Happy Spring Break, Catholic University Community! Every day this week we’re sharing three career tips for the diverse student populations in our campus community. Today’s tips are for international students:
1 – Be informed of the regulations covering your work status and be able to communicate them to an employer in a clear and confident manner. Not all employers will be familiar with work authorization options and the process to petition for an individual to work in the US. As such, it is important you know this information and to specify the employer’s role in the process. To learn more, ISSS hosts Optional Practical Training (OPT) workshops every semester for F-1 students and an Employment Day workshop every spring semester. Contact ISSS at 202-319-5618 or visit their website for information about these events.
2 – When searching for jobs in Handshake, filter your results by “US Authorization Optional” (found under Advanced Options) to identify companies that include non-US citizen students in their applicant pool. We encourage you to apply to positions where you meet the criteria, unless the job description explicitly states the position requires US citizenship.
3 – When meeting with employers, be confident and enthusiastic in sharing your qualifications for the position. For some international students it may be uncomfortable to promote themselves, but US culture values individualism and directness when expressing that you are the best candidate for the position.
Want to have a conversation about these tips, resources, or other support? Connect with us – we’d love to help you.
-Su
Catholic U Career Connections 