{"id":3559,"date":"2022-07-12T09:08:37","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T08:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.exeter.ac.uk\/careerzone\/?p=3559"},"modified":"2022-07-12T09:08:37","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T08:08:37","slug":"10-ways-to-make-the-most-of-your-summer-as-an-international-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/careerzone\/10-ways-to-make-the-most-of-your-summer-as-an-international-student\/","title":{"rendered":"10 ways to make the most of your summer as an international student"},"content":{"rendered":"

Claire Guy is an Employability and Careers Consultant for the University of Exeter Business School.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It certainly feels like summer in the UK right now with the longer days and the sun shining. For most of you, classes are over and it feels like you have some time on your hands. How can you make the most of it as an international student?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Relax:<\/span><\/b>\u202fYou deserve it! After a hard year studying, it\u2019s important to recharge your energy by resting. Catch up on your sleep. Read a book. Binge watch movies. If English is your second language, try and watch \/ read in English as this is a fantastic (and enjoyable) way to improve your skills. This is especially important if you want to work in the UK after your studies, as employers will expect you to have excellent written and spoken English.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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2 Explore the UK<\/strong> (or at least Devon and Cornwall!):\u202f<\/span><\/span>You\u2019ve <\/span>explore<\/span>d<\/span> Exeter<\/span> but<\/span> now you have some free time<\/span>. W<\/span>hy not go a little further? <\/span>The South West has so much to offer<\/span>. This list from Go South West England has <\/span><\/span>30+ Awesome Places to Visit in South West England <\/span><\/span><\/a>. <\/span>While you <\/span>soak up the British s<\/span>cenery<\/span>, why not learn more about our culture to<\/span>o<\/span>? Chat to people<\/span> you encounter \u2013 you\u2019ll find most people are very friendly. <\/span>Even better, <\/span>invite<\/span> your<\/span> UK course mates to accompany you<\/span>. They<\/span> can provide a brilliant <\/span>insight into<\/span> the <\/span>typical<\/span> habits <\/span><\/span>and <\/span>behaviours<\/span> of <\/span>the British including <\/span>Cockneys, <\/span>Brummies<\/span>, <\/span>Janners<\/span> and Scousers<\/span> (if you have no idea what I\u2019m talking about, this <\/span><\/span> list of all the best British regional nicknames<\/span><\/span><\/a> will help!)<\/span>.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to work in the UK after your studies, employers will want you to be familiar with <\/span>UK <\/span>culture, and be really comfortable interacting with local people. <\/span>Even if you <\/span>don\u2019t plan to work in the UK, employers back home or <\/span>anywhere else<\/span> in the world will <\/span>be impressed by your intercultural learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/span> \"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3 Get more out of your part time job. <\/span><\/b>If you are an undergraduate with a part time job, you can work more hours during the summer. These <\/span>guidelines from International Student Support<\/span><\/a> explain the visa rules. If you are a master\u2019s student, you can work full time from the end of your\u00a0 final term.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You may think your part time job isn\u2019t relevant for your future career. Maybe it isn\u2019t right now- but could you make it more relevant? Could you create a learning opportunity for yourself? Mika, a Business Analytics master\u2019s student did exactly this. She had a part-time job as a cashier at Primark, but knew they had a data team. As she was aiming for a data career, she asked her manager if she could shadow the data team for a week. They said yes, and Mika learned so much. She made the most of the experience by starting conversations about possible graduate opportunities. What opportunities could your part time employer offer you?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4 Find work.<\/span><\/b> The summer is a good time to find work if you would like some. Many hotels, restaurants, and other tourist-dependent businesses employ extra staff on a casual basis. You can find summer jobs on Handshake or other job sites, but often companies simply put notices in their windows and expect people to drop in and ask about jobs. You could create a part-time CV and print off some copies to take to employers. A part-time CV will follow quite a different style and focus to a CV for a graduate role though. <\/span>Here\u2019s an example<\/span><\/a> of what a part time CV might look like, with a focus on relevant skills. <\/span>Come and see us<\/span><\/a> if you\u2019d like help with your part time CV.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember that part time work that is completely unrelated to the career area you want to go into after your studies, is useful. This is because employers in the UK love transferable skills, and part time jobs give you lots of them! Don\u2019t work too hard though \u2014 you deserve a break after a year of study!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

5 Find an internship or other work-based experience:\u202f<\/span><\/b>Many international students would love an internship over the summer.<\/span> The summer break feels like the perfect time to boost your CV while your studies are paused. Finding a summer internship might not be as straightforward as you\u2019d like though, for a couple of reasons:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n