When was the first time you gave a presentation to a room full of classmates or family?
How frequently do you do this?
Unfortunately for most International students the first time is likely in grade six to eight, and the frequency is very low (1 or 2 times per year). For many, it may not have been until their first or second year of university.
For me, I had presented in a group format in high school, but my first solo presentation was in my second year at University, and it was a disaster. I was called on to give a 1 min talk about any topic I wanted, and I just stood there in front of the class without saying a word. It was embarrassing, I’ll never forget it, but it was just the kick in the ass I needed to really focus on this skill and improve.
What about a typical American’s experience?
They start presenting in school at a very early age, sometime between KG and third grade (something called “show and tell”, where you talk about your favorite toy). In western culture you are highly encouraged to frequently talk about yourself. International students, however, are highly encouraged to focus on getting good grades. In fact, for the last 4 years of K-12, grades are the single most important aspect of aspiring International students (note: in a majority of international schools, grades are based more on exam and paper results vs. class participation and presentation).
Grades are tangible, and with effort and some skill, they are attainable. You can get good grades all on your own, with hard work. You likely spent the bulk of your time studying, putting your head down and focusing on nailing those exams. This is not true for most students in western culture, particularly in the U.S.
As an example, google “SAT scores by country” and you will find this infographic by TIME USA which displays average scores by country:
Notice that China, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore produce better SAT results than the U.S., both with math and reading scores! This has been a consistent trend.
Watch a couple American high school movies and you will notice that being socially popular is prized here. Social skills are encouraged at an early age, and mechanisms are in place to help teach Americans how to showcase their capabilities from childhood. In the last 4 years of high school, in addition to academics, Americans are super focused on extracurricular activities (e.g., school paper, drama club, glee club, band, sports, social impact, etc.). Additionally, writing essays is a key part of each of the 4 years, and students often mention the essays they wrote their graduation year in their university applications.
These essays and extracurricular activities are highly considered by University admissions teams, in addition to academics. For Americans, the essays and extracurriculars are how they differentiate themselves from other applicants. International students typically have to play catch up with their communication skills for the above reasons, in addition to any English language barriers they may have. Through frequent essay writing and working in groups (via extracurriculars), American students have a solid communication foundation. International students can’t afford to ignore this gap, and ideally should work to build those skills as soon as their first year at university. Unfortunately, this is not often something they prioritize. But they should in order to stand out and find a full time job.
It goes without saying that International Students have great advantages as well.
The three qualities that stand out frequently are critical thinking (intelligence), flexibility/ adaptability, and courage. You have already ventured on a path that not many go on by planning to study and work in the U.S. There are many unknowns, and while you have some excitement about all of it, it comes with a lot of fear. The mere fact of putting yourself in this situation suggests you are adaptable and courageous.
In the U.S., Americans going off to college in a different state is a BIG deal. You are going or have gone to a different country! Americans go to a different country in their 3rd or 4th year of university, for 4 months (a semester), as part of study abroad programs. For many of them, this is the first time they travel outside the U.S. You are in a new country, full time, to complete your program, and to potentially stay here for the foreseeable future. That takes guts, so give yourself credit.
In academics, International Students typically have worked very hard by the time they get accepted to a U.S. university. You have likely completed a whole host of external exams (e.g. SATs, APs, Toefl, even British exams like O and A levels). It almost felt like it was never going to end. You were in a competitive environment, and your school and parents likely highly encouraged you to focus on academics.
No wonder we had our heads down and focused on studying.
Honestly in my high school I rarely had time to do anything besides schoolwork. I remember we had 8 to 10 exams per week, just to help us prepare for the school’s final exams. Brutal is the only word to describe it. The result was getting accepted to multiple American universities and making the first two years of my Electrical Engineering degree a breeze.
If you’ve had to go through something like that, it means you have already spent more time on academics than your average American classmate, which means you are more comfortable with that part of your life. This makes you “appear” to have higher intelligence. You ask a lot of good questions and you dig deep into difficult topics. Give yourself credit for surviving and thriving in your (tough) academic period thus far.
Now, if you can round up your qualities with key communication skills, it will make you that much more attractive to a potential employer.
The benchmark for communication skills is high, the culture is foreign to you, but with some work you can quickly improve here. By quickly, I mean if you focus on it and put yourself in environments where you are forced to practice constantly, you will see step change improvements in anywhere between 6 to 12 months. Not enough international students prioritize communication as a skill set, but for you (and me), it may be the most important key to success during a co-op or internship and for your future career (in the U.S. and beyond).
Legendary investor and billionaire Warren Buffet once told young people entering their professional careers this:
“The one easy way to become worth 50 percent more than you are now – at least – is to hone your communication skills – both written and verbal. If you can’t communicate, It’s like winking at a girl in the dark – nothing happens. You can have all the brainpower in the world, but you have to be able to transmit it. And the transmission is Communication.”
My Challenge to You
- Watch this YouTube video (1 mins 14 sec) from Indra Nooyi, Indian-American and former CEO of PepsiCo, on the importance of communications skills.
- Sign up for an elective communication or public speaking course, OR find and join a student group focused on improving communication
Sometimes the hardest part of a long journey is the first step. Will you take it?
Read more other articles in the same category here.
By Sammy Hejazi
The content was found at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/most-important-skill-gap-international-students-must-overcome-hejazi/?trackingId=0Ihaz0r2%2BTZM2CNlDGQ3BQ%3D%3D
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