As an international student myself, I know how hard it is to get a job in the US. The process to gain employment authorization is lengthy and cumbersome, and many companies are hesitant to hire international students. However, this does not mean there aren’t plenty of great ways to find work. Here are a few of the best ways to find on-campus and off-campus jobs if you are struggling.
On-Campus Employment
The best way to find an on-campus job is to visit different school offices to see if they have any openings. Usually, the job posting flyers are available on the front desk or the wall if there are any vacancies. You can also ask the front desk directly. Another way is to find out from your friends if they have been working any on-campus jobs. For example, once your friend leaves the job, the vacancy appears, and you can ask your friend to introduce you to their supervisor. In my case, my friend left her on-campus job and shared her supervisor’s email with me. I applied right away through the email explaining why I am a good fit and providing my resume.
The best time to find on-campus jobs is at the beginning or the end of the semester, because many students who worked at a particular office may graduate from school or find off-campus jobs at the end of the semester. If it’s your first time coming to the US to study, I recommend you start your on-campus job during your first or second semester not only because it doesn’t require Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT), but you can also apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) early, once you are offered the on-campus job.
Off-Campus Employment
Once you are familiar with the environment in the US, you can start applying for off-campus jobs. There are many ways that you can apply for these jobs, but the following methods have worked for me:
1. Career Service Center
If your goal is to find an internship while studying at school or to land a full-time job upon graduation, you need to make full use of the career service center provided at your school. Because off-campus employment is more competitive, you need an updated and compelling resume as well as a complete LinkedIn profile. Your career advisor can help you with these. Keep in mind that you do not have to spend extra money outside of school to help you land the job you want. Check out the existing resources provided at your school. Most likely, you already have everything you need to apply for an off-campus job.
2. Apply Through School
From my experience, I found that when you apply for jobs on company websites or on job boards, you have to pass several rounds of system screening before you can talk with a recruiter. This can be very time-consuming if you apply for jobs from many different companies. However, if you apply for jobs or internships on the school career link, though you may still need to apply on the company site, it’s more likely to hear back from companies or recruiters and have a face-to-face interview with them. If you are still in school, make sure you do not miss out on On-Campus Recruiting (OCR), as applications are only accepted during a certain window of time. It is also worth noting that if you are active in a student club, especially those clubs that often host professional networking events, you will be more visible to recruiters and more likely to be selected in the OCR. If you are not active in any student clubs, you can try my other suggestions below.
3. Connect with Professionals in Your Dream Company on LinkedIn
You can use LinkedIn to connect with as many professionals in your dream company as you can. What I found is that when there is a vacancy or position to be filled in their team, they usually post about it on LinkedIn. If you see this kind of post, you can reach out to them, mentioning their post and explaining why you are a good fit for that role. Also, be sure to attach your resume. I think this works better than simply asking for a referral from a professional you are not familiar with. Reaching out to companies that are actively looking for applicants is effective because they have a need, and you can fill that need. This means they are happy to pass your resume to the recruiters and move you forward—it’s a win-win situation.
4. Reach Out to Companies And Hiring Managers Directly
If, after applying for a job, you have not heard back from the company in a while, you can try to reach out to their recruiters and hiring managers on LinkedIn or via email, detailing the role you applied for, your qualifications, what you can bring to the team, and why you are a good fit for that role. Do not forget to attach your resume. By doing so, it increases the chance that your application will be seen by a human eye. In the past, I got two interviews using this method.
5. Market Yourself And Attract Job Opportunities
Every individual is a mini-company, which needs marketing and personal branding. Once you make yourself visible to potential employers, you can attract job opportunities. For example, you can first market yourself by having a stunning and complete LinkedIn profile and sharing some projects you are proud of. What’s even better is to create your personal portfolio website. This is a great way to show potential employers who you are, what you’ve done, and what you can bring to the team.
6. Attend Career Conventions
There are many career conventions out there. For business students, there are three big career conventions you do not want to miss: ALPFA, NABA, and Ascend. I went to ALPFA and NABA in 2019 and learned a great deal. Usually, the convention lasts for several days. There are many professional networking events to attend and many on-site interview opportunities given to the candidates.
With all that said, there are still a lot of things you need to do on your end, like knowing what kind of job you want to do and continually improving your skills. As an international student, you also need to keep honing your communication skills. Then, all you need to do is market yourself on LinkedIn and make yourself visible. When you are ready, opportunities will come your way. All the best, my friend!