Employment and Career Readiness for International Students in the US
Equip yourself with essential knowledge to kickstart your career journey in the US as an international student. Discover tips for crafting a standout resume, navigating internships and CPT programs, debunking common myths, and mastering the job search process. Be proactive in preparing for post-university employment opportunities and stay informed about OPT timelines and valuable resources available at PSU.
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Whats Your Plan? EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER READINESS, CPT (INTERNSHIPS), AND OPT
LEARNING OUTCOMES Tips to create a solid resume Internship considerations Strategies for the job search Resources for job searching in the US OPT timeline Upcoming PSU events and services
EMPLOYMENT AND LIFE AFTER UNIVERSITY Before you even begin to think about OPT or working in the US, it s important to form a strategy to prepare for employment as a foreign citizen Questions you might be asking yourself: Would an internship really help? What s CPT and how is it connected to an internship? What if it s too late for me to do an internship? When can I apply for OPT? Should I begin the job search process now? How do I even start looking for jobs? What sort of questions should I anticipate that an employer will ask me, as a foreign citizen?
TIPS FOR A GREAT RESUME INCLUDE: INCLUDE: Emphasize strong language skills with specific details Ex: Translated written and spoken Chinese on a daily basis for two years Be sure to use the word fluent as opposed to native List industry-specific programs: MS Excel/PowerPoint/Word, LexisNexis (law), STATA (consulting), SPSS (research) Listing your interests can create a nice ice breaker during interviews and gives the employer a fuller picture of what kind of person they ll be working with. DO NOT INCLUDE DO NOT INCLUDE: Your age or birthday A picture of yourself Your visa or citizenship status Your race, nationality, ethnicity, marital status or family information
INTERNSHIPS . AND CPT Incredibly valuable! Helps get your foot in the door INTERNSHIPS REQUIRE CPT ( Curricular Practical Training ) approval by PSU international advisor PSU RESOURCES: Career Services Specific Academic Departments
DE-BUNK THEM! Employers may be unaware about cultural differences and visa requirements. Be an informed consumer so you can assist prospective employers with understanding what s involved in hiring you! The U.S. job market is probably vastly different from that of your home country learn all you can about it! MYTHS International students are not allowed to work in the US. Visas aren t for working--- they are only for tourists Hiring int l students is time- consuming and costly International students have poor English skills International students won t stay (fears of new hires leaving after 6 months or 1 year) JOB SEARCH TIPS: JOB SEARCH TIPS: #1 DE #1 DE- -BUNKING SOME MYTHS ABOUT HIRING INTERNATIONAL BUNKING SOME MYTHS ABOUT HIRING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS STUDENTS
JOB SEARCH TIPS: #2 RESEARCH YOUR SITUATION RESEARCH YOUR SITUATION Know the rules and regulations of your specific situation. Learn about CPT and OPT best internet resources are US gov t sites (StudyInTheStates.gov, etc) Make sure you know which visas you need, including the different possibilities, deadlines, and potential costs.
JOB SEARCH TIPS: JOB SEARCH TIPS: #3 NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK #3 NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK UP TO 70% OF ALL JOBS ARE FOUND THIS WAY. UTILIZE PSU S ALUMNI OFFICE, PROFESSORS, FRIENDS (and parents of friends!), SOCIAL MEDIA
JOB SEARCH TIPS: #4 EFFECTIVE JOB HUNTING GUIDELINES Look for a company that has international relationships and/or offices Research your prospective employer thoroughly (you want to be able to ask smart questions in your interview!) Understand your own personal qualities (what s special about you?) Practice and prepare for interviews (PSU Career Svcs!) Follow up with employers who ve received your resume Ask for written job description, as well as a company prospectus or profile
SOME JOB SEARCH RESOURCES www.uscis.gov U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. www.usvisanews.com Information on converting F-1 Visa to U.S. Employment www.flcdatacenter.com/CaseData.aspx http://online.goinglobal.com Career and Employment Resources providing worldwide job openings, internship listings, industry profiles and country specific career information, work permit/visa regulations, resume writing guidelines and examples, employment trends, salary ranges, networking groups, cultural/interviewing advice, HI-B searchable employer database and more. www.aipt.org www.jobsearch.org Job database YOU SHOULDN T NEED TO PAY TO ACCESS JOB DATABASES! PSU CAREER SERVICES Career Services Office Career Connector
