Studying international business is a wise choice for many capable students across the world. As we become an increasingly global society, careers in international business will be in high demand. The world will continue to rely on individuals who understand the global context of business as technology shrinks our cultural boundaries. Once you commit to studying global business, you should familiarize yourself with international business organizations and professional associations, as well as learn about resources that have the potential to help you along your career path.
Potential employers will notice your dedication to your field if you take extra steps to exceed your classroom requirements, and highlighting your affiliations will show that you’re dedicated to your career. Serious millennial business students understand that their future careers depend on personalizing their education in ways that will help them grow as young, well-rounded professionals. Part of taking responsibility for your own career development in international business is joining organizations designed for those professionals, as well as taking advantage of the many resources available to you as an aspiring young professional.
Regardless of your field of study, there are many benefits that come with joining an established group of professionals. Students studying international business can especially benefit from joining. Here’s why:
If you’re ready to strengthen your potential for hire, consider the following 10 professional organizations, associations, and resources for international business students. They are among Aperian’s favorite, must-consider resources for international business students.
Created by Martin Tillman, a veteran in the field of international education, Global Career Compass focuses on two aspects crucial to your future success as a student of international business:
Martin’s blog addresses a diverse range of topics, all of which he hopes will spark conversations about consulting roles with academic institutions and global international education providers.
Martin notes, “Whether in the community around campus or in the wider world community, I’ve always believed that experiential learning provides a laboratory for students to test themselves, challenge their values, and learn how to become more adaptable and flexible colleagues and members of a community outside their comfort zone.”
Follow Global Career Compass to receive updates on new posts and join the conversation about topics important to your field of study as a student of international business.
Resources for students studying international business should include global employment trends and industry outlooks. You should stay current on your industry’s job outlook, so you can make the best decisions for your future in international business. GoinGlobal offers country profiles for 25 countries, each offering comprehensive information on important topics such as:
International business students should explore opportunities to study abroad, and GoinGlobal offers excellent resources for students looking for internship opportunities, as well as employment. The Key Employer directory offers more than employment opportunities — it also includes profiles for over 450,000 companies, 16 million job listings, and it’s updated daily and searchable by company, industry, location, date of posting and degree required.
Toastmasters International is an organization with over 345,000 members. It centers on communication and leadership development, as its members focus on improving their leadership and speaking skills through participation in clubs and access to resources. Members can attend one of the 15,900 clubs in the global network, located in 42 countries.
Toastmasters was created to help people hone their communication skills and learn the skills necessary to lead families, companies, teams, businesses, and organizations effectively through experiential experience. It focuses on the following international values: integrity, respect, service, and excellence.
To join, members must find a club in their area, fill out the membership application and pay any membership dues required. International dues are owed twice a year at US $45 and there’s a one-time membership fee of US $20 for new members.
AIESC is an organization dedicated to providing young people a platform in which they can explore and develop their leadership potential. It provides a plethora of support for volunteering abroad and interning abroad. Bill Clinton, Cavaco Silvia, Kofi Annan and John Kerry were all AISECers.
The website offers plenty of valuable resources for students, including:
Joining AIESC and involving yourself as a student could be a resume booster and jumpstart a career in international business. You can sign up for free and view available opportunities, but costs vary per experience.
The Professional Women’s Network is a diverse global federation of more than 24 professional networks in cities around the world. Its focus is to provide women with support to advance in leadership and accelerate change to inspire communities through sharing knowledge, tools, techniques and best practices.
Members can participate in various social events and listen to guest speakers and trainers. Mentoring and informal coaching are available options, as well as access to hundreds of knowledge resources. Men are encouraged to join as well, as long as they’re recommended by an existing member and they have demonstrated an interest in promoting women’s professional progress.
Students typically aren’t accepted as members, as the network focuses on women in senior-level management or women who own their own companies. However, students from leading European business schools are being accepted on an experiential level. Students are encouraged to join their school’s network, attend open events to meet women who are active in their fields of interest and join the mailing list.
There’s an annual membership fee that varies depending on your location.
