Find a Summer Internship in 60 Days as an International Student
As an international student studying in the United States, you are likely looking for ways to gain experience, build your resume, and make connections in your field. One great way to achieve all of these goals is through a summer internship. However, finding the right internship can be a challenge, especially for international students who face unique obstacles.
3 Steps to Getting Referrals from Your Connections
For international students, when the traditional job search process starts to yield worse results than before, you need to find people who can advocate your abilities to your target employers. You want to get your foot in the door without stumbling through immigration question hurdles, right?
Study Abroad: 10 Points to Consider as an International Student
Dear Coach Kwan, I’m planning to pursue a degree in the US. What are some things that I should consider to ensure that I am fully prepared to optimize my time as an international student in the US? – Aspiring international student dreaming to join a university in the US. I’m so happy to see you reach out and be so proactive! Coming to America gives you an amazing opportunity to learn and grow toward your future profession. However, success is not a straight line, and the more you’re prepared for it, the better chance of success you will have. With us today is our guest mentor, Vinod Karri, a former international student from India who’s passionate about helping international students like yourself. Read below to learn more about the ten points that you need to consider when planning to study abroad (USA). Study Abroad USA “I want to experience the American Dream.” Most international students who want to study in the US want to experience “the American dream” when they decide to take the giant leap and move from one country to another. But it’s not all about frat parties and sorority houses. There’s a bigger, more realistic picture that you need to be aware of before making life-altering decisions and moving abroad: 1. Choosing the right school and the right program Often, the school you choose ultimately determines the country you will be migrating to. Make sure that the school you choose offers the program you want. Moreover, it must fit within your budget. Your previous academics and extracurricular activities also have a huge impact on the kind of college experience you will have. The US provides a wide variety of schools you can choose from: Ivy League schools, private non-profit, private for-profit, and state-funded schools. Learn about each of these categories in depth before making a choice. 2. Talk to a Guidance Counselor, Current Students and Alumni One should take the opportunity to talk to a guidance counselor to understand and identify the schools that they might be best fit for. Current students and alumni can provide more insight about what the college experience is truly like as well. 3. Money Matters – Costs, Tuition Fees, and Scholarships Offered Most students, especially international ones, received funds from their parents’ hard-earned money or through school-provided scholarship programs. So, make every dollar count. Public universities (funded by local and federal governments) are cheaper and could be an affordable option catering to all types of students. Private universities (like MIT and Stanford) are mainly funded and managed by a trust and less by local and federal grants. The tuition cost for a student going here is bound to be higher; however, the facilities provided could also be much nicer. Now, the real question is: why should an international student look into all these aspects? This is because, ultimately, whichever school you choose determines your costs, work permit options and chances for employment after graduation. 4. Employment Opportunities (Part-time or Full-time) The US only offers non-immigrants (students) to work part-time on campus. It means that it is illegal to work at a deli nearby or become a Starbucks barista to meet your daily living expenses. Nevertheless, if you happen to get a corporate job (OPT) or an internship (CPT) through your college’s career services office as part of your study program or related to the subject that you’re studying, you are eligible to legally work. In such cases, public universities would be a better option to consider since they offer a lot more on-campus jobs than private universities. Decide on the location of your college: rural or urban. Even such simple aspects of your decision can have a huge bearing on your college experience and post-college life. 5. Attitude Towards International Students Hundreds of people, students and professionals, migrate to America every year. Without a doubt, one could say that the US has a very positive attitude towards incoming international students. 6. Life Outside College: International Experiences, Travel, and the Ability to Pursue Hobbies Let’s be honest here: no one is going abroad to attend college just to get brilliant education. In that sense, the US has a lot to offer in terms of exploring the culture and making memories. The country is filled with culturally diverse people and access to various resources. Are you willing to spend a few dollars? Then, you can pursue any hobby or activity you want to. Climate is another big plus: the US has all four seasons, which is bound to make your stay as a student there more adaptable and enjoyable. 7. Work Permits It’s not just about getting a foreign education from a well-known university; after shelling out a considerable amount of money and putting in a significant amount of effort and energy into moving your entire life from one country to another, you also need to think about the return on investment. If you are a STEM student, you are initially granted a work permit for 12 months immediately after graduation. After the completion of this term, you are given an option to extend this period by another 36 months before taking on an H-1B visa. This is not the case with non-STEM students, though, and a company will need to sponsor a work visa (H-1B) after the completion of the initial 12-month work permit granted by your school. Work permits (OPT) also depend on the school you attend. Private for-profit universities are not eligible for the additional 36 months after the initial 12-month work permit. The rules for issuing H-1B visas have become tighter, and one needs to be regularly informed about on-going changes that are happening. Further, the size of the economy should be considered before choosing the country of study. Ultimately, the larger the economy, the better are employment opportunities. 8. Job Security Work culture and job security are interrelated concepts. When it comes to America, if an individual is willing to put in time and effort into their career, it can pay off tremendously. However, the
Introducing the ICAway Talent Platform
Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to coach some amazing ICAway students. I could see them land their dream jobs, for which I feel truly grateful. Through this experience, I have seen the common mistakes that international students make when searching for jobs in the U.S.. And have discovered the three key challenges that they face: Not being able to find employers who want to hire international students Not knowing how to market themselves to American employers Coming in with no connections for job referrals There are two main job search skills that international students need to have in order to overcome these challenges. These skills will help find American employers who value their capabilities more than their visa status. ICAway Talent Platform From my personal job search experience which led me to my first job in the U.S. at Deloitte with a six-figure salary, to my consequent experience as an HR professional, to a career coach for international students, I have gathered valuable insights and skills that I have transferred into this career coaching service called “ICAway Talent Platform”. This complete career coaching solution was not built within a span of months. Rather, it took YEARS, with multiple rounds of testing and participation of approximately 100 students around the U.S. With great support from my talented team, we have worked with me to lay out the learning roadmap and curriculum, produce coaching videos and learning content, design attractive training materials to enhance user experience, and so much more. We have successfully perfected our platform and are confident that it’s ready to support international students with their career search. If you enroll to our platform and become an ICAway student, I will be fully committed to supporting you through this journey. You can ask questions and receive a response within 24 hours. You will have access to tools that will be crucial for your career search. I provide downloadable templates that you can customize and later submit to our team for review. The platform is an interactive experience that I have designed to simulate a learning experience of the students that I have successfully coached on a one-on-one basis. Why do I call this a “complete career coaching solution”? Searching for jobs as an international student is a unique experience. You need comprehensive support to acquire the right skills, build your career brand, understand your work visa options, and gain opportunities to meet with potential employers. For this reason, as a member of the ICAway Talent Platform, you will be eligible for immigration consultation with a skilled immigration law firm. If you have any questions about a career search in the U.S. or about our ICAway Talent Platform, please feel free to leave comments below or contact us at icawayteam@outlook.com I hope to see you on the ICAway Talent Platform! Sign up for the ICAway Talent Platform to get an effective job search strategy to help you land your dream job! About Coach Kwan: Kwan is a certified Senior Professional HR by HRCI, the U.S. premier credentialing organization for the human resources profession. She has over 15 years of professional work experience with top organizations like BMW, Accenture, and Deloitte. With her human-capital knowledge and multicultural awareness, Kwan has designed a customized training program. It equips international students with the skills for their career search, encourages them to break through cultural barriers, and prepares them to enter the U.S. professional world. As the Founder and CEO of ICAway, Kwan is determined to build ICAway as an empowering community for international students that lights the way for them to find jobs in the U.S.