Introduction

If you are interested in pursuing short-term international employment of 1 month to 3 years there are virtually hundreds of opportunities all over the world. Professional internships excluded, most of the opportunities exist in the areas of teaching English as a second language (ESL), volunteer/service opportunities (such as Amigos de Las Americas or Peace Corps), and hospitality or recreation jobs. These opportunities are relatively easy to pursue, because they usually have set application procedures and provide the appropriate working papers to individuals accepted into their programs. You will not have to struggle, therefore, to obtain your own working visa. You also should not have to write a resume that fits the conventions of the country to which you are applying. The only thing you should be responsible for is obtaining your passport. You can apply for a passport at the Evanston Post Office, 1101 Davis Street.

Below you will find information on how to structure your job search and links to organizations that offer short-term opportunities. In addition to the information contained on this page, you may also want to visit the NU Office of Fellowships web site and/or the NU Study Abroad Office for short-term academic international opportunities.

Short-term International Job Search Strategy

1. Research the opportunities and employers in the region, country, or field in which you would like to work. Print out or record application information and take careful note of application deadlines (if there is a formal application process).
2. Prioritize your program choices and develop a timeline based on your priorities and the corresponding application deadlines. If there is no formal application, you should probably make initial contact with an international employer at least six months before you wish to start.
3. Develop application materials (applications, resumes, cover letters, essays) that speak to the needs of the organizations to which you are applying [for assistance with this contact Brett Boettcher or alumni contact, Cindy Graham].
4. Forward application materials and carefully note any follow-up requirements, such as when you should hear from the organization to which you're applying. If no applications exist for the organizations that interest you, forward your resume and cover letter to the appropriate official in the organization that interests you.
5. Follow-up with all of the organizations to which you applied 10 days to 2 weeks after you have submitted your materials.
6. Throughout this process, keep all of your job search materials together. Take careful notes when you speak with officials of the various programs and when you need to follow-up if you haven't been contacted by the programs to which you're applying.
7. As you begin your search, keep in mind that some organizations will have application deadlines (e.g. some teaching English programs)