Career Services will offer virtual appointments Monday–Thursday, March 27-30 – scheduled via Buff Portal Advising (undergrads) or LiveChat (grad students/alumni) – and will be closed Friday, March 31. There will be no office hours or workshops over the break.
Use our free online tools for help with major and career exploration, job and internship search, resumes, interview prep, skill building and more.
Getting authorized
Remember that if you are currently on an F-1 or J-1 student visa, you have options to obtain work authorization without needing any additional visa sponsorship from an employer. If your F-1 or J-1 work authorization is set to expire, then you will need direct sponsorship from the employer, which in most cases means petitioning for the H-1B visa status. Not all employers are familiar with the H-1B visa status and they might not be aware that it is the employer’s responsibility to sponsor the H-1B.
Make sure that when the topic arises, you’ll want to demonstrate some knowledge about work visas and/or work permission (CPT, OPT or Academic Training). If the employer gets the impression that it’s too complicated, they may be less willing to sponsor or hire.
As you’re working toward gaining a job opportunity, you must remember to seek work authorization. If you are hoping to gain CPT, OPT or Academic Training authorization, advisors in ISSS can provide guidance regarding these procedures. You’ll want to know how long the processing time for authorization is so that you can negotiate an appropriate start date with your employer. You don’t want to make an employer wait for the authorization to be complete, but it is very important that you obtain work authorization prior to beginning work.
In addition to general job and internship search, international students should consider a few additional strategies. Locate U.S. companies doing business in your home country, international corporations or those with an international focus, and organizations that hire international students.
Job search tips
Networking
Whether you are entering the professional world or continuing with your studies, networking is a helpful tool that is surprisingly simple. You can network literally anywhere – at school, at a barbecue, even in the elevator. Networking is based on making meaningful connections that are mutually beneficial, which can be achieved through clearly communicating some combination of your interests, skills, goals and experiences. In the U.S. it is very common to contact someone who is currently working in your area of interest and speak with them to ask for advice. This directness in communication is valued in the U.S.
Resumes and cover letters
The resume and cover letter are the most basic components of every application you submit. For graduate applications and other specialized fields, you may also want to read about a similar document, the curriculum vitae (CV). For helpful tips on writing a resume/CV for various countries, check out the country guides on GoinGlobal.
Interviewing
After you have submitted your resume, cover letter and any other application materials, an employer who finds you favorable will contact you for an interview. Interviews can be nerve-wracking and can be more difficult if you are conducting them in a non-native language. Career counselors are available to assist you with preparing for interviews and practicing with a videotaped mock interview. For helpful tips on interviewing skills for various countries, check out the country guides on GoinGlobal.