Career Development Corner

TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIP/WORK ABROAD


By Jackée Missick
Juris Doctor Candidate, December 2008
Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
National Black Law Student Association,
International Relations Committee
Touro BLSA Northeast Representative
jlawstuff@hotmail.com



NARROW DOWN YOUR LIST TO FIVE TOP CHOICES
PRIORITIZE:
i. Fun
ii. Experience
iii. Resume Enhancer

GET FAMILIAR WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Get Applications
Find out the application deadline dates
Find out if you would need a Visa to enter the country
Find out if you need a work permit and or insurance.
Find out if you need any references or school information and start working on them now.

THINK OF YOUR FINANCES
Consider positions that pay
i. Every little bit helps
Consider getting a part-time, weekend job while you are abroad
i. Research what is needed for that (work permit)
Hit your family up for extra cash.
i. Talk to them about your trip in advance and try to get them on board.
Plan a budget and start saving now

DO BACKGROUND WORK ON THE FIRM OR ORGANIZATION
Be familiar with the type of work the company does
Find out if they have been in the news lately

SAFETY FIRST
Stay away from Countries with domestic conflicts going on.
Research the country and neighbourhood of the job to see if you would be safe.
Research the accommodations where you will stay during the internship.

PERSONALIZE IT.
Even if the application does not ask for it, consider writing a personal statement and why you want to work/study there.
Your application should distinguish you from others
i. Highlight your accomplishments
ii. Highlight your diversity

LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Figure out what the language differences are.
Figure out if you can cope with the cultural differences.
Don’t wait for the last minute to do this research-you want to be very prepared once you get there

NETWORK
Talk to people who have done study or work abroad programs
Talk to classmates who are from the countries you are thinking about going to.
LINK UP TO GET CHEAP FARES AND OTHER TID BITS
http://www.statravel.com/
http://www.isic.org/sisp/index.htm

GET YOUR APPLICATIONS IN EARLY
Plan to get your applications in at the start of the application process.



BLAK LAW STUDENTS ABROAD

This month we focus on the students of Nigeria's Chapter who recently elected a Executive Board. We Congratulate the New Board and wish them the best of luck as they work with the other Black law students in their region to form the first ever African Coalition of Black Law Students.

I will share with you an email sent by the Nigerian chapter to NBLSA:

Dear Alice,

NBLSA NIGERIA really appreciate thechallenge and encouragement. Africa as a continent will undeniably be strong with honour someday we believe. Here is the list of our New Executive Board Members.We hope that the African Coalition comes to pass so that our forced push will move things and make change happen accordingly.


New Executive Board Members:

OLABANJI TIMILEHIN ADEKUNLE CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT timiokay@yahoo.com
Morenike Omotayo Ajayi VICE CHAIRMAN /PRESIDENT morenike_ajayi@yahoo.com
Adeleke Kayode Emmanuel SECRETARY talkputo@yahoo.com
Eniola Badmos Modupe TREASURER
adeola omollola omojola DIRECTOR OF SOCIALS deloom06@yahoo.com
T.A Benson Director of Communications bensononspase @yahoo.com
A.O owolabi Librarian froggielakes @yahoo.com
Kilani Mulikat oluwa funke Director of Moot court trial
OASYOMI SAMUEL TAIWO DIRECTOR OF MOOT TRIAL COMPETITION samt042000@yahoo.com
OSASONA .F OLUWATOBI DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE editionkids2000@yahoo.com
olojede A.Sunday DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMINGamo-likz@yahoo.com
Ganiyu .T.Adegbite Remi ATTORNEY GENERAL ADENIYI ALLI-SMITH DIRECTOR OF SPORTS AJIBOLA OLADAPO DESMOND
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Barr. E.T YEBISI STAFF ADVISER

Here is the list. You will get other email addresses soonest. Our website is http://nblsaafricanigeria.blogspot.com

we hope to hearing from you soonest.

The African Coalition has to be generated in due time ..give us the required mail address of our partners in Africa. In NBLSA LOVE