Class Year Career Plan
International
Start early. Here is the hard truth, as stated by a recent GSM graduate: "International students have to work harder than everyone else to land a job." Because many U.S. companies are not willing or able to sponsor those on student visas, international students' options are sometimes more limited. Therefore, you need to start your job search early and stay organized and focused. Ideally, you should complete internships during your time in school and begin your job hunt in August before your final year. You need to conduct an organized, well-informed job search. This means knowing what you want to do and having a plan to get it. It is also wise to have alternate ideas in mind.
Meet with your international student advisor. You can get information about your eligibility for employment and updates on the latest USCIS regulations at the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) located at 19 Deerfield Street, 617.353.3565, isso@bu.edu, or online at www.bu.edu/isso.
Know the immigration laws. Nothing else you do to look for a job matters if you do not have the proper authorization to work in the U.S. Educate yourself about application procedures, scope, and restrictions of different types of work authorization available to you. You must be able to explain how you can work in the U.S. to potential employers, many of whom are under the false impression that hiring a foreign worker is extremely costly and time consuming. Make sure you know the process.
Commit to a path. As an international student, it is more challenging for you to find a full-time job in the U.S. Due to cultural differences, the concept of networking is often uncomfortable to many international students. Know that sometimes networking is the ONLY way you can get into a company. You will most likely need to spend extensive time making contacts with people who can help you win a position that includes H1-B sponsorship. If you are unable or unwilling to spend this time networking, it may be more prudent to seek employment in your home country.
Visit the Feld Career Center often. Our office provides a variety of resources, including career education programs, individual counseling, and recruiting services for SMG and GSM students. Get to know the members of our staff. Ask for help early in the year; don't wait until the spring. Check MiTRAC often because new positions are posted almost everyday.
Build a network! It is estimated that up to 80% of open positions are never publicized. This means that most positions need to be uncovered by you. Whether you will seek employment in the U.S. or back home, your best chances of landing your dream position will come through networking. International students earn visa sponsorships from people who know them and want them as employees. If you need sponsorship, you need to ally yourself with someone who has the power to make it happen. Do this through networking! Don’t know how to build network? Ask professors, classmates, and neighbors (particularly those originally from your home country) if they have contacts in your chosen industry. Remember to include local ethnic communities and nationality clubs in your growing network. Join a student group on campus and consider assuming a leadership role. Need more help? Ask us or see the Networking section of this guide.
Do your homework on potential employers. Know which companies are unwilling to hire students on F-1 visas. Don't waste your time pursuing them. Spend your time targeting the companies that will consider sponsorship. The h1visajobs.com is a database that has a list of companies that have hired International or Permanent Residents in the past. These companies have issued H1B visas to international students that they have hired.
Please follow the instructions below to access the h1visajobs.com database.
- Top left corner of webpage, select: Online Databases
- Select the Database you want: BUSI-H1B, CS-H1B, ENDURES-H1B, ENGR-H1B,
LIFEHLTH-H1B etc.
- Type in USERNAME: students@bu.edu.aug2009
(Do not cut & paste
Username)
- Type in PASSWORD: students (Do not cut & paste Password)
- Select: Region
Use your status as an asset. In the growing global economy, knowing a different language or
culture can be attractive to certain employers. Part of your market strategy might consist of targeting U.S.
companies that hope to do business in your home country or vice versa. The Pardee Library in SMG has directories
that list foreign firms doing business in the U.S. and American firms operating in foreign countries. Go to
http://www.bu.edu/library/guides/pml/career/international.html
to find the location of these directories.
Know how you can contribute. U.S. organizations want to know what you have to offer—not who you are or what you want. By focusing on your achievements and abilities, you can become a more attractive candidate to an employer. Remember, you need to provide an answer to an employer's basic question: "Why should I hire you?" Be prepared to share how you can make a unique contribution to their business.
Refine your interview style. Cultural differences often surface during interviews. Try to be aware of cues that the interviewer is looking for, such as maintaining eye contact, and integrate these mannerisms into your interview style. Make sure you do a mock interview at the Career Center to assist you in polishing your interview technique.
Be assertive. U.S. culture emphasizes competition, especially within business environments. A "passive" approach to your job search efforts, such as asking employers to contact you, will not prove very successful. Neither will sending a resumé to a company and waiting for them to call you. Many times you must follow-up with a phone call or an email. Be sure you know the difference, however, between assertive and overly aggressive behavior. Not sure what to do? Speak to a counselor in the Career Center.
Stay motivated. The job search process can be discouraging. Stay in touch with the Career Center staff. Develop a flexible plan and try to keep your options for employment open. Also consider home country employment possibilities as a "back-up strategy."
