Exchange Participant’s Manual

AIESEC Australia

Version 1.0

August 2013 I am an AIESECer

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Introduction

Welcome to AIESEC! You have passed your interview, and you are now

officially an Exchange Participant (EP) of the world’s largest student-run

organisation.

This booklet is designed to help you through your journey to realise your

AIESEC exchange experience. It contains instructions on how to approach

each stage of the process from this point.

If you become confused or doubtful at any time, make sure you consult your

assigned EP Manager/Buddy.

Contents

This booklet has been broken down into colour-coded sections that help you

through each stage of the exchange process. In AIESEC, there are four main

stages you must go through:

Raise Getting Started

Match

Searching and applying for your internship

Realise

Preparing for and realising your AIESEC exchange

Reintegration

Returning home and engaging in further AIESEC opportunities

Page 4

Page 7

Page 17

Page 20

INTRODUCTION

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Glossary of Terms

We love acronyms in AIESEC, but it can take a bit of getting used to! Before we get into the details, here

are some useful acronyms and terms you should know to make your exchange process easier.

EP – Exchange Participant (that’s you!)

TN – Traineeship Nominee (technical term referring to a position in a project or internship)

LC – Local Committee, a local university or city based chapter of AIESEC

Home LC – The LC which is preparing and sending you out on exchange

Host LC – The LC which is hosting the internship and receiving you for exchange

OGX – Outgoing Exchange, the AIESEC department responsible for sending EPs on exchange

ICX – Incoming Exchange, the AIESEC department responsible for setting up internships and receiving EPs on

exchange

VP OGX – Vice-President of Outgoing Exchange, the director of the OGX department

VP ICX – Vice-President of Incoming Exchange, the director of the ICX department

TN Manager – The ICX member responsible for managing an internship (a TN)

GCDP – Global Community Development Program (includes the Go Volunteer program)

GIP – Global Internship Program (includes the Go Teach and Go Intern programs)

Myaiesec.net – The intranet/database that AIESEC relies on globally to match EPs to TNs

EP Form – Your personal profile on myaiesec.net

EP ID – The unique code which designates your EP form (e.g. EP-In-AU-ME-2013-1730)

TN Form – The profile of an internship (TN), including job descriptions and details

TN ID – The unique code which designates a TN form (e.g. TN-In-PL-GD-2013-1762)

EP AN – EP Acceptance Note, the official document stating your acceptance of an internship offer

TN AN – TN Acceptance Note, the official document stating a TN’s acceptance of an EP

OPS – Outgoing Preparation Seminar

XPP – Exchange Program Policies – the legal document which outlines all legal obligations of LCs, TNs, and EPs,

and the standards which an AIESEC experience must meet. Useful to refer to in any difficulties or complications.

INTRODUCTION

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Raising: Creating your EP Form on the Database

1. Go to www.myAIESEC.net

2. Register as member

RAISE

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3. Fill in all the necessary information

4. Wait for approval. Your LC will be notified of your application, and will approve you.

5. Once they do, you will be notified via email, and your account will be created. Login and click on ‘My Experience’ at the top.

6. Under ‘Programmes and Phases’, select ‘Take Global Internship Programme’ (Go Intern and Go Teach) or ‘Take Global Community Development Programme’ (Go Volunteer) – make sure you choose the one you applied for.

RAISE

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7. Fill in all of ‘Personal Information’, ‘Academic Information’, Backgrounds’, etc.

8. Make sure all the fields are filled in and your CV is uploaded.

9. Click ‘Generate Form’.

10. Enter your preferences in ‘Personal Preferences’ and ‘Regions’ and click ‘Show EP Details’.

11. Now your form should be raised on our database – meaning that you officially exist in the AIESEC world,

and internship managers can search for you/contact you. Your EP form should have an EP ID that looks something like EP-In-AU-ME-2013-1730 Make sure that your form exists by going ‘AIESEC Programmes’ on the top, ‘Exchange Management’, ‘My Forms’

and ‘My EP Forms’. Currently, it should be on the status ‘New’. This will change to ‘Available’ once your fees are

processed, and this is when you are officially allowed to match.

RAISE

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Matching: Searching for an Internship on myaiesec.net

1. Go to www.myaiesec.net and login with your email and password. Your login email should be the one

that you used to sign up to myaiesec.net with. 2. Go to: AIESEC Programmes/Browse Internships.

3. You will be directed to the page where you can search for programs:

MATCH

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4. Adjust the “Earliest Start Date Between” field to suit the earliest date you can start your exchange.

