1. Job Search for International Students Kelley School of Business Indiana University

2. Foreign National Students Employment Options Immigration Practical Training Return Home

3. Career Planning  Process that involves development of career goals and how to achieve them  Achieving goals in U.S. different from your home country  Highlight differences

4. Foreign Student Attitudes  Expect some career services  Pay same tuition which includes career services  Expect contacts and interviews

5. Placement Issues of Foreign Nationals  Changing enrollment trends  Legal employment rights confusion by students and employers  Security concerns

6. Employment Realities  The Truth is Tough 1.Few jobs are available to people without a “permanent work visa” 2.You must work much harder than domestic students to find a job 3.English language skills matter 4.You must bridge the cultural gap to sell yourself

7. Other Employment Realities  The practical training visa does not guarantee that you will find summer employment  No guarantees: Visa issuance complex  Long training cycles

8. Why Employers DO Hire International Students  Technical skills  Language and cultural skills  Affinity  Loyalty  Faster, smarter, better

9. Where Opportunity Isn’t  Direct, head-to-head competition with domestics when you have no edge  Announced openings (drawing hundreds of applications)  On-campus recruiters who don’t want to interview foreign nationals

10. Where Opportunity Is  Hidden job market  Others from your home country who are officers or owners of companies  Others from you home country who have jobs here  Former international students with jobs here (interns or H1-B)  Smaller companies in rural areas that are exporting  College or university employment after graduation  Your home country consulate

11. What UCSO Can Do For YOU  Career Street Journal Career Street Journal  International Job Fairs  International Resume Books  Web Sites (International) Career Resources Career Resources Exploring: International  Career Education Programs X220 & X420 SCOOPs Roundtables / Career Fairs Roundtables Career Fairs Discussion Sessions Discussion Mentors / Alums MentorsAlums Career Counseling

12. Campus Interviews To Be Successful:  Get preferenced interviews  Be knowledgeable of your skills and abilities  Develop strong resume and cover letter  Market yourself aggressively  Seek counsel from faculty, UCSO staff, peers, and ‘alums’

13. Campus Interviews  Do X420 Interview Projects  Practice to develop interview skills (Role play with peers)  Conduct Mock Interviews  Constantly improve your language skills and project confidence

14. Plan Your Work – Work Your Plan  Best and brightest students from home country  Multilingual -- minimal cultural training required  Flexible employment transfers to other nations  Market network connections  Willing to relocate SELL

15. Mentally Prepare for Highs and Lows  Hard work  Handle rejections  Recover and assess  Adapt and be flexible  Modify your strategies

16. Your Marketing Strategy Starts Here Individual Marketing  Understanding of “self”  Understanding of world of work  Understanding occupational options  Correlate to the job  Apply only where qualified—Network  Use alternate avenues

17. Answer Four Questions FWhat do I want to do? FWhat can I do? FWhat needs to be done? FHow can I get the job I want?

18. Your Marketing Fundamentals  What do you have to offer?  Who needs it?  How do you make them want it?  Become expert in immigration laws and what is required to obtain work papers.  Use International Student Services

19. Your Marketing Fundamentals  Master the art of the job search through career counseling, workshops, videotapes and the web.  Set goals early on relating to career choice and location.  Develop a strategy for networking, selecting and targeting specific companies.

20. Employer Presentations (Career Exploration)  Career Fairs  SCOOPs/CLIPs/Lectures  Corporate Presentations/Info Nights  Business Club Seminars  Executives in Classroom  Alumni Networking Programs Learn First  Then Apply Tools

21. Strengthen Professional Skills  Develop language skills  Internship experience  Independent study - Projects  Volunteer assignment

22. Three Important Skill Groups  Functional Skills  Soft Skills  Global Skills These skills are important in the successful job search. It takes a combination of all three to differentiate yourself.

23. “Soft Skills”  Leadership Attributes  Interpersonal Communication  General Management/Organization  Presentation Abilities  Cross-Cultural Communication

24. “Functional Skills”  Marketing  Finance  Information Technology Know the Jargon. Communicate Knowledge

25. “Global Skills”  Knowledge of World Business  International Emphasis of Functional Area  Cultural Knowledge  Language Proficiency

26. Your Resources (Right Tools)  International Services  Career Services Office  Business/SPEA Library  Internet Websites:  Faculty Network  Alumni in Home Country  Alumni in Targeted Firms

27. Other Outside Resources  American Chamber of Commerce  Consulates  International Job Fairs  International Websites  H1Visajobs.com

28. Exploration (Putting it all together)  Reading/Research  Informational Interviews  Part-Time/Temporary  Special X420 Foreign National TRACK Projects  Career Portfolio

29. Common Cultural Barriers to the Job Search  Self-Promotion is Uncomfortable  Directness in Communication  Self-Disclosure Seems Awkward  Career Self-Awareness is New Idea  Individual Responsibility in Finding Employment  Language Barriers  Stereotypes: Both Images

30. REMEMBER!! The process will require more time than you originally planned  Be flexible  Be patient  Avoid frustration  Be Prepared