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Tips for International Students Seeking Employment in the United States

• Prepare an appropriate resume and employment letters.  An employer will evaluate your qualifications and communication based on your resume and correspondence. Organize a good resume that will highlight your academic and professional accomplishments and will get you an interview. Avoid including personal data and immigration status. Employment letters should be no more than one page, typed, and professional in appearance. You may wish to meet with a career counselor in the Office of Career Services to review these documents.

• Attend career fairs and workshops, and use Career Services.  Career fairs are an excellent way to market your special talents by meeting face-to-face with prospective employers.  Workshops can help you prepare for the job search. 

• Look for employers of all sizes and geographic areas.  Openings for  which international students may be qualified can occur in any size of organization.  Much of  the job growth in the United States is occurring in small to medium sized organizations; however, some larger firms may  have openings which cannot be filled by U.S. citizens. You may want to  focus your efforts on  regions of the country or cities with low unemployment rates.  In these areas, employers may have to extend their recruiting efforts to include international students to fill jobs.  Include foreign firms operating in the U.S. and American firms operating overseas. Directories and resources are available in Career Services.

• Participate in summer employment, internships or practical training.  The work experience you gain by working with an American employer could prove helpful when you seek post-graduate career opportunities.  Summer jobs are posted at Career  Services.  Check with your academic department  about internship or cooperative education programs. 

• Talk to people!  Advisors, faculty, friends, career counselors, international student advisors, and alumni may hear of openings or know of American employers hiring international  students.  Networking is one of the keys to the American job market.

• Deal with the immigration issue in a positive way. The question of your immigration status will likely be addressed in the employment interview. An effective approach requires preparation.  You will want to research the basics about the U.S. immigration law regarding your particular status and  how it relates to practical training, temporary worker status, and permanent residence. The more knowledgeable you are about the employment options available, the more confident you will feel about the discussion. Practice responses to potential questions.