The following is intended to assist international students with the job search process. However, permanent residents or those with newly acquired American citizenship may find some of this information to be applicable and useful. Whether you are looking for employment in your home country or in the United States, this information may be of assistance in your search for employment. You should start organizing and utilizing your resources as soon as possible, long before you are cramming to finish that last semester. Your job search strategy should include exploring resources such as your school's career counseling or equivalent office to start your research. Our links pages reference job search/employment web sites.
Gaining work experience in the U.S., in addition to your degree, may be very attractive to employers at home. (Employment & Practical Training) Internships can be a good way to build skills and augment your classroom experience. Ideally, an internship should be related to your declared major or your principal field of study(ies). Internship opportunities vary tremendously depending on your area of interest and may be paid or unpaid. You might also consider arranging an internship in your home country during the summer. Faculty may be in the position to supply work opportunities during the academic year and summer months through grants or their departmental budgets. Check with your faculty advisor to see if there are any opportunities in your department.
NOTE: In exploring any of the opportunities mentioned above, always check with your International Student Advisor to confirm your eligibility for "off-campus" work authorization.
In seeking advice from any career counselor in the United States, you will undoubtedly be told about the benefits of interviewing for information and networking as a means to finding a suitable job. Indeed, it is common in many cultures to find employment as a result of having the right connections. The ability to make connections or "network" is a skill you can begin developing while on campus. Begin networking with faculty members and students. Many faculty members have worked or studied abroad and maintain professional contacts with colleagues overseas. Many professional associations have an international membership. Write to these organizations to request information on their publications, student rates, and overseas chapters. These links may lead you to knowledgeable people and, hopefully, job opportunities. While in the United States, don't forget to write home! Not only will your family and friends be happy to hear from you but you can ask for information on the job market. Family, friends, and former employers can all provide you with information and job leads while you are busy studying in the United States. In addition, these contacts may also be in a position to serve as references. References from the U.S., unless internationally known in their field, will not lend as much weight to your application as a well-known figure in your home country.
A well-written resume and cover letter is critical in any job search but, when searching for a job in your home country, your resume must conform to the local standards and not reflect U.S. styles and standards in resume writing. Just as American students seek help in writing an appropriate American style resume, you may need some advice in designing a resume appropriate for use in your home country or in a third country. Dr. Frank Klein of the University Placement Center at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale offers the following advice: "For job searches in the U.S., the resume is most often chronological, functional, or a combination of the two. However, with regard to resume format requirements, differences exist from continent to continent, country to country. Working in the European Countries: A Guide to Graduate Recruiters and Job Seekers by A.J. Raban of the University of Cambridge Careers Service, makes an excellent case for a country-specific resume. In Denmark, according to Raban, extracurricular activities are defined as work experience rather than student activities and, consequently given much attention by the employer. In Germany, where extracurricular activities are defined as student activities, they receive little attention. If a single resume category, extracurricular activities, is important in Denmark, unimportant in Germany, is secondary to academic performance in Italy, and is given special attention by employers in the United Kingdom, enough cannot be said on the importance of country-specific resumes." Resumes targeted for African and Latin American countries require more personal data than is appropriate in a U.S. style resume. Birthdate, birthplace, citizenship, passport number and even a photograph may be appropriate. Students from Asian countries should emphasize entrepreneurship. Often employers from these countries are more interested in the applicant's sales ability than in the specific undergraduate or graduate degree. If applying for a job in Europe, you should hand-write your cover letter. Graphologists are regularly used in Europe to screen applicants, and handwriting samples are often required. In many countries, transcripts, with an official university stamp or seal, are required with the resume. Use your faculty contacts (especially the visiting faculty) to make sure that you are constructing an appropriate resume. Send a draft of your resume home in correspondence with family and friends. Ask them to critique your resume or find someone in your career field at home who has the knowledge and background to evaluate your resume style and content.
