In today’s world of cut-throat competition, the people you have on your team as employees and colleagues can make a big difference between you and your competitors. Often, companies choose to hire graduates fresh out of college – not only is it possible to pay them less than experienced people, but it is also possible to mould young people to fit your company’s requirements more easily.

Most companies look out for youngsters who are keen to learn new things, have good communication skills, and possess problem-solving skills. Here you can score major brownie points over competitors by hiring young people who have studied abroad as they not only possess the aforementioned skills, but also bring more to the table. We have researched and found out some of the most significant ways you can benefit by hiring someone with a global exposure and have listed them as follows.

International experience
Graduates who have lived and studied abroad have gained firsthand insights into another country’s culture, lifestyle and way of working. They would be better able to understand the intricacies of functioning in a 21st century multi-national company, where 24/7 connectivity and communication is bridging global boundaries. Most foreign universities also provide summer training and internships throughout the duration of the course at top notch business destinations where students get a very good sense of the working environment in big corporations and the options for an international education that is worth it are many. So if you hire these youngsters, they already have an edge and can hit the ground running faster than their peers.

Problem-solving skills
A student who has studied abroad is sure to have handled a variety of life problems on their own. It transforms them into independent, resourceful and free-thinking individuals who can handle many challenges. These are life skills that come in handy everywhere and, as an employer, you are sure to benefit when your colleagues are people who are never caught on the back foot by any curveball that might come their way out of nowhere. From dealing with minor everyday problems to handling larger issues, an international student is sure to have done it all during the years they spent studying abroad, thus honing their problem-solving skills to a point.

Adaptability
Moving to an entirely different country to settle down for a considerable time period – whether it be three months or it be three years – can be extremely daunting. Students who opt to study abroad willingly take up this challenge. In the process, they figure out on their own how to acclimatize, make new friends, what to eat, how to manage their finances, etc thus adapting to their new environment. Some take a week and some take a month, but they do it nonetheless. Whatever may be the case, their ability to adjust to new surroundings is very high and they won’t take much time to settle down in your company and take to it like a fish takes to water.

Language and communication skills
This is one of the biggest benefits of hiring young people who have studied abroad – they almost always know foreign languages. In multicultural offices like the ones we have in most corporate organisations today, where global boundaries are constantly melting down, someone who speaks more than one foreign language is sure to be an asset. Most international universities stress the development of their students’ language skills, as it is crucial to surviving in a different country.

Detail orientation, initiative
You can be sure that a student who has taken the trouble to go study abroad has had to sift through mountains of paperwork even before they could step out of their own country. They have had to fill countless forms, figure out paperwork and juggle a lot of other things to be able to live and survive alone in a foreign land. This definitely speaks volumes about their attention to details and the fact that they are go-getters who are not scared of working for the things they want.
With all these major positive traits in the character of a person who has studied abroad, they are bound to be a valuable addition to your team and you will be glad you decided to have them on board.