How do you explain the impact of working abroad to your stakeholders?

1 Identify your key messages

Before you start writing or speaking about your working abroad experience, think about what you want your stakeholders to know and remember. What are the main skills, knowledge, and insights you gained from working in a different culture, language, and environment? How did you overcome the challenges and adapt to the changes? How did you add value to your organization, project, or team? How did you grow as a person and a professional? Choose two or three key messages that summarize the impact of your working abroad experience and support them with specific examples and evidence.

2 Tailor your story to your audience

Different stakeholders may have different expectations, interests, and questions about your working abroad experience. Therefore, you need to tailor your story to suit your audience and purpose. For example, if you are applying for a new job or promotion, you may want to emphasize how your working abroad experience enhanced your qualifications, skills, and competencies for the role. If you are reporting to your manager or client, you may want to highlight how your working abroad experience improved your performance, results, and outcomes for the project. If you are reconnecting with your colleagues or family, you may want to share how your working abroad experience enriched your personal and professional relationships, values, and perspectives.

3 Use the STAR method

A useful technique to structure your story is the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This method helps you to describe your working abroad experience in a clear and logical way, while demonstrating your achievements and impact. For each key message, use the STAR method to answer these questions: What was the situation or context of your working abroad experience? What was the task or goal you had to accomplish? What actions did you take to complete the task or solve the problem? What results did you achieve and how did they benefit your stakeholders?

4 Be authentic and confident

Your working abroad experience is a unique and valuable asset that you can leverage to advance your career and personal development. Therefore, be authentic and confident when you explain the impact of your working abroad experience to your stakeholders. Don't be afraid to showcase your strengths, achievements, and learnings, but also be honest about your challenges, mistakes, and areas for improvement. Use positive and professional language, avoid jargon and slang, and express gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity and support you received. Remember that your working abroad experience is not only a story, but also a reflection of who you are and what you can offer.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?