Job Searching as an International Student
From Katie Kinniburgh
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This video provides a brief overview of key resources for international students planning to conduct a US-based job search.
Hello! Welcome to this brief overview for job searching as an International Student. In this video, I’ll be providing a few tips for crafting an effective search strategy, and showing you some key resources that will help you put that plan into practice. Before we dive in, I want to mention that this video is intended to be a brief introduction to the tools and resources that UVA recommends and provides to international students. Each students’ professional goals, personal circumstances, and questions and concerns about the process are unique, so use good judgment when crafting the strategy that will be best for you, and make an appointment with a career coach if you need more individualized guidance. So, with that all said, let’s get started!
Tip #1 for conducting your job search as an international student: do your research. Identifying companies that accept OPT or CPT, and that can and will sponsor students for H1B visas, will allow you to target your search more effectively. One approach for conducting this research is by identifying employers that have hired international candidates in the past, and who have submitted petitions for H1B sponsorship. Here are a few resources that can help you find that information…
- GoinGlobal is a great resource for identifying which employers have historically submitted petitions for H1B sponsorship. You can access GoinGlobal through Handshake, under the “GoinGlobal” resource card. Go to “H1B Visas” in the navigation bar up top, and refine the search terms based on your goals and interests. This will provide you with a list of companies that have submitted H1B petitions in years past, and the role and location of the associated employee. Alternatively, you can also search the “Employer Directory” to see if a company you’re interested in has a history of sponsoring H1B visas.
- MyVisaJobs is a very similar resource to GoinGlobal – it is a database of employers that have filed H1B petitions, which you can filter by career, location, year, and more.
- One important note is that these resources provide historical information about international student employment. Company policies and practices regarding OPT/CPT and visa sponsorship can change from year to year, so these lists offer no guarantees about the current state of affairs. However, what these lists do offer are starting points for conducting an effective, targeted search.
- To identify companies that are currently hiring international students, Handshake is a great resource. When searching for jobs on Handshake, click “All Filters” in the jobs tab. In addition to the other filters you set, also select either “Will sponsor or doesn’t require US work visa”, “Accepts OPT/CPT”, or both. This will provide you with companies who are open to hiring employees on work visas.
- Also within Handshake, you can filter career fair attendees based on their ability to accept OPT or CPT and/or sponsor. To see information about scheduled career fairs, click “Career fair” under the Events tab at the top of the page. At the bottom of the “Employers attending” snapshot, click “ Show all employers”. In each company summary, you’ll be able to see whether that company requires US work authorization, thereby helping you tailor your career fair strategy even more.
One key question you may be wondering is: What if a company doesn’t select “accepts OPT/CPT” when posting their position on Handshake? Can I only apply to companies that I find through the resources we’ve just reviewed? The answer is…no, not necessarily! We do recommend that you first target organizations with a history of hiring employees on a work visa, just to help you make the most of your time and efforts. But, sometimes when an employer says they don’t hire international students, it simply means that they haven’t hired an international student…yet. In order to convince these prospective employers, it’s possible that you may need to respectfully educate them about the process of hiring a foreign national – but, be aware that they simply may not be able to do so.
Tip #2 for your search is to network. Connecting with people in careers or industries you’re interested in, or in locations you’d like to live, is a great way to build perspective, explore the field, and learn how to maximize your candidacy and position yourself for success in the search. If you’re thinking, “but I don’t know anyone! How do I get started?” here are a few resources that will help!
- First, take advantage of Virginia Alumni Mentoring, also known as V-A-M (VAM). This is a platform that connects alumni to students for the purposes of networking or mentorship. You can filter through the list of alums to connect with using a number of different filters – companies, industries, major, or even locations (which you can view by switching to the map view!). You can also filter alums by help topic – ranging from career exploration, to interview prep, and even “navigating the job or internship search as an international student.” This is a wonderful platform full of alums that want to help you, so take advantage!
- LinkedIn is another excellent place to connect with UVA alumni in a plethora of jobs and industries all around the world. Once you’ve set up your profile, search “University of Virginia” and then click “Alumni” – as you can see, there are more then 150,000! Use the filters to refine the list of alums that appear at the bottom of the page, and remember that there’s a “next button” that will show you even more levels of detail.
- In addition to these online platforms, your professors, peers, and advisors are other good starting points for expanding your professional network. When reaching out to any of these individuals, or the alums you found using the resources we just discussed, please refrain from simply “asking for a job.” Instead, your goal should be to cultivate a relationship founded on information sharing, advice, and perhaps referrals. To learn more and discuss your networking strategy in more detail, please make an appointment with a career coach!
Our third and final tip for those seeking positions in the United States is to conduct a dual search. Given the shortage of US work visas and the uncertain climate toward immigration in the US, we encourage you to look for employment in your home country, or in another country or region, in addition to your US-based search. In many places around the world, recruitment timelines look very similar to what we see here in the US, so it’s important to get started with your dual search early. A few resources that will help you do that…
- For those seeking positions in China, check out the InitialVue Global Job Platform, which provides full-time and internship opportunities in China to students in the US, with a focus on opportunities with well-known multinational companies and top startups. This app is best utilized via the phone app, but you can access InitialView through the “Global Job Platform by InitialView” resource card on Handshake.
- I’m also going to jump back to GoinGlobal, which we discussed earlier. GoinGlobal also has Country Career Guides, which contain country-specific information regarding job search resources, top companies and employment trends, resume and CV standards, and work permit and visa information. This is a great resource whether you’re looking to return to your home country, or are hoping to explore somewhere new!
- To connect with UVA alumni living overseas, take a look at the UVA Club in your intended location. There are more than 20 chapters in locations abroad, and reaching out to these alums can be a great way to build your global network and identify opportunities.
- In addition to the resources we just mentioned, check out the “Global Career Resources” resource card on Handshake for links to other helpful job search engines, resources, and programs.
To access all the resources discussed in this video, and many, many more, check out…
- The “International Students” page on the UVA Career Center’s website, which you can find by clicking “Explore,” “Diversity & Inclusion Resources,” then “International Students.”
- The “International Students” resource card on Handshake, which you can find by clicking “Career Center,” “Resources,” and then “International Student Resources.”
- The “Global Careers Resources” card on Handshake, which you can find by clicking “Career Center,” “Resources,” and then “Global Careers Resources”
Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with a career coach with any additional questions or concerns. Thank you for taking the time to review this video!
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