Alumni Voices: “International Experience Looks Amazing on Your Resume”

Meet Margaret, a third-year Carleton student, set on a career in sustainability but lacking the experience she needed to land a job post-graduation. We linked up with her to chat about her Virtual Internships experience and what advice she’d have for other students considering a Virtual Internship.

Having already completed a co-op, Margaret wanted to expand her horizons and work with a global company. However, without the means to travel or take time away from her studies, she decided to do a Virtual Internship, allowing her to gain invaluable career experience from her laptop.

Margaret completed a 4-month internship working remotely from Canada with a sustainability company in Dublin, Ireland.

Before taking on her remote internship, Margaret had some concerns. However, these were soon alleviated, and now she’s here to share why and how interning remotely set her apart from her peers…

Why did you choose a Virtual Internship?

The reason I signed up to do a virtual internship was to explore my personal interests. When I started this internship, I was in my second year of university. I was still rather clueless about what I wanted my career path to look like. I made it my goal to explore as many fields within Environmental Science as I could to see if maybe I would find my passion. Having international experience also looks amazing on your resume. Since the internship, I have been asked about it in many interviews.

How did interning remotely impact your life?

I lead a busy lifestyle, and having the opportunity to work remotely has allowed me to maximize the use of my time. I don’t have to worry about commuting, taking public transportation (which can be unpredictable and unreliable at times) or having the location of a workplace be a deciding factor for me when job searching.

Did you feel you missed out on anything by interning remotely instead of in person?

This was an incredible experience for me, and I would 100% be willing to participate in another international (yet remote) internship. Some would say that you’re missing out on social interaction and learning about a different culture, but nothing stops you from visiting that country later in life.

In other words, through this experience, I was able to gain international experience without interrupting my studies, and I was still able to make long-lasting connections.

How has this international experience helped you?

Having international experience looks amazing on your resume. Since the internship, I have been asked about it in interviews. It is true that employers value some work experience over others, but in my experience, soft skills are incredibly important, if not more important in some cases. This includes time management, communication, teamwork, organization, creativity, critical thinking, etc. You can also include your familiarity with different platforms such as Discord, Zoom, and Teams. The possibilities are endless.

What advice would you give to other Canadian students considering a Virtual Internship?

You can use this opportunity to try something new, or explore an interest you already have.

Make sure to consider time zones when choosing your list of countries. It would be easier to choose a time zone that does not differ too much from your own, but if your mind is already set on a certain country and it is a completely different time zone, think about how you can adapt your schedule to fit your work hours. 

How has this internship experience changed your outlook on your career?

I have always been a fan of remote positions. I lead a busy lifestyle, and having the opportunity to work remotely has allowed me to maximize the use of my time. I don’t have to worry about commuting, taking public transportation (which can be unpredictable and unreliable at times), or having the location of a workplace be a deciding factor for me when job searching.

Join Margaret and 6,000+ alumni who have already gained an unbeatable advantage for their career

Through Virtual Internships, you can gain access to the fastest-growing network of talent-seeking companies to secure real-world work experience for your future career. Once enrolled, you’ll be guaranteed an internship placement with a global company in your career field or region of choice.

With additional expert coaching for career goals, skills development to prepare you for the workforce, and wraparound support from our team of internship experience managers, you’ll complete your internship more employable and ready for the working world. With 1 in 4 interns getting offered further opportunities with their host company upon completion, you may even find yourself employed at the end!