School of International Studies
Intercultural Careers
Where are the intercultural careers?Careers in intercultural relations exist everywhere, yet it is not easy to identify them by looking at the employment ads, under the title of "intercultural specialist." Instead, you need to be systematic and resourceful in assessing your intercultural competencies, your transferable skills, your career requirements, and, of course, your personal preferences.
Whether you are interested in intercultural training, diversity work, international education, global human resources, language education, international development, intercultural conflict mediation, multicultural counseling, or global leadership development, there are increasing opportunities all over the world.
What does an intercultural career require?If you are seeking opportunities in this field, you will want to take stock of yourself in the following areas:
What are your transferable skills from your own culture and work experience that will serve you well in a new intercultural context?
What is important to you as you seek a new position? Recognition? Environment? Colleagues of a like mind? Making the world a better place? Serving others? Being creative? Freedom and autonomy? Money? Travel?
Do you have or are you willing to get a graduate degree? Most professionals agree that at a minimum, a master's degree is essential.
What significant experience have you had working across cultures? Living in another culture?
Do you want to work in a domestic diversity context or a global context?
Do you prefer an academic, corporate, government, religious, healthcare, or social services organization?
Do you want to train, educate, manage, administrate, mediate, or advise others? Do you have existing transferable skills that will advance your ambition?
Do you want to work independently, or as part of a larger organization?
Do you want to find an organization that is already dedicated to intercultural work, or would you prefer to convert an existing job to a more intercultural focus?
Are you changing careers, just starting out, or seeking career enhancement?
What is it that you do NOT want to do?
In the United States, the fastest growing areas for jobs are information technology and health care, with additional increases in the hospitality industry, social services, and human resources. In particular, “Employment of human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Overall employment is projected to grow by 17 percent between 2006 and 2016 . . .” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition). Each of these arenas has high potential for interculturally competent trainers and managers.
What advice do the experts give?Start adding intercultural components to your existing career to increase your skills, reputation, and experience.
Find a mentor.
Do volunteer activities to get diverse experience with unfamiliar cultures.
Build your knowledge of theory to professionalize your practice.
Develop mastery of writing, speaking, training, marketing, etc.
Write articles, present at professional conferences–be visible.
Participate actively in intercultural professional associations.
Network graciously with others.
Share your own work generously to enhance the field.
Keep up with the quality benchmarks of intercultural work: the most valid literature, the most responsible writers, the most current ethical perspectives, and the most essential issues for various culture groups.