On the right hand side, under “Type” select “TN”. In the dropdown box under “Programme”, select “Global Community Development” if you are taking Go Volunteer, and “Global Internship” if you are taking Go Teach or Go Intern. Keep in mind that if you are looking for an internship that starts in 6 months, you will probably find few

options. Most TNs go up on the database 2-3 months prior to their start date.

5. Click on “Show”, next to “Committee” and you should see a list of countries drop down. Tick the boxes next to

the countries that you are interested in.

MATCH

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6. Scroll back up and click the green ‘Search’ button. Will look like this:

7. To see the TN form (program details), click on the blue TN ID (eg. TN-In-TW-DH-2012-88), NOT the project

name. 8. To look for a program that you had found before, type the program name in the search box (e.g. “Save Poor

Children in Asia”) and select “Organisation Name.”

MATCH

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9. Select an internship you would seriously consider participating in. You should check whether you meet the

requirements set out on the form.

Matching: Applying for an Internship

1. Once you find a TN you like, send an email to the manager of the internship (marked below) AND click the Apply button at the bottom of the TN form, if there is one. Your application email should include:

Appropriate email title (e.g. “Application for Project X, TN-In-PL-GD-2013-1730”)

A cover letter including your country, Home LC, EP ID, and TN ID of the internship you’re applying for (as the email text)

CV/Resume (attached)

Motivation Letter (attached)

Example cover and motivation letters are provided in the next section as guides.

2. If your application is approved, you should receive a response from the TN Manager within a few

days, often requesting you supply more information or to arrange a Skype interview so that they can get to know you better and ensure you are right for the position.

MATCH

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3. Make sure the Skype chat is organized with correct time zones taken into account! Although the Skype chat is an interview, it is also an opportunity for you to ask questions, set expectations with them and get a response immediately. As much as the interview is them assessing your ability and setting expectations, it is also a process for you to assess the project and set expectations for the Host LC.

4. If your interview is successful, the TN Manager will request you send them a completed EP AN

(Acceptance Note), which is a formal contract stating acceptance of the internship, detailing the job start and end dates and other important information. Request the template from your EP Manager. Type in all the details, print a copy, sign it, and then scan a copy with your signature on it and email directly to the TN manager (and cc your EP manager). This is a legally binding contract and hence you should only send it once you are 100% confident about your desire and ability to participate on that particular internship. Once you have sent your EP AN, you cannot send an EP AN to another TN for the next 10 days.

MATCH

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5. The TN manager will then return a corresponding TN AN (Acceptance Note), within 10 days. You

must pass on this TN AN to your EP Manager. If you do not receive a TN AN back within 10 days, you are able to send EP ANs to other TNs you have been in contact with.

6. Once you have exchanged ANs, you are officially 'matched' to the internship, and the status of your

EP Form on myaiesec.net should be changed within a few days to ‘Matched’.

Company/Organisation Acceptance Note

From: LC IPN, AIESEC in Mexico

Telephone: +52(55)4336-1467

Fax: +52(55)4336-1467

E-mail: in.social.pn@aiesec.org.mx

Date: 07-10-2012

To: LC AIESEC Sidney, AIESEC in Australia

TN ID: TN-In-MX-PN-2012-1314

Complete Organisation Name

in its legal form

Net Traducciones

EP ID: EP-In-AU-SY-2012-1709

Passport Number: M485244

Date of issue: 17/01/2012

Expiry date: 16/01/2015

Place of issue: Thet Mon Soe

Attention Ms. Thet Mon Soe , ID number EP-In-AU-SY-2012-1709

You have been accepted for a traineeship with Net Traducciones, ID number TN-In-MX-PN-2012-1314. The traineeship starting date is 03-12-2012 and ending date is 25-01-2013 for a total period of 6 weeks.

This acceptance note is a formal acceptance of the intern as stated above. By signing to this acceptance note, my organisation agrees to participate in the above-mentioned internship with the accompanying roles and responsibilities. I also agree to participate in providing/provide all procedures/documentation required for the intern to legally enter and work in the host country.

If the embassy or consulate has any questions, please get in contact with the AIESEC Local Committee responsible for this Traineeship. (Contact information is included above.)

Thank you and we look forward to receiving you.

LC representative signature

Sincerely,

S I N C E R E L Y Carolina Chairez Perez Carreño ICX GCDP Matching Coordinator

AIESEC IPN

Three copies of this acceptance note are required with original signature (1 for the organisation, 1 for AIESEC local committee and 1 for AIESEC sending committee).

MATCH

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Matching: Example Cover and Motivation Letters

As mentioned in the previous section, we recommend that you include a cover letter and motivation

letter in your applications to maximise your chances of being accepted. The cover letter should go in the

text field of the email itself, while the motivation letter should be a separate attachment.

