Living Entrepreneurship Blog / Global & Multicultural

Networking While Studying Abroad

This post was written by Lisa Youxi Chen ’16, currently studying at LSE.

This year I am studying abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for a year. Before coming to LSE, some people have told me that it could be hard to pursue a finance summer internship while studying abroad as a junior because I would miss many networking opportunities that are happening at Babson. Although that is a valid opportunity cost due to geographical restrictions, there are upsides to studying abroad that could sometimes overcome such inconvenience. This last week, I attended the LSE’s Banking and Finance Careers Fair. As with Babson’s various career fairs and other networking opportunities, it was a valuable way for me to learn about the industry I’m interested in, and expand my network with working professionals. However, doing this abroad had at least two other benefits:

1. Exposure to large Europe-based organizations: Barclays, RBS, Deutsche Bank and Rothschild are all heavy recruiters at LSE; speaking with these companies could broaden your horizons and explore opportunities that may not otherwise be available in the U.S.

2. Expanding your global network: Technology has enabled the acceleration of globalization, which has led to increase in global mobility. Making friends, whether with working professionals or fellow students, in a foreign country is a precious opportunity to expand your global network with people who share common interests with you. As a school known for its excellence in Economics studies, LSE has a large percentage of students who are interested in working in the banking field.

Regardless of where you are in the world, as long as you are proactive in finding opportunities to help you achieve your goals, you will find your way to the final destination. In this process, you not only become more knowledgeable and culturally sensitive as a global citizen, but also meet more interesting people whose friendship could last a lifetime. Studying abroad should not be a drawback to anyone; rather, it should be an opportunity to expand your network, and open your eyes to the rest of the world.