If you ask any child in fourth grade what kind of job they want to have when they grow up, no child would say they want to work in international trade, although maybe they should. These jobs are integral to making trade work across the world, and the industry is growing incredibly fast as our world gets more and more globalized, and wherever you live, there could be a job that pertains to the sector.
So, what is international trade? International trade is like a clock, where it looks so simple to define on the outside, but on the inside there are a lot of moving parts. International trade involves purchasing and selling goods and services between companies across different countries. However, the people who are in control of the process are like the cogs and springs, who keep it all together and keep the system moving. According to learn.org, there are three main career paths: global marketing, international trade law, and shipping logistics, and anywhere you look, their definitions are incredibly fuzzy. Jobs in global marketing are responsible for the home front: specifically to project their message and better their image towards other companies interested in doing business with them. After a company finds interest in another abroad, international trade lawyers step in and facilitate the trade through contracts and other legal documents. After the trade lawyers reach an agreement, logisticians take over and plan when and how to get the product from point A to point B. These jobs are vital to both nationwide and worldwide economies, since countries have realized that trade helps us consume more products than we would be able to produce without it.
Hypothetically speaking, let’s say you’re sold on working in international trade, and there’s absolutely no way you could live a happy life without working in the industry. What are the next steps? Jobs in international trade law require a law degree, and potentially a bachelors in government and/or international affairs. Jobs in global marketing usually require a bachelor’s degree in communications or business (related experience), and your chances of getting hired increase with an MBA. Logisticians’ chances of being hired stem from a bachelor’s degree in business, communications, logistics, or a potentially relevant field. It’s easy to find jobs in international trade anywhere in the world, especially in D.C., Virginia, New York, Arizona, Alaska, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
Because of how much trade is on the rise internationally, there are many job and career opportunities. Since international jobs pay well, it might be a great option to consider! Plus, you sound really cool when you tell people you work in the international trade industry!
WORKS CITED:
https://www.investopedia.com/insights/what-is-international-trade/
https://learn.org/articles/Careers_in_International_Trade_Your_Job_Questions_Answered.html
https://www.dallascollege.edu/cd/credit/international-business-trade/pages/career-info.aspx
https://www.zippia.com/international-trade-specialist-jobs/best-states/#
Spencer R. Brown is a junior experiencing their first year at Lawrence University, with a major in Government. They work as a media and marketing assistant in the Career Center, and curates articles for students in both Communication, Journalism & Written Arts (#CJW) and Government, Law & International Relations (#GLI) career communities. A writer and animator by trade, Spencer is fascinated in finding ways to make digesting information entertaining. Feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn here!
