By admin, on November 13th, 2008  If you’re an international student hoping to work in the United States after completing your undergraduate degree, you have a few hurdles ahead of you. The way I see things, you have three major hurdles to overcome:
- Through coursework and practical experience, mastering the content knowledge required within your chosen field
- Becoming comfortable articulating your value to prospective employers and network contacts
- Employer’s willingness to hire international candidates
You have control over hurdles one and two, which in turn can have a positive impact on hurdle three.
Most of the international students with whom I have had the pleasure of working have had little to no trouble mastering the content knowledge within their field – they have typically excelled in their courses and, when given the opportunity, often stand out as interns or researchers. So, in terms of hurdles, the first one seems to be a less daunting one.
Hurdle number two seems to be the one that really stumbles a lot of international students. My first suggestion would be to make sure you’re staying in close contact with your school’s international student advisor and are familiar with the most current regulations for OPT (Optional Practical Training), CPT (Curricular Practical Training), H1Bs and green cards. For some employers, the idea of hiring an international student may appear more complicated than it really is. It’s important that you have a clear understanding of your work authorization and are able to communicate this to potential employers. Possibly even more important is that you are able to articulate your skills, experiences and knowledge clearly and persuasively. Too often I work with very talented, bright and eager international students who are either uncomfortable talking about themselves, uncertain if it’s appropriate to do so, or both! My blunt response to these concerns? Yes, it’s appropriate to talk about yourself, so get comfortable doing it! As a woman born in the Philippines and raised in Canada, only moving to the United States in 2001, I fully appreciate the concern that you might come across as boastful, or worse, if you talk about your talents and skills to an employer. Typically, North American employers expect you to know how you can benefit their organization. They want you to have thought through your worth and then prove that worth to them by providing examples. Some of this is accomplished in your resume and cover letter, much more is shared during interviews and networking interactions. There are certainly ways to talk about yourself without sounding, or feeling, boastful (I’ll likely discuss this further in a separate post). The key is to give yourself permission to talk about why you’re special and uniquely qualified for the position for which you’ve applied.
Once you’ve overcome hurdles one and two, you will have done your best to positively impact the employer’s willingness to hire you – which is hurdle number three. Keep in mind that in some cases, some employers are simply not in a position to hire international students, likely due to company policy. If you know this about an employer in advance, I’d strongly encourage you not to use your valuable time and energy trying to change the employer’s mind. Instead, turn your attention to networking with alums of your institution, with other internationals who have landed employment in the U.S., and with members of professional associations within your field. Also, take advantage of resources available through your institution’s Career Center and international student services office. For example, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is hosting an International Student Virtual Career Fair. Student sign-up will begin on December 1, 2008, so check with your institution’s Career Center to see if they will be participating.
As I mentioned earlier, I came to work in the United States in 2001, and was an immigrant to Canada when I was a child. The issues faced by international students are near and dear to my heart. If you are an international student, either studying in the US or Canada, I’d love to hear from you!
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Related links:
Job Search for International Students (LU Career Center)
Working with International Students (LU Career Center)
By admin, on November 11th, 2008 No, really, what makes you so special? And, I don’t mean the fact that you can wiggle your ears or that you make a mean chicken alfredo – unless, of course, either of these talents are requirements in your chosen career field. What makes you special as a professional? What makes you stand out from the hundreds of thousands of other professionals out there, some of whom may be applying for the exact same positions to which you are applying?
Maybe you’re wondering why it’s even important to think about what makes you special. In my article, “Job Search in Tough Economic Times,” I mention that it’s not a good idea to blend in. You want current or potential employers to recognize your value – in order for that to happen, you need to not only recognize your value, but be able to articulate your value, as well. Knowing the ways in which you are special helps this process.
Many of us don’t take the time to really stop and think about the characteristics that make us especially marketable. So, I challenge you to do so – take a moment to think about 3-5 specific characteristics, (i.e. personal traits, skills, knowledge or experiences) that make you special as a professional within your chosen career field. Keep in mind that many of your competitors, (fellow applicants), will likely have similar skill sets, educational backgrounds, or even work experiences as you. So, if for example, your education is a characteristic you’ve identified as making you special, be sure to think of the aspects of your education that may be different than those of other candidates. Did you work full time while completing your studies? Were you an active member of student organizations? Did you write a paper on a particular topic that might be of interest to potential employers?
Once you’ve identified your 3-5 characteristics, take a few more moments to think of examples that illustrate each one. Then, become comfortable talking about these characteristics. Yes, I mean out loud. These characteristics will eventually become part of your “brand.” (I apologize, I know “branding” is a somewhat overused term, but I think the word really does fit in this situation.)
Then, as you write resumes and cover letters, as you network, and as you interview for positions, allow these characteristics to become something of an over-arching theme for how you market yourself. Of course, over time, re-evaluate these characteristics – you’re likely to have developed new ones.
Hopefully, you’ve been told you’re special; hopefully, you know that it’s true. Now, my hope is that you can articulate why.
