Qualities Employers Value: Become a citizen of the world to work in the world

This is the fourth article in the series discussing the future workplace and the skills and competencies you want to develop in college, and then demonstrate in your resume´ and in interviews.

For decades businesses were considered global when they had either overseas offices or subsidiaries for manufacturing, sales, and distribution or simply employed people in country.  Corporate rising stars were sent to manage an overseas office for a few years, and then brought back to the U.S. as division presidents.Technology has changed that.

Today we are much closer to working in a highly globally connected and interdependent world. Technology has enabled greater exchanges and integration across geographic borders. Job creation and innovation will no longer be the domain of the U.S. and Europe. Products that fit the needs of a new and different world of consumers will be developed in countries like India and China that are not chained to legacy systems and processes.  Innovation and job creation will take place all over the world not in a company's headquarters.

This is happening now. And businesses are learning to effectively integrate employees and processes into the infrastructure of global organizations. 

As a college student or recent grad entering the workforce, you will be a key force in realizing a globally connected world. Assuming you have the skills you will be tapped to work overseas early in your career most likely in your first year or two not as the last step to a senior leadership position. It is happening. A young professional I've worked with has been out of school for just five years working in a consulting firm. She has already been on project teams in Ghana, France, Nigeria, Germany, Sweden, England and U.S. And another recent grad took a year after graduation to work as a worldwide ambassador for a nonprofit youth-oriented organization. He traveled non-stop for the entire year working in countries all over the world. The cross-cultural experience and skills gained helped him land a position well-beyond his years of experience with a fast growing U.S. based company.

What does this mean for today’s college graduate?

Cross-Cultural Competency

Fluency in another language was once your entry into a global organization. In a globally connected world, your skill set is your entry to working in different locations, and you will need to be able to perform in any cultural setting you might find yourself in.  Your language skills are desirable, but so are being adaptable to change and being able to sense and respond to different cultures. This is true if you are located in an overseas office or working in a team in headquarters with a diverse group of people —different ages (you are the first generation to work with four generations in the workplace), skills, disciplines, working and thinking styles, and culture.

Diversity is becoming a core competency for global organizations and you need to be able to identify and communicate points of connection with team members that transcend differences and enable you to build relationships and work together effectively.

Components of Cross-Cultural Competency 
Different cultures perceive things differently, sometimes these differences are very subtle and sometimes perceptions can lead to totally opposite interpretations. Watch this 4-minute video to see just how a simple gesture of a handshake is perceived in other cultures. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yDhXD25fmMo.

There are three components of cross cultural competency.

1. Awareness of your own cultural worldview. It is not possible for you to be sensitive to another culture until you are sensitive to your own and the impact that cultural customs, beliefs, values, and behaviors have on others.
2. Attitude towards cultural differences. As your awareness of culture increases, your attitude toward cultural difference likewise evolves.  We all have a natural tendency to immediately attach a good or bad label to what we observe or experience. This can be a major stumbling block to understanding and participating in a different culture.
3. Experience and knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews. Learning about different cultures is not enough. You need to experience it and learn from those experiences.

Become a citizen of the world to work in the world 

Good cross-cultural skills can be developed while you are in school. The first thing that comes to mind of course is studying abroad. There's nothing like total immersion to gain the experience and knowledge of different cultures.  

Study abroad may not be an opportunity available to you. Here are some other ways to develop your cross-cultural skills.

• Courses which study minority, indigenous, or non-Western cultures (e.g., Native American, African-American, and Hispanic American topics or those that study the history, art, literature, economics and social structures of Asia, Africa or the Middle East).
• Courses involving significant contact with a minority, subculture, residential community or international group.
• Participating in an international service program during a school break. This type of experiences builds character and develops an attitude of world citizenship, mutual respect, critical self-reflection and responsibility.
• Courses in anthropology and sociology studying values, beliefs, and behaviors of groups.

Other ways to develop cross-cultural skills include:

• Teach English abroad or join the Teach for American program.
• Join the Peach Corp or AmeriCorps.
• Become a Global Ambassador program. There are a number of professions that have this type of program.

The takeaway is that businesses are in need of employees who can perform in different and diverse cultural settings in order to stay competitive in the marketplace.  You are in an ideal place and to develop this important skill.