Knowing how to enter the business world in a different country or culture is not common knowledge, but the World Languages and Cultures (WLC) Center is looking to change that notion.

Monday night, the WLC center hosted a panel and workshop for students looking to work abroad. Employees from Danfoss and Workiva spoke to students about their own experiences working abroad.

Jesse Leonard, a product engineer at Danfoss, began taking German classes in high school and did an academic exchange to Germany in high school.

He planned to get a minor in German when he came to Iowa State, but he decided to double major in mechanical engineering and German.

In his workplace now, he speaks both German and English. With his German colleagues, he speaks German so they do not always have to speak English. Despite his extensive knowledge of the language, he admits there are still challenges.

“One challenge is the time difference,” Leonard said. “Sometimes there are some language barriers, but not too much.”

Leonard said it’s “really nice to work in a global environment” because they have a different culture and offer a different perspective.

Liv Watson, senior director of strategic customer initiatives at Workiva, lived in Norway and won the women’s division of the EU skateboarding championship before coming to America and creating XBRL.

“Coming to America, I fell in love,” Watson said. “I couldn’t go back.”

Liv gave several pieces of advice to students interested in working abroad, like learning a second language along with their ethics and culture.

“You can never stop learning with regards to new environments,” Watson said.

During the workshop portion of the event, students were asked to discuss in groups, then answer questions such as ‘What should you be doing now to prepare for a global position?’

A common theme from groups was to work hard and get experience, which Liv agreed was vital in her feedback to what groups said, suggesting interning and studying abroad but making sure to learn a language.

“There are opportunities,” Watson said, “but you’ve got to go and find them.”