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Research the company well! Know who you re talking to Prepare some questions that you can ask the interviewer Make sure you have examples to support frequently asked questions (like problem solving examples, etc.) Dress business appropriate Plan to arrive early and know where you re going
INTERVIEWING. Have a firm handshake and make good eye contact Be a good listener and don t interrupt , but Be an active participant in the conversation Be clear and concise and articulate with your answers. Show that you re prepared! Demonstrate a balance between what you could bring to the company and how the opportunity could benefit you Your international experience brings important perspectives to your work which your employer will benefit from Make sure the interviewer has answered your questions
DISCUSSING YOUR VISA DURING INTERVIEW Prospective employers may legally only ask if you Prospective employers may legally only ask if you are authorized to work in the U.S. The answer is are authorized to work in the U.S. The answer is yes. yes. What if an employer asks about sponsorship? What if an employer asks about sponsorship? Discuss before an employer offers you a job. Some employers aren't aware of work permission issues, and if someone offers you a job and then learns that they'll have to apply for a different employment-based visa in order to keep you, the employer may be put off by the fact that you didn t provide this information up-front.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW Ask at the end of the interview what the timeline for filling the position is, and when you can expect to hear from them Send an email thank you within 2 days of your interview In you haven t received a response within the timeline, it s appropriate to reach out once more to inquire Regardless of whether or not you are offered the job, review each job interview analytically: what can you do better next time?
ADDED TIPS AND THOUGHTS Stay Positive Stay Positive Job hunting can be exhausting and demoralizing. You might feel that you have no noticeable results. A positive attitude and confidence in your abilities will show in everything that you do, and will make employers want to invest in you. English Skills English Skills Employers may use your written English to assess your spoken English, so edit and reedit your cover letters to make sure you are as clear as possible. Unless you're fluent in English, it's a good idea to have a native speaker review your work. Visa sponsorship Visa sponsorship All you have to disclose in the interview process -if asked- is whether you are legally authorized to be employed in the U.S. If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, the answer is yes.
OPT: WHEN AND HOW Apply up to 90 days prior to program completion, and up to 60 days after Schedule appointment with Jane, Deb or Lisa to put together application Don t need a job to apply No working before OPT approval and receipt of EAD ( Employment Authorization Document ) card Good for 12 months, unless you have a STEM* degree (*Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
AFTER OPT. Continue with your US education; seek a Master s or Doctoral degree Apply for permanent residency Marry a US citizen Return home OR .
AFTER OPT, CONTINUED Some Employment-based visas A-1: Work for Foreign Consulate in US E-1: Treaty Trader (work for foreign company that has substantial trade with US) G-1: Work for international org (like UN) H-1B: Specialty worker I: Work for foreign media L: Work for foreign company (must have already worked for company prior to coming to US) TN: Canadian or Mexican citizens; specific occupations
PSU EVENTS AND SERVICES Career Readiness Career Readiness Resources at Ctr for Resources at Ctr for Student Success Student Success Internships PSU Career Fair! PSU Career Fair! March 24 11am-2pm HUB Courtroom Interviewing Techniques This job fair will have 45-50 employers attending Job Search Strategies Int l Resume Workshop: March 31 at 3pm with Jess Morel
PSU RESOURCES Career Services (Center for Student Success-Mary Lyon Hall, Garden Level) https://www.plymouth.edu/services/career-services/students/ Peter Laufenberg Internships & Career Services Kelsey Donnelly Center for Student Success Krystal Bunnell, grad assistant (Career Peer Advisor) Pat Cate Career Services Jessica Morel Internships & Career Services International Student Services (GEO - Mary Lyon Hall, Garden Level) Jane Barry Deb Regan Lisa Ladd
REFERENCES StudyInTheStates.gov IBM Employment for International Students www-03.ibm.com/employment/internationalstudents/ Goinglobal.com www.goinglobal.com/guide-article-detail/?guide_id=27&guide_article_id=700 Union College International Students www.union.edu/offices/career/_documents/international-students-handout.pdf Univ. of Chicago https://internationalaffairs.uchicago.edu/page/employment-resources-international- students#ddintl USCIS.gov www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/students-and- employment Internationalstudent.com www.internationalstudent.com/jobsearch
