Attention, international Longhorns! It’s a season filled with both anxiety and excitement: job-hunting season.
If you’ve already secured an offer: fantastic! But if you’re still in the process of landing a job or internship: Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The current job market is quite challenging, and the Texas Career Engagement (TCE) office is here to assist you in navigating the journey to finding a job.
Find Job Opportunities
Job Boards
The most common method of job hunting is through websites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor and Handshake. You can subscribe to these sites and enable notifications for new job postings. While you’re looking, remember: As international students, it’s important to always be mindful of work authorization challenges related to the F-1 Visa, OPT or CPT.
Some employers may include phrases in job descriptions like, “Must have lawful unlimited authorization to work in the U.S. without sponsorship now and in the future.” While you can still apply, these positions may not be the best fit due to their work authorization requirements.
Alternatively, Interstride is a job board and resource center specifically designed for international students.
Career Fairs
As we’re getting into the spring semester, numerous career fairs may be taking place. We strongly encourage you to attend these fairs, including those outside your school, if they align with your interests. While the prospect of interacting directly with recruiters or staff members may seem intimidating, these fairs provide an excellent opportunity for you to present yourself directly to potential employers and to learn more about them, as well.
Check out the article on Interstride titled “Career fair preparation for international students” to gain a clearer understanding of how to prepare for career fairs.
Employer Events
Besides on-campus career fairs, events hosted by employers — such as networking and info sessions, seminars and more — are also great ways to get connected and engaged. Search for more of these types of events on Handshake.
Prepare Your Resumé
Your resumé is a crucial stepping stone in your job search journey, serving as a showcase of your capabilities for the positions you’re seeking. Take your time to reflect on your experiences and skills, as well as your advantages in being an international student, such as language proficiency, cross-cultural experience and more. Remember to customize your resumé to align with each job description, showing your effort and enthusiasm to employers through the details.
Once you have a version ready, don’t hesitate to seek feedback on your resumé from someone with a fresh perspective, and refine it to make it better. If you find it challenging to get assistance, here are some resources that might be helpful:
- Resumés, CVs, Cover Letters resource page by TCE: Check out various templates and tips for writing resumes and cover letters, not just for industry jobs but also for academic jobs.
- University Writing Center and Center for Teaching and Learning: Book 45-minute writing appointments with consultants to polish your resumé.
- Resumé Clinic Workshops by TCE: Every semester, TCE offers several Resumé Clinic Workshops for students to briefly go over best practices for resumé writing. You can find the event links on Handshake.
Get Ready for an Interview
Congratulations if you’ve already gotten an interview offer! This is the real pinnacle of the entire job search journey. No matter if it’s a behavioral interview or a technical interview, being well-prepared and doing your research are essential. You can start preparing by using a training tool called Big Interview to get started.
Employer Websites
Exploring a company’s website can provide you with a holistic understanding of its work from various perspectives, including its history, culture, products, mission and vision. This deeper insight can help you better comprehend what kind of candidates the company is seeking.
Networking
Reaching out on LinkedIn or HookedIn to an employee, alumnus or recruiter who is currently or has previously worked at the company you’re interested in can be very beneficial. Make sure to prepare your questions and approach the person politely. With their help, you could obtain firsthand information that could be invaluable for your interview preparation.
Practice
After conducting your research, it’s vital to focus on practicing your interview. Get ready to answer any question the interviewer might ask! Practice, practice and more practice! Here are some resources that you can utilize to help you prepare for an interview:
- TCE Graduate Appointment: Advisors work individually with graduate students and postdoctoral scholars on a wide range of career-related topics to help them explore and prepare for careers in academia, nonprofit, business, government and industry.
- Public Speaking Center at the Sanger Learning Center: Their mission is to help you become a better public speaker, which will help you improve your presentations in interviews, at the front of a classroom and beyond.
The No. 1 Question International Students are Asked:
Don’t be surprised if you encounter one of the questions that every international student may be asked:
“Will you now or in the future require sponsorship to work in the U.S.?”
Rule No. 1 is: Always be honest. You can also take a look at the article titled “How to answer: Will you now or in the future require sponsorship to work in the US?” by Interstride.
Good luck with your job-hunting journey! We are always here to support you in pursuing your goal here at The University of Texas at Austin and beyond.
For more information contact Sadiya Ahmad, PhD, program manager for advanced degree career identity and global impact at Texas Career Engagement.
Blog Contributor: Pin-Yi (Judy) Chu, graduate global impact consultant
Events of Interest
In-Person Events
Navigating Careers Beyond UT: Insights from Graduate International Alumni
Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 4-6 p.m. CST | FAC Classroom ABC
Job Search Strategy for International Grad Students/Postdocs
Wednesday, March 20 | 12-1:30 p.m. CDT | FAC 2.236
Career Empowerment Round Table for First-Gen and International Grad Students and Postdocs
Tuesday, April 16 | 12-1:30 p.m. CDT | FAC 2.236
Virtual Events
F-1 Post-Completion Optional Practical Training
Friday, Feb. 23 | 10-11:30 a.m. CST
Leave a Reply