Below are an example cover letter and example motivation letter to get you started. It is recommended

that you write your cover and motivation letters before you start applying, and submit them to your EP

Manager for checking. Once approved, you can start applying for TNs using these two letters, with

necessary adjustments made for each TN.

Example Cover Letter

Dear XXX,

My name is XXX, a member of AIESEC at the University of XXX in Australia. I am emailing you in regard to your

TN-In-MY-UM-2010-1531. I believe I am an ideal candidate (EP-In-AU-UT-2010-1281) for a quick and efficient

match with this organisation. I am finishing off my degree: XXX. I am turning 20 years old, speak native English

and excellent Vietnamese (fluent verbally and good in writing and reading).

I have a solid academic background and work experience as a XXX, equipping me with the skills to be a successful

and productive intern in your organisation. I am available to start on 21st June 2010 for ideally a 6-week

internship, and am very enthusiastic about expanding on my academic and work experience in the field of

Advertising and Marketing. More than that, I am excited about being able to make an impact on society.

I would like further information on the following:

1) The type of accommodation provided? Please include information such as how far the accommodation is from

my workplace.

2) The opportunity to work with other AIESEC interns

Please find attached my CV, EP form, and motivation letter. An academic transcript can be made available on

request. Please let me know if this TN is already matched, or your feel I am not a suitable candidate.

Kind regards,

MATCH

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Example Motivation Letter

Dear XXX,

I have lived in Australia all my life. To say the least, I have been very much sheltered and protected. However,

more than anything, I have always harboured a strong desire to break away from this comfort. I am appreciative

of my life – I am educated, supported and loved, - but what I feel is most fundamental to me now is a fresh new

perspective.

I believe that it is not too ambitious to hope to change the world. The greatest developments start out from

seemingly big and impossible dreams. My career goal is to directly create an impact on society through the

creation and execution of influential advertising campaigns.

To achieve this, I not only require obvious experience and qualifications, but also a better grounding. There are a

lot of parts of myself, such as my confidence, self-awareness, leadership skills, that require working on.

Despite this, I offer you the following skills and attributes:

I am – without doubt – passionate about any tasks or roles I undertake or am given. I believe in my own work and

am motivated to make a difference. I am interested in graphic designing and am also an avid photographer. Just

as I have in the past and currently do now, I am able to offer these services to your organisation through

marketing facets such as events, documentation, marketing and promotions. My current positions in AIESEC and

VSA allow me to not only market the brand, but to also organise various aspects of the organisation.

Essentially, the requirements that you have posted up for this role are descriptions I‟ve undertaken in the past

without fail. I am a warm and approachable person – willing and ready to be of assistance at any point in time.

I hope you’ll give me the chance to show all of this to you. Thanks for the consideration and your time for reading

this.

Yours sincerely,

MATCH

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Matching: A Guide to TN Interviews

Pre-Interview Preparation Read the TN form very carefully

See your motivation letter and recap for yourself why this particular program interests you, and what you can bring to it

Google the country/city/culture, have some pertinent questions to ask and then have answered

Reflect on your MRB performance and see where you can improve

Conducting Interviews Expectations

Although your matching interviews are online, each person from overseas will have a different interview style and you will encounter varying levels of formality.

You will be interviewed by foreigners whose accents may impede your understanding, even if they’re speaking English.

Restating what should already be known: there may be some cases where your interviewer did not read your application carefully, or perhaps not at all, and subsequently a lot of the things that were already in your CV/motivation letter will have to be repeated.

Sample Questions

1. General Questions

AIESEC o Tell me a bit about AIESEC o Show your understanding of what AIESEC’s functions and goals are, its values, and also its

history o How to express to others why and how AIESEC is important to you personally o How is AIESEC particularly relevant to the program for which you’ve applied?

Strengths/ Weaknesses o Why do you think you are a suitable candidate for this program? o How these (strengths) are directly relevant to the program you’ve applied for and how

these (weaknesses) can be ameliorated through participation in the program

Locations o Why do you want to go to this country/city in particular?

Culture o How are you going to represent your country/Australia? o Describe to me an aspect of Australian culture that you find particularly notable o Give me an example of a particular aspect of our culture (the foreign culture) or a cultural

practice about which you’d like to know more.

Goals and Motivations o What do you want to get out of this internship? o What skills you think you can derive from this experience?

MATCH

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2. Situational Questions 1) General

Handling conflicts o If you need to work with a partner who has different values or work ethics, what will

you do to bridge these differences?

Adjusting to a foreign environment o How do you manage living in the same room with 6 other EPs? o How would you establish the fact that you like to have your own space?

