Same Game, Different Rules Career Development and Job Search for International Students

Same Game, Different Same Game, Different RulesRules

Career Development and Job Search for Career Development and Job Search for International StudentsInternational Students

Career Development Career Development Needs for International Needs for International StudentsStudents Greater need for vocational counseling than Greater need for vocational counseling than

domestic studentsdomestic students Motivation – Instinct theoryMotivation – Instinct theory Majority expressed interest in long-term or Majority expressed interest in long-term or

permanent employment in the USpermanent employment in the US Lack of knowledge of employment Lack of knowledge of employment

opportunities in the USopportunities in the US Lack of knowledge of INS rules and Lack of knowledge of INS rules and

regulationsregulations Interest in workshops to help students secure Interest in workshops to help students secure

internships/full time employment in the USinternships/full time employment in the US

Unemployment Around Unemployment Around The WorldThe World

Industrial CountriesIndustrial Countries 6.9%6.9% Latin AmericaLatin America 16%16% South East AsiaSouth East Asia 6.5%6.5% East AsiaEast Asia 4%4% South AsiaSouth Asia 3.4%3.4% Sub Sahara AfricaSub Sahara Africa 14.414.4 Middle East & North AfricaMiddle East & North Africa

13.5%13.5%

International Labor Office, 2002

Three Main Areas of Three Main Areas of Vocational NeedsVocational Needs

Career Planning and PreparationCareer Planning and Preparationa.a. Career opportunities in chosen fieldCareer opportunities in chosen fieldb.b. Job market in home countryJob market in home countryc.c. Job market in the USJob market in the USd.d. Speak to a counselor/advisor about Speak to a counselor/advisor about

career planscareer planse.e. INS rules and regulationsINS rules and regulationsf.f. American occupational systemAmerican occupational systemg.g. Plan for re-entryPlan for re-entryh.h. Career planning processCareer planning process

Spencer-Rodgers, Julie & Cortijo, Antonio (1998). An Assessment of Career Development Needs for Spencer-Rodgers, Julie & Cortijo, Antonio (1998). An Assessment of Career Development Needs for International StudentsInternational Students


Job Search SkillsJob Search Skillsa.a. Job search process in the USJob search process in the US

b.b. American-style resumeAmerican-style resume

c.c. CV or resume for home countryCV or resume for home country

d.d. Overcome cultural differences in an Overcome cultural differences in an American employment interviewAmerican employment interview

e.e. Overcome language barriersOvercome language barriers

f.f. Manage illegal questionsManage illegal questions

g.g. Develop job search strategies given INS Develop job search strategies given INS statusstatus



Work ExperienceWork Experiencea.a. Part-time employmentPart-time employment

b.b. Optional Practical TrainingOptional Practical Training

c.c. Long-term or permanent Long-term or permanent employment in the USemployment in the US

d.d. Develop specialized skillsDevelop specialized skills

e.e. Long-term or permanent Long-term or permanent employment in home country or employment in home country or other foreign countryother foreign country


Career Planning Career Planning and Preparationand Preparation

Job Search SkillsJob Search Skills Work ExperienceWork Experience

Career Counseling and Career Counseling and International StudentsInternational Students

Issues to considerIssues to consider– Psychosocial conditionsPsychosocial conditions– Acculturation levelsAcculturation levels– Language fluencyLanguage fluency

Suggested practicesSuggested practices– Examine appropriateness of counseling theoryExamine appropriateness of counseling theory– Provide printed handouts explaining processProvide printed handouts explaining process– Examine appropriateness of assessment toolsExamine appropriateness of assessment tools

Career Planning and Career Planning and PreparationPreparation

Guidelines for Culturally Guidelines for Culturally Appropriate CounselingAppropriate Counseling

TheoryTheory– Does it consider worldview?Does it consider worldview?– Does it facilitate examination of the effects of Does it facilitate examination of the effects of

gender, race and culture on the decision-making gender, race and culture on the decision-making process?process?

Assessment toolsAssessment tools– Is the language level appropriate for the client?Is the language level appropriate for the client?– Are the measurement constructs appropriate?Are the measurement constructs appropriate?– Do the tools measure outside effects on career Do the tools measure outside effects on career

decisions?decisions?


Women’s IssuesWomen’s Issues

Expectations of significant othersExpectations of significant others Multiple role demandsMultiple role demands May experience discrimination as a May experience discrimination as a

woman and as an international studentwoman and as an international student May need additional services in May need additional services in

assertiveness training, negotiating assertiveness training, negotiating skills and networkingskills and networking

Must consider cultural issues in Must consider cultural issues in delivery of servicesdelivery of services



Job Search SkillsJob Search Skills Work ExperienceWork Experience

Occupations in Need of Occupations in Need of International StudentsInternational Students

Between October 1999 and February 2000, Between October 1999 and February 2000, H1-B visas were approved in the following H1-B visas were approved in the following areas:areas:

