Coming to America
I have been waiting anxiously to tell the story of one student with whom I have worked since I started my career counseling post, who (in my not so humble opinion) did all the right things and eventually landed a FABULOUS job. During our interview this week, he shared his trade secrets (even some I was unaware of) as an active job seeker, but also as a job seeker who happens to be an international student.
Some background on international students: Although immigration policies may vary (and I am certainly no expert), international students (e.g. those on a short-term student visa) come to the U.S. to further their education and then the expectation is that they return to their home country within one year of graduation. That said, many students come to the U.S. with the hope of securing employment or additional education in order to remain in the country. In order for a student to stay, his or her employer must provide corporate sponsorship in the form of visa which grants the student three years of potentially renewable work authorization. This is a risky process (visas are granted through a lottery system) and sometimes viewed as cumbersome when open positions are limited and employers can fill their hiring goals from a domestic candidate pool. When the economy is sluggish or recovering as it is now, opportunities for these students are scarce. Therefore, according to Jim (the name we’ll use for the student I interviewed) “international students must work twice as hard [to find a job].”
In an effort to keep my promise of shortening the length of these entries, I’ll simply highlight some of our discussion points below:
General Job Search Advice:
- Take advantage of all of the resources your college/university has to offer, e.g. Career Services (shameless plug), volunteering, networking events and lectures
- Develop personal relationships with as many people as you possibly can. (For the record this is how Jim became aware of some great opportunities, specifically his full-time job, because the people he met kept him top of mind)
- Apply for EVERYTHING – any job for which you are interested and applicable.
- “Be in the moment” i.e. be fully present – whether in class, at an organizational meeting, or when interacting with someone one-on-one. People will remember that you gave them your undivided attention.
- Join professional associations off campus, attend many networking events, and listen to speakers (approach them afterward). Jim and I found ourselves at some of the same events several times!
- Utilize every coaching opportunity out there – keep improving yourself
- DO NOT quit networking after you secure a job or internship. Your new network is a source for future business and employment opportunities. Jim still attends (on average) one networking event a week.
- TRADE SECRET: Every time Jim applied for a job on-line he mailed a hard copy resume and cover letter to the hiring manager. He says, “don’t skimp on the paper – use high quality resume paper with matching envelopes [make sure you print rather than hand write the addresses]. The application is not enough and can go into a black hole.” Personalize wherever you can.
- Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Every time Jim reached a job search mini-milestone, he scheduled an appointment with me to make sure he crossed all of his t’s and dotted his i’s before interacting with a prospective employer live or in writing.
- Sell yourself and make sure you take advantage of every opportunity to relate your experiences back to the job/company.
Advice for [Job Seeking] International Students:
- Do what the locals do – take on a “when in Rome mentality”
- Join student organizations and not just those related to your cultural background. Take on leadership roles while you’re at it.
- Learn to speak the language [and it is critical to speak it well] is only half the battle. Immerse yourself in the culture.
- Don’t watch television with the captions on in your primary language. Watch with English captions or none at all.
- “Do your homework. Google is king! If you don’t know what something is – look it up.” When I asked Jim for an example of a time that doing his homework helped him, he shared that he was once invited to a Honky Tonk (only in Texas, right?), so he Googled the words and viewed images of people dancing to country music, wearing whatever people wear, and I suppose watching cows? at said establishments. He did have a good time for the record!
- Use the web pronunciation feature on Google. Between that and the images, Jim claims that you can at least try prepare yourself for what to expect in new situations.
- Jim’s biggest pet peeve (of his fellow international students) is that they don’t eat American food. I had a hard time agreeing with this particular piece of advice as I’ve never been a meat and potatoes kind of gal myself. That said, Jim recommends at least trying American cuisine when out with others and attempting to cook some local cuisine to get a preview.
- Seek out mentors who can help you develop a better understanding of the corporate culture of employers of interest
- KNOW THE IMMIGRATION LAWS. Working closely with your campus network for international students can help in this regard.
Career Blunder: During my time as a recruiter, my firm once offered an international internship opportunity for a group of students from another country. These students were housed in a fabulous hotel in New York City. One student in particular called one of my colleagues in a fit of rage (okay, maybe not rage, but he was livid) one morning. The student was angered because the orange juice in his mini-fridge was expired! Then, he claimed that he should be compensated for his hardship!!! This, after not having to drop a dime on a nice hotel in Manhattan. If you’ve ever visited New York, you know that there is a bodega or OJ-selling establishment on every street corner. Hardship, please! While this student’s behavior may have been a culture clash, his behavior was inappropriate regardless of his background. Moral of the Story: be grateful for the opportunities and perks an employer bestows upon you. If you aren’t sure of the cultural norms within another country or within a company, seek out a trusted source to show you the ropes. You don’t want to be known as the Mr. OJ (for more than one reason) all summer!