2) Project­related Questions

Summer Camps/Teaching o Have you had any experience working with children/ teenagers before? o How would you communicate to a young person (child, teen etc.) who was being

unreasonable? Uncooperative? Uncommunicative? o What impact do you want to make on the children, their lives and their welfare? o What would you do if the children are fighting?

Social Projects o How would you go about overcoming and biases and prejudices? o How would deal with a person/ youth with a deadly disease? o How would you promote an issue in a society in which, historically, the issue has

been ignored or overlooked due to its controversial nature or because of social/religious norms?

Asking your own questions The TN interview is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the TN and make sure it’s one that you’re happy with. Some questions that would be wise to ask are:

Will I receive accommodation? If yes, is it provided or do I have to pay rent?

What are the conditions of my accommodation? Do you have any photos?

What is the address of my accommodation and how far is it from the workplace?

Will I be picked up at the airport? If so, by who and where exactly? What is their contact

information?

Is food provided?

What is the exact start and end date of the internship?

How many days per week am I working, and what I my work hours?

Am I paid a salary or stipend? If yes, how much? How often do I get paid and how do I get paid

(cash, cheque, etc.)?

What is the contact information of my employer?

What preparation should I make before leaving?

What type of weather can I expect?

What are some of the most important cultural differences I can expect?

MATCH

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Realising: Logistics Preparation

Passport

Ensure you have a valid passport, that will remain valid throughout the duration of your exchange.

Some countries require that the validity of your passport extends six months beyond the expected date of

departure from the host country.

Bring photocopies of your passport with you, in case you lose your passport overseas.

Visa

Check if your destination country requires a visa for your passport.

A tourist visa will normally suffice for 2-3 months. For longer term internships, an internship or work visa

may be required.

Obtaining a visa will require contacting the country’s consulate or embassy in your city.

Some countries require an invitation letter to get a visa. Contact your TN manager as soon as possible for

this. The TN AN serves as a valid invitation letter in most cases.

Visa processing can take some time. You should contact the consulate/embassy and begin the visa

application process as soon as you are accepted to an internship.

Insurance

As per the EP contract, you are legally required to have travel insurance before you leave the country.

Travel insurance is intended to cover medical expenses, financial default of travel suppliers, and other

losses incurred while travelling, either within one's own country, or internationally.

You must submit your proof of travel insurance to your EP Manager prior to departure.

Vaccinations

You may need vaccinations if your exchange destination is Asia, Africa, the Middle East, or Latin America.

Some vaccinations require you to get injected 1-2 months before entering the country and some; you

might need to several weeks for all the vaccinations.

You must consult your family doctor or local travel clinic for information on vaccinations.

Flight

Book your flights early to secure the lowest prices. You should book flights as soon as you are accepted to

an internship.

Enquire to your LC for potential discounted flight options through AIESEC partners.

REALISE

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Realising: Communication

Once you’ve sorted out all your pre-departure logistics, it’s time to fly over and realise your AIESEC

exchange! While you are overseas on your exchange, you are expected to maintain communication with

your Home LC. Stay in touch with your EP Manager and update them regularly on how you’re going. This

way, we can provide all the advice and support from home that you may need, and help you overcome

the challenges you’ll face.

Evaluation and Feedback

Before, during, and after your exchange, you will be contacted by AIESEC International to complete

feedback surveys on how your experience with AIESEC is going. You will also receive a survey at the end

of your exchange from your Home LC, to evaluate their performance in preparing and sending you on

exchange.

These surveys are compulsory to complete as per the EP Contract, as they are essential for us to keep

track of your experience and identify how to improve experiences in the future. Please ensure you

complete the short surveys that are sent to you.

REALISE

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Showcase your experience

You are encouraged to document your experiences as much as possible through photos, videos, blogs,

testimonials, and other updates. We would love to see your experiences, and this will help us showcase

your experiences to other students who may be interested in exchange, as well as utilise them for

further promotion of AIESEC exchange programs.

Emergencies or Complaints

If you are faced with circumstances that affect your ability to complete your exchange, or you have a

serious complaint about your exchange experience, there are steps to resolve this.

1. Physically communicate with your TN manager or the Host LC responsible for your internship

2. Contact your EP Manager, who will advise you throughout any difficulties

3. If you have a very serious complaint, your EP Manager can raise it to a national level case to be

resolved at a more formal level by the National EP Experience Manager of AIESEC Australia

REALISE

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Reintegration: Post-Exchange Opportunities

Have you completed your AIESEC exchange, and returned home at last? Your engagement with AIESEC

does not need to end there! As a ‘returned EP’, you have developed the skills and experiences that

exemplify what AIESEC aims to achieve, and you become part of a special community of AIESECers with

a number of further engagement opportunities available to you.

