Completing your IIE Honours in Communications is a huge achievement. You’ve been working towards this milestone for quite some time now and covering assignments and exams on so many aspects of communication studies. Now that you’re about to graduate, what happens next? This is a stage of life that involves a lot of excitement as you look to the future and start making plans.
For many people, the idea of working overseas is a very attractive prospect. It promises the chance to travel, earn money and get some vital work experience. Should you travel after you get your Honours in Communications? Everyone is different so that is a decision that only you can make. What we can tell you is what you could gain if you took the plunge. Here’s why you might want to spend some time working abroad putting that communication strategy to good use.
A new-found sense of independence
We all think we’re independent until we’re in a new country, all alone and forced to make it happen for ourselves. It’s that “first day of school” feeling on steroids. There’s getting lost on your way home, navigating potential language barriers, working out exchange rates and even learning how to do everything you might have relied on your parents to do. All in all, embracing this uncertainty is a great way to show yourself what you’re capable of. There’s something super empowering about discovering that you are all that you need. This, in turn, gives you greater self-confidence and belief in how much you can do.
You become more flexible
Living at home places you firmly in a comfort zone. There’s nothing wrong with that but when we step out of them, we’ll be surprised at the amazing experiences we can have. At home, you know where everything is, how everything works and how to access any resources that you need. When you are in a foreign country, you learn how to work with what you have available to you and you’re forced to adapt to new ways of living. This ultimately makes us more understanding of the way in which other people live.
There are new connections to be made
It’s funny how moving to a new place triggers you to open up to new people. Whilst you don’t have to make friends, it certainly helps. This makes you better at communicating and getting to know the interests and personalities of others. From the colleagues at your new job to the friends you might meet in random places, every person becomes a link in your new support system. This is something that definitely helps when you’re away from home. In order to connect with people, you might find yourself learning a new language. This is an awesome way to communicate with those in a new country and expand your mind.
Embrace new opportunities
When it comes to living overseas there are chances to travel and some great opportunities. Whether or not you take them is entirely up to you. There will be times where you get to network with others and meet new people, in embracing them, you’ll be amazed at how many doors will be opened for you. This teaches us the value of making an effort to venture beyond our known comfort zones. As a result, we can take this back with us when we return home and enjoy a newfound respect for the lives that we enjoy in South Africa.
Open doors with the right Honours degree
Before you take the plunge, you need a degree that gives you the new world thinking that employers look for. When you strengthen your problem solving and critical thinking skills, you can make yourself more marketable in an ever-evolving workplace. For more on the IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours degree, please contact The IIE's Varsity College.
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). South Africa’s leading private higher education provider that’s registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training, and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).