If you are an international student, the Career Center has many resources that can help you in your job search. We can help you write a resume that is in the U.S. style as well as coach you on job search skills. If you are looking for work outside the U.S., a great resource is for international jobs is http://www.planetrecruit.com/channel/int/.
Below is a good article from Caprice Lantz, a career counselor at the University of Baltimore. This article discusses the challenges international students face in the job search as well as ways they can address those challenges.
U.S. Employment: Challenges for International Students
Many international students want to work in the United States after they graduate. According to U.S. immigration law, international students with F-1 visas are eligible to work full-time for one year after they graduate as part of their practical training.
After their practical training, international students must be sponsored by an employer in order to continue working in the United States. International students have difficulty securing postgraduate employment.
Reasons include:
Hiring Complexities
After international students complete practical training, employers must sponsor them to obtain an H1-B Visa, which allows them to work in the U.S. for one to six additional years. Hiring an international student is not as common, is more complicated, and less familiar than hiring an American. The process involves:
- petitioning the government for an H1-B
- obtaining approval from the Labor Department
- hiring a lawyer, and
- absorbing some fees.
For these reasons, some employers will not even interview, let alone hire, international graduates.
Perceived Lack of Commitment to the Job
Some employers are reluctant to hire international students because they fear international students will eventually want to return to their home countries. Employers do not want to invest time and money in training international students only to have them leave in a year's time.
Communication
Strong communication skills are critical for prospective employees. Employers are often concerned with international students' ability to communicate effectively with their clients and/or internal personnel.
Animosity
Some Americans, and probably some employers, feel that by living and working in the U.S., international students are taking jobs away from Americans.
Student Organizations
Resumes for International Students