employer
Make your CV easy to understand. Clearly state your job title, employer, country and employment dates. There’s no requirement that you conceal your country of employment.
For example:
Content Writer — ABC Media (Lagos, Nigeria)
January 2021 – August 2024
Under this, discuss what your most significant duties and accomplishments have been.
This means companies know which countries you worked in and when.
Write a Narrative and Describe What Actually Happened
Try not to make general statements like:
“Responsible for producing articles.”
Rather, describe what you did.
For example:
- Produced and developed news articles for the web.
- Read the writing of stories and verified information before publishing.
- Helped editors and social media personnel in publishing material.
- Carried out multiple daily tasks and adhered to deadlines.
Don’t just list your job title. These examples give you ideas about what you can accomplish.
Relate Your Experiences to the New Job
Making the experience of an international student CV useful is actually one of the easiest options to be able to do: link past work to the position that you are applying for.
Assume you have a customer service position in Ghana and are applying for a Customer Service job in Canada.
You might mention your ability to handle customer questions, solve customer issues, communicate over the phone, and work under stressful conditions.
The employer may not even care where you learned those skills and may prefer to know whether you can apply them in the new environment.
Concentrate on Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are skills you can use in multiple areas of employment.
For instance, an Indian native who worked as a teacher would have acquired a range of communication, presentation, organisation, and leadership skills.
A person who has been in banking in Kenya may have experience with customers, financial records, data entry and confidentiality.
An individual who worked in marketing in Pakistan might have acquired skills such as research, social media, verbal communication, and campaign planning.
These skills can really add some value to your CV if they are related to the job as an international student.
Read Also: How to Turn a Student Job into Relevant Work Experience
Discuss, Do Not Apologise, for Where You Worked
Beyond the student’s page value, some international students assume they don’t need to put much effort into the previous job they did abroad, as it seems easier.
There’s no need to do this.
Instead of saying:
“Prior to this, I have worked only in Nigeria.”
Say:
“Four years of professional experience in Nigeria, where well-developed research, communication and project coordination skills were acquired.”
The second version is a more assertive restatement of the same fact.
Your international experience is part of your career experience. Communicate it candidly and articulate your new insight(s).
Add Achievements Where Possible
Responsibilities provide employers with a clear idea of what you should have done. Achievements may demonstrate actual accomplishments.
For example:
Gained visitors to social media profiles by engaging them with specific content.
Provided timely weekly reports.
Improved procedures for responding to customer complaints.
Provided training to new team members on processes in the workplace.
Statistically, refrain from using numbers unless they are correct.
For instance, “Contacted more than 50 customer enquiries a day” is more beneficial than just “Handled customer enquiries.”
This can help boost your candidacy for the international job market.
Discuss the Differences Within the Workplace
The workplace can vary in different countries.
You might have used different systems, procedures, and customer groups.
Your CV will not require an explanation of all cultural differences.
Rather, hone skills that can be carried out in a variety of settings.
For example:
- Learned to adjust to evolving job needs.
- Cooperated with colleagues from other cultural backgrounds.
- Communicated with a variety of clients in terms of age and background.
- Quickly learned new software and workplace procedures.
These points can help companies see the value of your foreign experience.
Keep Your CV Short and to the Point
It’s not always necessary to mention every job you’ve had.
Focus on experience that’s relevant to the open position.
If the job is older or less relevant, include less information. Include more detail about your responsibilities and accomplishments for recent, pertinent jobs.
Ensure simple language is used in your CV as well.
Do not include acronyms, job titles or slang words in the workplace that may not be used in the country where you will be working.
Write down a local term if it is necessary to do so and briefly translate it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best CV format for international students?
The best CV format for international students is reverse chronological. Keep the CV to 1 to 2 pages and include basic information, skills, and educational history.
How do you include study abroad experience on your resume?
You can include your study abroad experience in the education section or under specialised work experience.
Can AI help me write my CV?
Yes, you can use AI to write your CV. However, you may need to double-check it and polish the result to fit your credentials.
Final Thoughts
Including your previous overseas work experience on your CV is not a hindrance to your studies because you travelled abroad.
Your skills do not limit you to pursuing a job only in Nigeria, Ghana, India, Kenya, Pakistan or elsewhere.
When creating your international student resume, emphasise what you did, achieved, and learned.
Be sure to indicate to an employer how you will be able to contribute those skills to their organisation — most of all!