ASAE is a resource directory of trade associations and individual membership societies. It offers professional development programs, conferences/expos, and resources for business operations/HR/finance, diversity and technology. ASEA offers resources in many different industries, but students of global business could benefit from participating in one of the many programs offered.
In particular, millennial business students pursuing a career in international business could attend ASAE’s following conferences and expos:
Online courses, online conferences and certificate programs are also available.
Individual membership for young professionals is available for US $150, and it gives you access to practical resources and a learning community that will help you improve your career and meet your personal and professional goals.
Model United Nations offers students a chance to step into the role of a UN ambassador. It’s an academic simulation of the United Nations. Participants gain knowledge in civics, communication, globalization and multilateral intergovernmental organization. They create solutions to world issues by researching a country, accepting roles as diplomats, exploring international issues, and debating and consulting.
NASBITE is an organization that supports both academics and practitioners in the global business profession. Focusing on international trade education, the association aims to coordinate and administer the Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) credential and to promote and exchange information among global business professionals.
When searching for professional organizations for international business students, consider NASBITE International because it offers a student membership for only US $25. As a member, you will enjoy:
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is a global network of communication professionals, serving members in more than 70 countries. People in the field or pursuing business communication can benefit from IABC’s educational offerings through the IABC Academy, membership, a resource library, online magazine and annual World Conference.
Students can join by filling out a membership form and paying dues. As a member and a student of international business, you can take advantage of many communications-related resources, such as articles on what recruiters look for in communications professionals and more.
MovingWorlds is an organization started by Mark Horoszowski, and it aims to address the global talent gap by connecting people who want to travel and volunteer around the world through “experteering,” or volunteering your expertise with social impact organizations. Coupling the chance to create a positive impact with building your professional skills equals a great opportunity for international business students.
When asked how he’s seen experteering help students of global business, Mark replied:
“I remember speaking to the hiring manager of a large, international NGO, about the value of experteering. He said that, so often, we get resumes of people that want to work for us, people who dream of working in Africa, India or Asia. But the truth is, while everybody likes the idea of working in these places, when you’re separated from your social life, personal comforts and your normal way of living, will you still enjoy it? The only way to prove that you will prosper in an international function is to actually do it, first. This is why most international NGOs and businesses typically won’t hire you unless you have global experience.
“Put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager responsible for filling a position like this. This person, the one standing between you and your dream job, is looking for verifiable proof that you can operate effectively across cultures, understand what it’s like to deliver results in different environments and have the drive and tenacity to keep learning.
“Experteering, when portrayed correctly on your resume and interviews, does all of these. By virtue of this immersive experience, our experteers learn valuable global leadership skills (like cultural collaboration), spend real time working in new geographies and prove that they can deliver results and make an impact.
“We shared a story in Forbes about Jamie who used experteering to transition into an international NGO consulting position and another story in HBR of Deana who used hers to move into a leadership position. These are just a couple of the hundreds of stories of people using experteering very intentionally to develop their own skills while making the world better in the process.”
In addition to utilizing the best resources and joining the top associations and organizations, you shouldn’t underestimate the value of your traditional education. Starting at the post-secondary level, global management programs can set you on the path to success in global business and there are many executive and MBA programs available to further hone your skills and credentials.
If you are in the beginning phases of your interest in studying international business, it’s worthwhile to consider your traditional educational opportunities as well. Many collegiate programs focus on global management and international business, and provide plenty of opportunities to further develop your professional skills, such as:
Aperian is dedicated to helping students develop a global mindset. We offer a variety of tools and resources to support student learning as they gain knowledge and experience in the global business environment. Students and professors can take advantage of an academic discount on Aperian®, our flagship online learning platform. With Aperian, students can enhance the success of their cross-cultural experiences and learn to work more effectively across cultural boundaries.
As you navigate from an enthusiastic international business student to aspiring young professional of global business, it’s important to supplement your learning on a personal level. Affiliate yourself with the associations and organizations on this list, and use the available resources to position yourself ahead of the competition as you search for employment.