The Office of Career Services has just announced the addition of Passport Career to its tools designed to assist current students and alumni in their journeys to successful employment.
Increased globalization within the job market has led many individuals to look outside the United States for potential jobs and related opportunities.
According to the U.S. State Department, roughly 6.4 million Americans are living overseas for either educational or work purposes.
To keep up with the rising trend, the Passport Career website connects organizations with prospective employees as well as students with potential job, internship, and volunteer opportunities through their respective educational institutions in over 75 countries and 250 cities worldwide.
Founded in 2010, Passport Career offers helpful information and resources on the various countries listed within their database concerning issues that people living and working in a foreign country need to know. The subjects range from professional to lifestyle topics such as local customs, possible language barriers, and even how to cope with culture shock. Passport Career also provides global networking opportunities through job listings and interactive webinars.
“We know there’s been an emphasis on globalization at Marywood that has become an important part of their mission and goals to become more international,” said Dr. Carole Gustitus, director of career services.
Gustitus and her staff do research and attend conferences to learn about new ways to assist students with future careers. She believes the program is set apart from others because it is comprehensive and user friendly. Passport Career is currently being utilized in 35 universities such as the University of Pittsburgh and Duke University. It became available to students at the beginning of the semester and can be accessed through the MarywoodYOU Portal.
Nancy Maloney, assistant director for international affairs, helps students coordinate study abroad opportunities, and upon their return to campus, she encourages them to visit Career Services so they can incorporate their international experiences into their resumes.
“[Living in a] different culture …shows that you can cope with diverse situations and diverse problems,” she said.
While working in another country may not be for everyone, it is an option to be considered. “To any student in the U.S. looking at jobs [internationally], this is the way it is going now. Many companies in the U. S. have transferred overseas and this is an excellent way [for an individual] to advance [his/her] career,” Gustitus said.