Systems Analysis and Programming Systems Analysis and Programming 47.4%47.4% Electrical/Electronics Engineering Electrical/Electronics Engineering 5.4%5.4% College and University Education College and University Education 4.1%4.1% Accountants and Related Occupations Accountants and Related Occupations 3.7%3.7%

Immigration and Naturalization Services

Job Search SkillsJob Search Skills

Advising International Advising International StudentsStudents Start early! Start early! Connect with the International Center and Connect with the International Center and

Career Center on your campusCareer Center on your campus Gain relevant work experience (part time, Gain relevant work experience (part time,

summer jobs, internships)summer jobs, internships) Consider on campus work experience to save Consider on campus work experience to save

OPT timeOPT time Do your research and educate yourself and Do your research and educate yourself and

employers about the processemployers about the process Identify employers and industries that have Identify employers and industries that have

history of hiring F-1 studentshistory of hiring F-1 students


Advising International Advising International StudentsStudents

Contact employers directlyContact employers directly Make the most of your OPT cardMake the most of your OPT card Be upfront about your statusBe upfront about your status Use the right LanguageUse the right Language

– Petition vs. SponsorPetition vs. Sponsor– H1B vs. Green CardH1B vs. Green Card

You are an international student; You are an international student; celebrate that!celebrate that!


Advising International Advising International StudentsStudents

Market yourself positivelyMarket yourself positively Be patient and persistentBe patient and persistent Be flexibleBe flexible Choose a field of study that’s in Choose a field of study that’s in

demanddemand Learn to cope with repeated Learn to cope with repeated

rejectionrejection


Employers Rate Employers Rate Effectiveness of Recruiting Effectiveness of Recruiting MethodsMethods1. Organization’s internship programs 4.62. Organization’s co-op programs 4.53. On-campus recruiting 4.44. Employee referrals 4.35. Career/job fairs 4.26. Faculty contacts 4.07. Company website 3.48. Printed job postings to career offices 3.49. Student Organizations/Clubs 3.410. Internet Job postings to career offices 3.4

NACE’s Job Outlook 2003 5=Extremely Effective, 1=Not Effective


Do Internships work for Do Internships work for International Students?International Students?

53%53% of surveyed international of surveyed international students received job offers students received job offers through their internshipsthrough their internships

Students fear wasting OPT time Students fear wasting OPT time on internships that may not lead on internships that may not lead to a full time positionto a full time position– Check the hiring history of the Check the hiring history of the

companycompany– Consider working on campusConsider working on campus

www.jobweb.com




Work ExperienceWork Experience

Employers Rate The Employers Rate The Importance of ExperienceImportance of Experience

1.1. Relevant Work ExperienceRelevant Work Experience4.04.0

2.2. Internship ExperienceInternship Experience3.93.9

3.3. Any Work ExperienceAny Work Experience3.63.6

4.4. Co-op ExperienceCo-op Experience3.23.2

NACE’s Job Outlook 2003 5=Extremely Effective, 1=Not Effective


Challenges Facing F-1 Challenges Facing F-1 StudentsStudents Perceived complexities of the hiring Perceived complexities of the hiring

processprocess Employers not familiar with the processEmployers not familiar with the process Perceived lack of commitment to the Perceived lack of commitment to the

job and the organizationjob and the organization Employers’ concerns about the Employers’ concerns about the

candidate’s communication skillscandidate’s communication skills 9/11 syndrome9/11 syndrome

– Fear of terrorism linksFear of terrorism links– Patriotism and fear of taking jobs away Patriotism and fear of taking jobs away

from qualified US citizensfrom qualified US citizens


The ProcessThe Process

Optional Practical Training (OPT)Optional Practical Training (OPT)– Authorized by INSAuthorized by INS– Valid F1 StatusValid F1 Status– full time student for at least 1 yearfull time student for at least 1 year– Work full time in Work full time in the field of studythe field of study for 12 for 12

months after graduationmonths after graduation– Process may take up to 90 daysProcess may take up to 90 days– A job offer is NOT necessaryA job offer is NOT necessary– Not a re-entry visaNot a re-entry visa


The ProcessThe Process

H1-B Work VisaH1-B Work Visa– Authorized by INSAuthorized by INS– 195,000 visas issued in 2003 (65,000 in 195,000 visas issued in 2003 (65,000 in

2004)2004)– Employer files a petition to keep candidate Employer files a petition to keep candidate

for a maximum of 6 yearsfor a maximum of 6 years– Process may take up to 90-120 daysProcess may take up to 90-120 days– $130 petition fees $130 petition fees

(+ $1000 unless exempt by law)(+ $1000 unless exempt by law)– Serves as a re-entry visaServes as a re-entry visa


Best PracticesBest Practices

International student binder in International student binder in reference libraryreference library

Targeted workshop seriesTargeted workshop series Targeted information on websiteTargeted information on website Targeting existing services Targeting existing services Providing training for staff on legal Providing training for staff on legal

and immigration issuesand immigration issues ““Going on the road”- increasing Going on the road”- increasing

accessibilityaccessibility

Questions???Questions???

Documents

Same Game, Different Rules Career Development and Job Search for International Students