By admin, on April 24th, 2007  If you’ve chosen to work for the summer rather than take an unpaid internship, don’t think that your summertime employment has to be completely left off your future resumes. With some planning, creativity and a proactive attitude, you can turn your summer job into a career-building experience. Here are a few tips:
- Identify the skills you want to develop – skills that you don’t already have or would like to master.
- Determine which of these skills might be acquired or honed during your summer job. Try to think outside the box, or at least outside the job description. For example, imagine that you are interested in a career in public relations and know you need to shore up on your public speaking skills, but your summer job is as a ride attendant at a fair where you’ve worked for the past two summers. You might consider gaining public speaking skills by getting involved in training groups of new staff. Here’s another example: you work for your local parks and recreation department weeding and planting, but you’d like to develop stronger organizational skills. You might consider volunteering to inventory the department’s equipment and supplies. You could also go out of your way to create a spreadsheet that the department can use to keep their inventory in order.
- Once you know the skills you would like to acquire and have an idea of a way you might acquire them through the job, approach your supervisor. Many supervisors would be thrilled if you approach them requesting more responsibility – provided that the work for which you have been hired to do will still be done, and the new responsibility will benefit the organization.
- Document all the work you do over the summer, paying particularly close attention to the added responsibilities you’ve accepted and the new skills you’ve developed.
- Add the new experience to your resume, and in preparation for future interviews, become comfortable describing in proactive terms the way you acquired your new skills.
You may be thinking, this sounds like a lot of extra work! You’re right! But, by demonstrating your willingness to go the extra mile, and by creatively developing different ways to gain new skills and experiences, your hard work will be noticed by both your summer and prospective employers.
By admin, on April 6th, 2007 
OK, maybe finding a job isn’t exactly like dating, but there are similarities – at least if you’re doing it right. Perhaps if I used an older term, like “courtship,” it would make more sense.
Picture it, a beautiful young lady – she’s smart, talented, witty, and funny. Along come two very different young men. The first handsome young man who is trying to win her heart is genuinely enamoured by the young woman. He learns as much about her as he can by talking to her friends and family. He strikes up casual conversations with her whenever he can so he can understand her better, learn her likes, dislikes, goals, ambitions, and fears. The more he learns about her, the more he cares for her. He takes a long hard look at himself to figure out what it is that he can offer her. The second young man just wants a woman, any woman. He’s suave and debonair, but he doesn’t really care about our heroine. It’s not that he dislikes her, just that he doesn’t really know her. He has a standard set of pick up lines that he’s been using with every woman he meets. He knows very little about the young woman, except perhaps her name. Is she athletic, does she enjoy the theatre, is she allergic to peaches? He hasn’t a clue.
Courtship begins. The second young man approaches first. He’s charming and handsome. At first, the young woman is flattered. Then she asks him, “Why are you interested in me?” He is flabbergasted. He doesn’t know! So, he falls to his standard answers: “You’re lovely, my dear. I am looking for someone who can take care of me, who will make me look good at parties, and will not get too upset with me if I spend time with my male friends.” She gives him a strange look, and he knows his boat is sinking quickly. “I want a woman who will make me a better man, help me to be stronger, more caring and more capable.” We’re not especially surprise when our heroine walks off.
Next, the first young suitor approaches. Our young lady is somewhat weary given her last experience. (She’s feeling like the suitors that approach her only care about what they will get out of a relationship and care very little about what she is looking for.) He presents her with three yellow tulips. (She smiles and wonders how he knew yellow tulips were her favourite flower.) They chat comfortably for a little while. (She feels quite at ease with this young man because she’s spoken with him on several occasions in the past.) Finally, he asks if she would accept him as a suitor. She quickly asks her probing question: Why ME?? The young man launches smoothly into a monologue about why he’s fallen so hard for our heroine – her intelligence, her close ties to family, her commitment to volunteerism, her aversion to spiders. (She’s impressed, but wants to know more.) He explains why he believes he’s the right man for her. “I know you are looking for someone who can support himself and is not lazy. I’ve been working and attending school full time for four years. I’ve saved enough money for a good down payment on a house. I’m also quite handy – I help with my uncle’s construction company. I also know you’re hoping to find someone who has similar interests and goals. I am very close to my family. I also volunteer once a week at a local pantry. And, I would gladly slay any spider that dare enter the same room as you!”
Who do you suppose our heroine would choose?
Just like our heroine, employers are looking for candidates that know something about their organization: What is their mission? What are their products/services? What populations do they serve? Employers also want you to know something about the position for which you are applying. They are far less concerned about how you think the employer can make your life better. “I am looking for a challenging job where I can grow and develop my skills?” How different is that from what Suitor #2 said? Why would the employer respond any differently than our heroine? On the flip side, if you get to know the employer well, and emphasize the specific things about you that fit their needs, the employer will likely respond the way the young lady responded to Suitor #1…and you’ll live happily ever after!
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