Rather than returning home directly after graduation, some students are interested in exploring work opportunities in the United States. Conducting a job search for employment in the U.S. requires a great deal of persistence. It is important for you to understand under what circumstances you may apply for work authorization on your student visa. Consult your International Student Advisor if you are unclear. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to persuade a prospective employer to hire you for a period of "practical training." In addition, unfamiliarity and discomfort with the American job search process may put an international student at a disadvantage when competing for a job. The following information is intended to help you understand and, thereby, overcome some of the obstacles associated with seeking employment in the United States. The opportunity to engage in "practical training" is available to F-1 and most J-1 student visa holders. Practical training is an opportunity to work in the U.S. to gain experience relating to your field of study. The F-1 visa holder is eligible for 12 months of optional practical training. This may be taken following program completion, during summer vacation, and for graduate students following the conclusion of all course requirements. If your university credit course requires employment experience, you may be eligible to apply for curricular practical training. J-1 visa holders may be eligible for up to eighteen months of practical training after program completion.
The J-1 visa holder is authorized for practical training by the Immigration Service through the sponsoring agency. In some cases, the sponsoring agency is the university you are attending. In other cases, the sponsor is the Institute of International Education (IIE), the Organization of American States (OAS), the United States Agency for International Development (US-AID) or any one of a number of other organizations involved in international educational exchange. Your sponsor is the organization which issued your IAP-66, not necessarily the organization supplying your funding (although in many cases they are one in the same). If your university is the sponsor, the International Student Advisor can assist you in obtaining the necessary authorization for practical training. If you are sponsored by another organization, you must contact that sponsor in order to acquire practical training or summer work permission. Some sponsors choose not to grant such permission or do so only under special circumstances. Always contact your sponsor before you begin you job search to determine whether or not you will be eligible for any type of work permission.
F-1 and J-1 visa holders may be eligible to change their status in the U.S. and acquire an H-1B visa. An H-1B visa is a non-immigrant temporary working visa which allows the holder to work in the U.S. for a period of up to six years. In order to qualify for an H-1B visa, the student must first have a job offer and an employer who is willing to file a petition with BCIS. An H-1B visa is reserved for individuals in "specialty occupations." An attorney is usually hired, either by the student or the employer, in order to file for an H-1B visa. J-1 visa holders who are subject to the two year home country residency requirement are not eligible to change their status to H-1B without first receiving a waiver of the requirement. (J-1 Waivers)
Permanent residents ("green card" holders) are eligible to work in the United States without restriction. To apply for permanent residence, an individual must normally have a close family member (spouse, father, mother, sister, brother) who is a citizen or permanent resident or receive a job offer in which the employer can prove to the Department of Labor that there were no American citizens who qualified for the job. The application process for permanent residence is time-consuming and complicated. J-1 visa holders with a two year home country residency requirement are not eligible to apply for H-1B status or permanent residence without having first received a waiver of the requirement. If you believe you are eligible to apply for permanent residence, you may contact our office for a consultation (initial conference information).
A well-prepared cover letter and resume is essential to getting a job interview. For a U.S. job search, your resume and cover letter must conform to basic, generally accepted standards. The U.S. resume is succinct, including only information which is relevant to an employer's needs rather than including personal information or information regarding unrelated work and/or educational experiences. The resume is also limited to one page in most cases. Your university library should have several resources which can help you as you begin designing a resume and cover letters. After you have developed a resume, take it to your university career counselor for review. You should also have your cover letters reviewed by a counselor to ensure the writing style as well as the content conforms to employers' expectations.
The interview is your opportunity to convince the employer that you are the right person for the job. The interview can be the most difficult phase of the job search for an international student who is still struggling with "cultural conflicts."
After having an interview, it is always appropriate to follow-up with a "thank-you" note. In this follow-up correspondence, you can reiterate your interest in the position and emphasize the skills and abilities you would be bringing to the employer. This type of correspondence is not considered being "pushy." In fact, if an employer does not hear from you after an interview, the assumption may be that you are not interested in the job!
Finding employment, whether in your home country or the United States, can be a long, time-consuming process. This information is meant to get you started in the process. It is important you begin early to prepare yourself for competing in the job market after graduation. GOOD LUCK!
*The primary portion of this information was condensed from materials produced by the University of Virginia.