International StudentJob Search in the US
Employment Options
There are 2 main paths for entering the US labor market once you graduate from your course of study and have the right to work in the US:
- Internships
- Direct entry
Many large employers offer internship programs that allow you to gain experience through intensive training and development. You may also receive extra funding from your employer for additional professional training.
It's becoming more and more common that graduates find employment that is unrelated to their degree subject. What's important to employers is that you can learn and apply your skills to the job. These training programs can involve a lot of extra study outside normal working hours and may also include demanding professional exams. If professional qualifications are not necessary, the training is less likely to involve academic elements.
Many jobs require the specialist knowledge you gained through your studies. When you apply for a job that is not part of any graduate training program and uses the knowledge you gained during your studies, we refer to that as direct entry. Some on-the-job training may be required and may involve steps to allow you to qualify to be registered with a professional body. An increasing amount of graduates are finding positions in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where the direct entry method is commonly used.
Many factors are involved when it comes to employer attitudes towards international students, so it is not recommended to generalize them.
Applying for a work visa for a new employee is a time consuming and expensive process, so you can understand why they only want to go through that process for outstanding candidates who have special knowledge or talent to offer. If you do not need a work visa, you should make that clear in your initial contact with the company by including that information in your cover letter.
Employers who have a presence in your home country may be interested in employing you during your 12 mths of OPT here in the US, sending you back home for at least a year, and then bringing you back to the US on an Intra-company Transfer Visa, or L1 visa.
Recruitment Process
Employers tend to use a 4-stage process to recruit new employees:
- Submission of an application and/or Résumé and covering letter in response to a job advertisement.
- Preliminary interview, most likely over the phone.
- Interview and selection procedure
- Job offer or letter of rejection
Employers' websites and recruitment materials usually outline the process they use to recruit new employees. Note that for SMEs, the process can be less structured, involving just one interview. Career Management Services can also advise you on recruitment methods used by companies when recruiting from FIU.
Selection procedures can vary widely among employers and countries and procedures may also depend on how easy it is for employers to visit campus for recruitment. Interviews and assessment centers involving a wide range of tests may be used. You may also find that companies will send representatives to the US to recruit for their offices elsewhere. You may interview with both a US representative and a visiting one.
If an employer does not offer you a position in the US, you may be asked to contact them on your return to your home country. If they only have a few vacancies, they may choose to do selection for local candidates, rather than fly into the US to recruit for offices abroad. Your application may be more readily considered back home given that you went through the process here in the US.
If you are lucky enough to get offered a job while you are still in the US, it may also have some conditions attached, such as:
- Good final exam grades
- Passing a medical examination
- Work visa approval from immigration
When you get the letter with your offer of employment, you should always check it very carefully to ensure the job title, job description, terms and conditions are accurate. If there is anything included in the offer that you don't understand or weren't award of, contact the company before you accept it.
If your offer is for a country other than your own, check that the conditions will cover things like healthcare, relocation costs, minimum employment periods, and if appropriate, any short term accommodation assistance.
Where to Look
Graduate recruitment happens all year round, however there are peaks in employer recruiting activities from September to November and again from January to March. During these times, employers come on campus and host Information Sessions and may even conduct preliminary interviews, as well as participate in the university career fairs. You can find out more about career fairs, employer visits, interviews and other events from Business Career Management.
- Websites - see Further Resources section for a list.
There are many websites listing job vacancies, from job board sites such as Monster or Career Builder to the careers sections on company websites
- Speculative applications
An alternative approach is to submit a speculative application to employers you are interested in. These applications involve sending your Résumé and cover letter to your company of interest asking them to consider you for upcoming positions that fit your profile.
For more information and advice, please contact Business Career Management.
There are several different avenues to explore when looking for vacancies in other countries:
- The internet - all global companies and organizations, many government agencies and an increasing number of SMEs have websites that include a Careers section. You can use search engines, such as Google to locate specific employers and vacancies in your chosen countries.
- An increasing number of graduate recruitment publications are including overseas opportunities.
- Career Management Services has international job-seeking resources available for you, and some overseas employers may also hold Information Sessions and interviews on campus.
- Career Fairs also attract global organizations and provide a good opportunity for your networking.
- Embassies and High Commissions usually provide information about jobs in their countries.
- Newspapers and professional journals can be useful resources for specialist vacancies abroad.
- Recruitment agencies such as MBAjobs (www.mbajobs.net) and OverseasJobs.com (www.overseasjobs.com) are a popular resource for finding temporary and permanent positions abroad. You should not pay money to an agency for help in finding jobs.
- Develop and use your network of contacts that includes your family, friends,
professors and colleagues. You should be prepared to brief them on your educational and working backgrounds. - Contact overseas employers by sending speculative applications using your Résumé or CV and your cover letter.
- Contact alumni associations in your countries of interest.
- Consider the possibility of visiting your chosen country on a tourist visa, allowing you to
network . Ensure you follow immigration rules when you do apply for any jobs.
Other
Business Career Management can offer you advice and help with your applications and any selection process you are involved in. International career websites will also give you some advice on applications, Résumés or CVs and interviews for particular countries you are interested in.
Publications
Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries, Uniworld Business Publications
Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the US, Uniworld Business Publications
Directory of Jobs and Careers Abroad, Vacation Work Publications
Which MBA? A Critical Guide to the World's Best MBAs, Pearson Education
Working Abroad: The Complete Guide to Overseas Employment, Kogan Page
Websites
American Immigration Information www.us-immigration.com
Asia search firm for IT, banking and finance
Association of International Educators www.nafsa.org
Association of International Practical Training (AIPT) www.aipt.org
Career Management Services http://careers.fiu.edu
Career site for English-Japanese bilinguals
Council on International Educational Exchange www.ciee.org
Country profiles and job postings www.escapeartist.com
European Business Directory www.europages.com
European Commission, http://ec.europa.eu
GWU Gelman Library resources https://library.gwu.edu/
IELTS (International English Language Testing System), http://www.ielts.org
International Careers Consortium (ICC) www.intlcareers.org
International Careers Employment Weekly www.internationaljobs.org
International Job Search www.jobpilot.com
International MBA web resources www.foreignmba.com
International Student and Study Abroad resource center www.internationalstudent.com
Irish job vacancies http://www.irishjobs.ie
Latin America jobs for MBA students and alumni www.latinmba.com
Latin America's Professional Network www.latpro.com
National Society of Hispanic MBAs www.nshmba.org
Next Step Partners www.nextsteppartners.com
OverseasJobs.com, http://www.overseasjobs.com
PlanetRecruit, http://www.planetrecruit.com
Prospects Graduate,
UK Graduate Careers website
UK and global vacancies www.jobsite.co.uk
US Citizenship and Immigration Services www.uscis.gov
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