How can you highlight international experience on your resume?

Having hired 200+ employees, established four foreign offices, and done business in 140+ countries, I am always interested in candidates with relevant and timely international experience. The right international experience can demonstrate to employers that you have an adventurous nature backed by cultural adaptability, a global perspective, strong communication skills, and flexibility. If that international experience was over ten years ago, bridging this advantage within the introduction/sales paragraph at the top of your resume may be the best approach. Go Grand, Never Bland, Brand to Land & #KeepRockingLinkedIn! Kevin On a Mission to Eliminate Organizational & Personal Blanding?

You can also note global or international expertise early through a headline or positioning statement. Naming and claiming your areas of expertise early and often sets creates a strong first impression with hiring authorities!

The best place to highlight international experience is front and centre, so to speak. Make sure to mention it in the personal or headline statement. The next best place is to highlight the international experience is within the summaries of your roles held previously; making sure the bullet points or sentences draw attention to the international experience and how that benefited the role conducted.

Wow. In the first sentence, you've already given the reader the big picture of your experience. Never before had I considered the importance of adding background information to an international experience but you're right -- it makes a huge difference.@Tara Brabazon advice and guidance comes to mind here; she advises being explicit about one's goals and what one hopes to contribute from the outset. This is yet another pricey yet valuable piece of guidance. Your generosity is much appreciated here

Having international experience can set you apart in the job market. When highlighting it on your resume, choose the right format. For short-term projects abroad, use a functional or combined resume; for long-term positions, a reverse chronological resume. It's essential to emphasize the relevance of your overseas experience to the position you're applying for. Mention language skills, listing languages and proficiency levels. Highlight cultural insights and your understanding of global customs. Quantify your achievements using numbers, and if you have extensive international experience, create a separate section. Consider adding testimonials from international colleagues. Always tailor your resume to the specific role and company

Global firms want to see international assignments at multinational organizations as a prerequisite of readiness for executive roles. Showcase global engagements by treating the date length of the expatriate assignment differently than your tenure date with the employer. This way your movement within the company looks progressive and/or upward within the organization--and it doesn't look like you jumped from one employer to another (which can happen when tenure dates and assignment/promotion dates are treated the same).

If the hiring location / headquarters is in a different company, consider following resume guidelines for that area. This can include paper size, spelling conventions, and preferences pertaining to the types of personal information that may or may not be included on a resume. In some countries, it is also standard to include a photo, whereas in the US and most of Western Europe it is not.

If you are not customizing your resume for each job you are committing Personal Blanding? : the intentional or inadvertent act of demarketing or making oneself appear generic. Contributing factors include but not limited to unfocused overuse of buzzwords, adjectives, and claims of greatness with the lack of supportive media, written recommendations, lackluster engagement, and any measurable proof metrics. Do Not BLAND, BRAND to LAND & #KeepRockingLinkedIn! Kevin On a Mission to Eliminate Organizational & Personal Blanding?

Amazing work here. The advice and suggestions are much appreciated. Exchanging details about where you've been assigned and why shows development and variety in your assignment portfolio. A heartfelt 'thank you' for the information provided.

When detailing international assignments, it's beneficial to highlight any collaboration with local teams or stakeholders. This not only showcases your ability to work in diverse settings but also your respect and understanding of local customs and business practices. Such details can provide a more comprehensive picture of your international experience and its relevance to the prospective role.

I am currently in a study abroad program in Fribourg, Switzerland. My course includes site visits to places like the Swiss Parliament, Council of Europe, NATO, etc., and presentations from staff there. It's one thing for a student to say that they've received a presentation on bioweapons from a professor, but how many can say they have received one from a bioweapons expert at the United Nations? Not only does that detail differentiate you from other candidates with similar academic backgrounds, but it also serves as a launching point for an interview story. Your international experiences add a level of curriculum and experience diversity to your resume that is hard to match by your peers with experience limited to their home country.

Studying, working, and living abroad can elevate the standing of global candidates, so be sure to mention those as well! Also, be sure to note if you speak more than one language and are able to smoothly navigate other cultures.

While many people believe that one's international experience is an asset and should be highlighted on a resume, in many cases in the Canadian market, most new immigrants have to answer for their 'lack of Canadian experience' when they are in the job search. The irony is that they couldn't have gained permanent residency without those same qualifications. My first book "No Canadian Experience, Eh?" spoke to some of those concerns. Some ask if they should dumb down their resumes to get a foot in the door at a less senior level. Most of us career coaches advise against that. I advise them, tongue in cheek, to admit they don't have the experience, then ask if that particular employer would like to be the first one to give them on opportunity.

International experience can be a double edge sword, so be aware how you wield it and when it should be secured at your side. Go Grand, Never Bland, Brand to Land & #KeepRockingLinkedIn! Kevin On a Mission to Eliminate Organizational & Personal Blanding?