Graduation has come and gone, and you've just entered one of the toughest job markets in the past 10 years. Your head is probably spinning with job alerts, LinkedIn connection requests, and actions verbs that will sound impressive on your resume.

 

But what if you could take a different path—one that would take you out of the job search gauntlet, and make you stand out from the hordes of other recent grads vying for the same entry-level position?

 

Here are a few alternatives to the post-graduation job rush:

 

Internships abroad

While the internship culture is ingrained in major cities like New York and Washington, D.C., actual responsibilities are generally limited to perfecting your coffee-brewing skills and becoming an expert at word processing. Interning in another country will allow you to take on larger projects and more responsibilities.

 

In addition, global experience is a huge plus on resumes, so no matter what you do, you will be giving yourself a leg up. With a diverse workforce and economy, Israel offers you several customizable 5-12 month internship programs in practically any field of interest, along with housing, a support system, a built-in social network and health insurance—all for less than the cost of rent at home.

 

Peace Corps-esque opportunities.

Use your unoccupied time to make a difference somewhere in the world. If the Peace Corps’ required time commitment is too lengthy for you, try volunteering with refugees in southern Tel Aviv or teaching English in peripheral communities on a Masa Israel Volunteer program.

 

You can immerse yourself in the community and gain professional skills while you figure out what you want to do after college. Cross Cultural Solutions also has some interesting short-term volunteer abroad programs in countries around the world.

 

Go for your graduate degree.

Because of the economy, people are flocking back to business, law, and graduate school, making admission to these programs more competitive than ever. Head to Israel and take advantage of one of the many graduate degrees taught entirely in English at some of the world’s most prestigious universities.

 

From one-year MBAs to degrees in Crisis and Trauma studies, you can pick up your advanced degree overseas.

 

Check out our post on how to translate your international experience into a stellar resume when you get back, and you’ll land a job in no time!