Just when you thought homework and tests were the most difficult part of being an international student, you’re getting ready to graduate and suddenly, you have to think about resumes, interviews, and how to go about job hunting. We have said it before: job searching is not easy for anyone, and if you are an international student/foreign national looking to work in the U.S., it becomes more complicated by the fact that you cannot simply work in the U.S. by finding ‘any’ job.
ONE: Finding a job that will allow you to stay in the U.S.
FrogHire.ai was borne of our founder’s own experiences watching international students finding little support in fully understanding how to efficiently search for jobs that they are not only qualified for, but also will actually consider their applications. For international students, applying to jobs is not only about having the skill set but also, whether or not the employer has the ability (or interest) in hiring a non-domestic worker.
FrogHire.ai streamlines your job search. Not only will it help you filter out the job postings which do not offer sponsorship (or have unclear sponsorship history), but it will also review your skill set to see how qualified you are for the position based upon your inputted skills and the requirements for the position.
After your search for a specific job title, you will be prompted to decide what variables you want to search for, allowing you to check the box for H1B and/or E-Verify (if you are applying for CPT or H-1B STEM extension).
TWO: Cultural Differences in Understanding the U.S. Workplace
Depending on what country you are from, you may have grown up with a different understanding of the workday from watching older family and friends. In some cultures, punctuality is not as rigid as it might be in the U.S., and still in others, there is time off in the afternoon when “siestas” may occur. On the opposite end, China has a 9-9-6 work culture despite clear objections from overworked employees, and even in the U.S., different states vary in their employment laws. Pervasively in the U.S., however, expect punctuality to be important, along with an understanding of the hierarchy that exists within your own company culture while balancing this with demonstrating leadership alongside the ability to work with others. Different companies will all have their own corporate culture for you to learn, so observe and learn from those around you.
THREE: Communication
Many international students spend their time in college with non-American friends and peers, as studying abroad is a challenging new experience and being around people who share a similar history helps to keep them connected to their own culture and home country. This is entirely understandable since it is overwhelming to be alone in a new country where the food, language, and customs (just to name a few things!) are overwhelming. However, it is valuable to keep in mind that choosing to come to study in the U.S. means taking advantage of the new experience to meet people who are different! Develop groups of friends across campus who are similar to you, but also groups of friends who are different from you — being around American peers (even simply in a study group or with a lab partner who speaks only English) would mean testing your communication skills on a regular basis, making you significantly more confident in how you present yourself to future co-workers and employers. The more savvy you are orally, the more likely you will be able to succeed in your job interviews!
FOUR: Limited Time — You Need to Search Quickly
With limitations as to how an non-domestic worker can stay in the U.S. beyond their OPT expiration, it is imperative that international students begin thinking about their plans to stay in the U.S. Cultivating various internships via CPT while in school are ways in which international students can increase their work experience, making them more marketable as graduation nears. If the goal is to stay in the U.S. after the OPT period (anywhere from one to three years, depending on the student’s area of study), it is ideal to find an OPT position that will also sponsor the H-1B visa (or even more ideally, find an employer post graduation who will immediately consider Green Card or H-1B sponsorship, though this is less likely). With an 8-11% chance of winning the H-1B lottery to extend the work period in the U.S., plus the limited number of companies able to support the H-1B visa application, students must work efficiently in their job search. Using FrogHire.ai to fast track the job search will make the most of limited time, helping students quickly find non-domestic worker friendly companies quickly!
FIVE: Lackluster Resumes
Your first impression to any employer will be your resume, which details your work and academic experience: employers have limited time as well, they want to quickly scan your resume for the keywords which show you can do the job they have posted. For international students whose native language may not be English, knowing these keywords is often not second nature and it would be easy to create a resume that fails to highlight all the skills the applicant has. FrogHire.ai’s job match feature will review your skills alongside the job requirements, and tell you how much of a percentage match you are for the position, thus giving you ‘real time’ feedback about how you can strengthen your resume or what you need to add to your learning before qualifying for such a position. The FrogHire.ai extension will scan job posts you are interested in while helping you to revise your resume appropriately!
These are just the most primary features of the FrogHire.ai extension! Download it today, and watch the tutorials to help you better understand how we are here to help you make your job search effective and efficient. Happy job hunting!
TLDR:
Download the FrogHire.ai extension which will filter the sponsor-friendly companies for you, while also helping you enhance your resume to make you more marketable for these sought after opportunities!
