A World of Opportunities

The career path of an international student can have its challenges and the best way to succeed is through preparation and education. Students and employers are frequently unaware of cultural differences and employment restrictions. You can combat this by educating yourself about these topics, the American job search process and how to make the best impression during an interview.

For job search success be sure to:

• Research employment regulations and become thoroughly familiar with the immigration regulations and be prepared to educate a potential employer about these details.
• Research employers which is essential for anyone job searching. Research the employers’ websites, use the Vault guides, access College Central and consult with a Career Center counselor.
• Make yourself even more marketable. Due to employment restrictions you may have limited work experience as a student. As an alternative, become actively involved in on/off campus activities and volunteering. If you can, obtain summer employment or an internship to gain practical experience in an American organization and remain keenly aware of any immigration policies.
• Have a superb, error-free cover letter and resume.
• Network with professors, staff, local ethnic communities, campus organizations, coaches, classmates…the list is endless. Networking is an excellent way to identify potential opportunities for any student.
• Educate yourself about American etiquette and practice interviewing skills through a mock interview scheduled through the Career Center.
• Develop strong English language proficiency.
• Expand your job search, considering both small and large firms as well as different areas of the country.

Helpful Websites

www.collegecentral.com/stvincent
College Central is where Saint Vincent students can look for jobs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and where employers post their openings.

http://www.stvincent.edu/careers/career_tips
Learn the basics of writing employment letters, resumes, interviewing and networking.

http://www.stvincent.edu/careers/links
Some of our area’s most popular job search engines used frequently by students, graduates and alumni.

www.hibase.com and http://h1visajobs.com
Contains databases of organizations that have in the past hired foreign individuals. There is an annual fee required to access these databases.

http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/hr/
The U.S. Department of State offers several student employment programs, including internships and fellowships and cooperative education programs that help students to gain experience in a foreign affairs environment.

http://www.istudentcity.com/career/career_placement.asp
Great site with information for international students from start to finish including on-line chats with other international students and job search tips for after graduation.

www.globalcareercenter.com
Get started on the right path with this international career services company with foreign and domestic jobs, international resume writing services, video conferencing, work permit processing and more.

www.foreignmba.com
If you find yourself with an MBA, this is the site for you and is reportedly the #1 Internet resources community for MBA students around the world and includes a list of employers with a history of hiring foreign MBAs.

www.internationalstudent.com/htir/
Source for international students seeking internship to full time employment as well as a variety of information pertaining to financial and immigration topics.