The majority — 92 percent — of undergraduates would be willing to work abroad in the early stages of their career.
However, only one in five hiring managers rates their young employees’ geographic mobility as strong, due to difficulties adapting to new cultures and speaking foreign languages, according to a new report.
Adapting to new cultures seems to be more problematic; 48 percent of hiring executives cited it as one of the two main obstacles involved in international assignments. One in six expressed concern about language problems.
If young employees can overcome acclimation and language problems, geographic mobility can be a positive thing: 61 percent of hiring managers said working outside their comfort zone is a key career driver for new hires. More than a third felt international assignments could help boost young employees’ career growth.
Learn more about the global survey, conducted by research and advisory firm Universum and CEMS (the Global Alliance in Management Education), involving more than 1,200 hiring managers, graduates and students, on CEMS’ site.