AIESEC Committee Membership

A common pathway for returned EPs is to join the LC that sent them on exchange as a committee

member in one of the various portfolios – this is considered a full reintegration of an EP into AIESEC.

Students with AIESEC exchange experience are highly suitable and valued as LC members. AIESEC

membership offers unique leadership and professional development opportunities, such as:

Work experience in a professional environment for a global organisation

Professional and personal development workshops

Access to a prestigious global network of talented youth

Conferences at state, national, and international levels

Local Committee Meetings

Even if you do not apply to join your Home LC, you may still be invited to attend a number of LC

meetings, taking advantage of the local AIESEC network as well as the workshops and sessions that take

place during these meetings. You may also be invited to present your exchange experience to the LC.

Information Sessions

Prior to applying for an AIESEC program, you would have likely attended an info session. Now, as

returned EPs, you are particularly welcomed to return to these info sessions and deliver presentations

about your exchange experience to other students interested in the opportunity.

Member Review Boards

Now that you’ve completed your exchange, you may now be invited to be a panellist on MRBs for future

applicants. This is a great opportunity to switch to the other side of the interview table and gain some

interviewing experience, and use your exchange experience to assess the suitability of aspiring EPs.

REINTEGRATION

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Outgoing Preparation Seminar

At your own OPS, you likely received helpful insights from returned EPs who preceded you with their

exchange experiences. As a returned EP, you can now be invited back to OPS to talk to EPs about your

experiences, and mentor them as they prepare to depart for their own AIESEC exchange. The most

helpful advice and insights come from those who have been through it themselves, and your help at

OPS would be greatly appreciated by all in attendance.

Social Events

Even if you do not join AIESEC in an official capacity, we encourage you to stay connected through any

casual events that returned EPs are invited to. You may be invited to EP reunion events, or social events

involved pre-realisation EPs who would value a chat with you about your experiences.

Past EP Experiences

“Regardless of where you are in the world, you will face challenges that can change you as a person so

completely, that you will never be able to see things as you once did. I thought of myself as being independent before I came to Indonesia, and regarded independence as a luxury that comes with age.

However, looking at the students of Padang University, independence is something they fight for every day of their lives. I can guarantee my time in Padang, Indonesia, will be looked upon as an unforgettable experience, and

I have met people that will remain in my life forever. I can honestly say that if every individual in the world was able to undertake a similar experience, the worldwide impact would be immense. AIESEC can make this dream a

reality”

Prue Padang, Indonesia

REINTEGRATION

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“I went on exchange to Warsaw, Poland in January. I took part in the Enter Your Future Programme, where 9

other interns from Brazil, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Egypt, Slovakia, Kenya and I were sent off to different

high schools each week where we organised and ran classes on our culture, as well as workshops on

creativity and presentation skills.

The great thing about exchange is that it offers the opportunity for everyone to experience something truly

special, to make your ordinary life extraordinary, not only for the 6 weeks that you are there, but for so long as

your impact on the people you met resonates. And this is what has kept me in AIESEC.”

Ching Yee

Warsaw, Poland

“I gained perspective. Children living for themselves, creating their own future,that's what changed me. I felt

selfish for the things you take for granted. Laughing, dancing, playing games. Then the funny moments, putting up

Christmas decorations, no running water, crazy dancing, jumping off a waterfall, petting a white lion, scuba

diving, spending a day on a catamaran, languages, moments. The ripple effect. Impact others so they can do the

same.”

Aditi

Mauritius

REINTEGRATION

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“Leaving behind the familiar comforts of home to a faraway land where no one speaks your language can be a daunting

experience. But throwing myself into the deep-end was the greatest decision I have ever made. The lessons I learnt about

myself and the lifelong connections I made were truly life-changing. Life beings outside of your comfort zone.”

David

Hungary

“I can now count to 10 in about 11 different languages. In Russian, I can count to 40. I can say "How are you?", and reply, in

about 14 different languages.

And I have my EP family, from America, Egypt, Russia, and India. My favourite AIESEC moment, was when my EP family

organised a surprise for my birthday - brought a cake to my room, and I ate a cake for the first time without any forks,

napkins, or plates. They then surprised me with organising as many of our international friends that we had met, to celebrate

my birthday. That night, I had "Happy Birthday" sang to me in 11 different languages. Nothing, can buy that experience.

Nothing will ever replace that experience.

I left for Europe alone, and I returned with a family and friends and languages and stories from all over the world. And it was

all thanks to AIESEC.”

Matthias

Bari, Italy

REINTEGRATION