Now, more than ever, we live in a global economy. What happens in foreign markets has a direct effect on the economy at home, and as businesses continue to expand and conglomerates merge, you will likely find yourself working with a client or partner overseas at some point in your career.
With the technological and communication advancements born from the internet and digital age, international business has never been so prominent. And much like conducting business at home, in order for you to be successful, it’s imperative that you understand your worldwide partners; who they are, what their customs are like, and how their business operates. The trick for any good salesperson is to learn as much about a client as possible beforehand, so he or she can engage in discussions as if they were already doing business with the new prospect. When it comes to getting to know an international company or market, few opportunities exist to better understand and learn about a foreign culture like Language and Cultural Immersion Training Abroad.
Studying abroad is no longer something reserved for adventurous college students; business professionals looking for a competitive advantage see the benefits that training abroad bring to their efforts. With so many enterprises offering similar products and services around the globe, it’s important to distinguish your company from the pack and give international corporations a reason to work with you. There are many factors that determine if a company decides to partner with you: price points, product quality, efficient timing, and environmentally conscious practices are all possible reasons why they would want to work with you. But in order for you to present your capabilities, something else needs to take place first.
They have to like you.
You only get one shot at a first impression, and that is exactly what you need to do: there’s a reason “impress” starts the word “impression”. Being part of the biggest or greatest company in the world isn't as impressive if you don’t know the customs and mannerisms of the new country you’re trying to conduct business with. The reality is that most of the international companies you do business with will speak at least a little English.
But to separate you from all of the competitors, wouldn’t it be nice to impress your contact with a little bit of their native dialect? Wouldn't they smile favorably on you if you displayed knowledge regarding to or asked them questions about their country? Would you risk eating a large dinner with key members of their firm without learning their customs first? Good luck getting their business if you do something to offend them.
These are all things we take for granted as second nature at home, but often overlook on the international stage. Language and cultural immersion training abroad programs are the best way to familiarize and immerse yourself in a foreign culture before you dive into a new business venture. The additional benefits you will gain from learning the language and living the culture will be apparent the second you start conducting international business. As various studies including the University of Minnesota's Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE) show, these immediate advantages are, in addition to the long-term benefits you will reap, social entrepreneurship, civic engagement, education decisions, knowledge production, and more, all from an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement, and when you couple that with eligible deductions and tax credits, both you and your company are rewarded with a very strong ROI!
Programs vary from specialized business language, to business ethics, to specific topics such as legal, medical, banking, and more. Contact NRCSA today and we can help build a custom program that delivers exactly what you are looking for from your business-professional language and cultural immersion training experience abroad!