Aaron Becker: Curtin University, Australia

The hardest part of getting an internship, especially with a top level company, is getting in the door for an interview.  The second hardest part is getting the second interview. 

It’s necessary to stick out positively in the interviewers mind.  To help this, I always list my study abroad institution and a short message on my resume, and it usually springboards a few questions.  

National Instruments has direct operations in nearly 40 countries, so it was natural for my interviewer to ask about my exchange program. 

Studying abroad also gives important, though less tangible benefits.  My experiences abroad as an exchange student no doubt gave me the confidence and experience to handle high pressure situations – navigating across the globe with its myriads of languages, currencies, and customs builds that trait – and it certainly gave me the ability to think on my feet. 

I wish every college student could and would invest in a semester abroad.