Frame your experience in a way that shows you deliver (e.g., "My experience in fundraising launched when I raised over $2,000 for a new school in the village I was working in"). Highlight any writing, lectures, or follow-up initiatives you launched when you got back home, and include any cultural associations, clubs, or societies you are affiliated with that have an international focus. Basic things like negotiating prices, navigating bureaucracy, or organizing events or meetings are really important skills, and it’s pretty interesting to have mastered them in a different country. “Had a good time” is another way to describe an enjoyable experience. Answer: An experience essay can be written about an experience that is unique, but it doesn't have to be. Absentee Ballot vs. Mail-In Ballot: Is There A Difference? It means, we had fun, we enjoyed it, we had a good time. Recently, I received an email from a friend who had been living abroad: After three years of living in Cambodia, I’ve decided I need a change, and I’ve been applying to jobs back home. “Corporal,” “General,” “Sergeant,” “Private”: What’s The Order Of The Military Ranks? Your conversation may go like this:. It is important to think about that while you write. “Had a good time” is another way to describe an enjoyable experience. "No one has ever come back," we say, "to tell us what his experience has been," and we drop the subject there. In this case, I can only hope that in my experience it failed so to do. Think about what current events, global issues, or local policies are relevant to your international experience and how that links to your career trajectory back home. Even if you were employed for a short period or you were volunteering, definitely put your position in the “Work Experience” section of your resume. This kind of international knowledge and understanding can offer new perspectives and contexts for working in the medical or public health fields. Free event on 11/12: How to Land a Job in Sales & Marketing. Better yet, explain how you still use the skills you learned abroad today—or could use them in your future workplace. Use examples of innovation, resource use, and funding you have tried in the field (whether they were successes or failures) to discuss your focus and skill set. I can’t tell you how many times I hear friends say, “I lived abroad, but I was only teaching English,” or, “Oh, I was just volunteering.” But whether you were managing a classroom full of kids or organizing programs, both types of commitments require preparation, deliverables, and a long-term plan of goals and outcomes. For example, my kids have always wanted to go to Disneyland. Whatever your job was, it likely had some relevancy to your career goals—so think about key experiences and accomplishments that could translate to future positions. If it makes sense for the jobs you’re applying to, try using brief and relevant anecdotes that display your skills and capabilities in your cover letter. Discuss the skills you gained in your daily life and how you applied them to your work. Why downplay it, or come off that you don’t take your time abroad seriously? It was the fruit of experience, of knowledge, of demonstration. She lectures on human trafficking, gender and conflict, and human rights at Rutgers University. “Democrat” vs. “Republican”: Where Did The Parties Get Their Names? Here too experience has afforded us the most satisfactory proof in its favor. Frame your experience in a way that shows you deliver (e.g., "My experience in fundraising launched when I raised over $2,000 for a new school in the village I was working in"). Did you have to learn a different language or business style while you were abroad? my lessons. Find more ways to say experience, along with related words, antonyms and example phrases at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. What strategies worked for you abroad, how they could be successful back home? “Epidemic” vs. “Pandemic” vs. “Endemic”: What Do These Terms Mean? So, “When we went to Disneyland last summer they had the time of their lives.”. International experience shouldn’t be a hurdle in your job hunt—in fact, it can highlight your unique skills and strengths and give you an extra edge in the job search. Depending on how you market your experience, you can stand out from the crowd, add a fresh perspective, and show how your valuable international outlook makes you the right person for the job. Discuss your time abroad in the same way you would as if you had the same job experience in the United States—describing your objectives and achievements and showcasing your skills. Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Suggested alternatives include lessons learned, “things one learned” – or simply lessons – discoveries, findings, insights, and … That has not been my experience either with them or of them. Find a way to take the experience you DO have, and translate it into the skills that employer is looking for. For example, if your coworker is going on a boat trip next weekend, you can say “Have a good time!” when he leaves on Friday, or if your son is going to a party with his friends from the soccer team, you can tell him “Have a good time!” as he walks out the door. And it’s not just expats who feel this way: I also hear from students who want to frame their study abroad programs appropriately and professionals who have a lot of international work experience but simply don’t know how to market it. I get these types of emails often, especially from colleagues who are trying to transition home after living abroad for a few years. This is a great way to show how your experience translates (and what you bring to the table above other candidates), so where you can make these connections, do! ” when he leaves on Friday, or if your son is going to a party with his friends from the soccer team, you can tell him “Have a good time!” as he walks out the door. I get the feeling that my resume seems thin, and my time teaching here doesn’t seem relevant to the job posts I am seeing. Though we all have funny travel stories and miscommunications, try to avoid anything that might make you come off as aloof or silly, like the time your whole class drew beautiful pictures of you (their teacher) in lieu of doing their homework—or the time you tried snake whiskey. And in making this attempt I must write from my own experience. Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group. What do you think I should do? She also encourages global exploration through her work as Editor of. You can also use the phrase “have a good time” to wish that somebody will have fun, especially just as they are about to leave. If you’ve gained language skills, include them in a separate section, listing each language you speak and your level of fluency. It was with a lady whom I met but that once, within a year or two after my experience at Versailles. In an Interview The rest of your introduction should include another sentence or two about why you think you would be a good fit for this position, based on your experience and interests. I am writing a cover letter with several bullet points describing why I am a good match for a particular job. Just make sure it's a lead-in to the skills you have—and not the full content of your cover letter. What's another way to say “my learnings”? ... you can say “Have a good time! Just make sure it's a lead-in to the skills you have—and not the full content of your cover letter. For example, last weekend, I got together with my friends and we had a blast watching silly comedy movies. Discuss how your work abroad links to your work back home, and relate your work to current issues, or share how your time abroad has given you the perspective to consider major global problems in a new light. What is another way to say "Past experience ..."? Organizations like the Rotary Club, Amnesty International USA, Oxfam, or United Nations Foundation offer direct country-based issues and opportunities to get involved. Another word for experience. And before you tell a story, make sure you’re giving your audience proper context and can follow the point. Employer: “Oh, I see you don’t have any experience in the jewelry industry.” . So those are our phrases for today; “have the time of your life,” meaning to have a wonderful experience that’s very enjoyable, “have a blast” which also means to have fun, have an enjoyable experience, and “have a good time,” which you can use to hope or wish that somebody will have a good time or experience as they are about to leave and go have that experience. Remember, your prospective employer already has your résumé or your CV. If you live abroad, it’s easy to forget that you are constantly learning and picking up new skills, sometimes very quickly. See my video on Why Should They Hire You which walks you through translating your prior experience into value statements.. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time. He had learned his lesson of experience, and profited thereby. When she is not teaching, she is traveling and offering tips on how students and professionals can get the most out of their experiences abroad. Natalie Jesionka has researched and reported on human rights issues around the world. While “World Explorer” may not yet be a resume-worthy job title, here are a few ways to make your skills and experiences from travel applicable to your career. Prepare a few examples from your experiences that are interesting and won’t require a lot of context to explain to the interviewer. Your experience and reaction will be interesting to the reader if it is something that they have not experienced, but it may actually be more interesting to them if they have also experienced something similar. I hope you’re having a good time learning spoken English from my videos! Do, though, remember that not all experiences will translate. Working in another culture and language shows great strength and flexibility—and you can definitely use that to showcase why you’re a great candidate. preparation, deliverables, and a long-term plan of goals and outcomes. Think about your two biggest accomplishments, and prepare talking points about them for the hiring manager. Add a “Skills” section to your resume detailing any special abilities you’ve picked up. Instead of dismissing your work, be confident, and know your insight and experiences are valuable. Perhaps he will come back and tell his experience to his indifferent relatives. Join our early testers!