The information below is focused on assisting all international students with their career development in the U.S. and beyond. Whether you have F-1, J-1 or another visa status, you are strongly encouraged to visit the Office of International Services (OIS) before seeking any form of employment (paid or unpaid) and to remain aware of any applicable restrictions, requirements and deadlines. Regulations change frequently and OIS is the best source for up-to-date information on getting hired.
- Never accept or engage in paid or unpaid off-campus employment, internships, fellowships or other training without talking to the Oregon State University Office of International Services first.
Learn more about work authorizations, including Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Academic Training (AT) on the Office of International Services website.
The Career Development Center is here to partner with you on topics like resumes, interviewing, apply to grad school, job searching, networking and more.
Using career resources for your job search
- Learn about the conventions and expectations of resumes and job applications by visiting Career Development Center drop-in advising (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the academic year) or by meeting with your college-specific career advisor via Beaver Hub to talk about major-specific guidance, career exploration, interviewing, negotiation, job searching in the U.S./globally and more. Also run your resume through Oregon State’s online resume reviewer, Vmock.
- You can find job and internship openings across the U.S. on Handshake. Or check out these other job searching resources for more tips and job boards where you can look.
- Practice interviewing with your career advisor (book on Handshake) or by using Standout, an interactive video platform.
- Explore Career Paths with Focus 2: Don’t know what career might be right for you? To help you gain insight, Focus 2 offers free career assessments to explore potential careers, job outlooks, interests, hobbies and your working personality.
- Network on LinkedIn: Utilizing this platform is an excellent way to market your professional identity and engage with a rich network of classmates, professors, alumni and employers. See our networking page for more information.
5 Tips for international students: Searching for a U.S. job or internship
1.
Learn the Power of Networking:
Networking helps you to advance your career goals and gives you access to more job opportunities. A network is made up of the people you are connected to. Begin with asking for advice and support from people already in your network. This includes, but is not limited to, friends, family, faculty and academic advisors. They may help you clarify or meet your career goals, support you through challenges, gain new insights that you may not have thought of or connect you with other people who can help you. You may also expand your network and introduce yourself to an employer by asking an employer or OSU alumni for an informational interview. Networking makes a difference!
2.
Learn the difference between U.S. resumes and international CVs.
In many countries, the term "CV" is synonymous with the word resume. In the U.S., a CV is a specific, longer length scientifically-focused resume used to apply for research or academic positions. Your resume should be a powerful 1-2 page summary of your skills, work experiences, volunteering, degree, etc. It should NOT include personal information like marital status, gender, date of birth, etc. or a photograph – only your contact information and name. You can meet with a career assistant for assistance tailoring your materials to better align them with the US employment culture.
3.
Get experience outside of academics.
You will find in the U.S. that employers really value well-rounded students with experience of various types. It is not enough to have good grades. Your resume should include things like jobs or internships, volunteering, activities or clubs, leadership, and awards. Every person has a different journey, but remember to get out there and try new things and then record them on your resume.
4.
Advocate for yourself with employers. You bring a lot of strengths as an international student such as speaking multiple languages, navigating other cultures, flexibility and adaptability in new situations, bringing unique ideas and perspectives, and problem solving. Employers might not be familiar with hiring international students, so don’t be afraid to make a case for what you offer and how simple it is to work with you on CPT or OPT. Reference the Office of International Services' hiring FAQ document that explains what employers need to know about hiring international students.
5.
Practice U.S. style interviews.
The basic expectation of a U.S. interview is that you will positively sell your skills, background and accomplishments to the employer. It is not considered to be impolite or bragging to promote yourself in this way. It’s your goal to convince the employer that you are the best candidate for the position! Make sure that you speak with confidence, offer a confident handshake as a greeting and maintain regular eye contact. To practice U.S. interviews, make an appointment with your college-specific career advisor and/or use Standout for video practice.
Organizations that hire international students
As an international student, you may face challenges like complex immigration regulations, a lack of clear information about which employers hire international students and cultural differences in hiring processes. It may take some extra research and asking advice from friends and advisors to be successful. Also consider the following resources:
- Explore U.S. & International Opportunities with GoinGlobal (If you are off-campus, access GoinGlobal via Handshake “Resources”): See a list of U.S. companies that have filed H-1B visa applications in the last year to hire international talent. You can also search and apply to 16 million+ jobs across the globe or in your home country (note that jobs have not been prescreened for legitimacy). Lastly, you can access country and U.S. city-specific guides to help you understand job searching, resumes, paperwork and more before applying in a new country.
- Use the CPT/OPT Filter in Handshake. As you are searching for jobs in Oregon State’s university-wide job board, you can click on “Filters” and search by “Will sponsor or doesn’t require U.S. work visa” and/or “Accepts OPT/CPT.” These are standard questions employers are asked when submitting jobs to Handshake that can take some of the guessing out of your job search process.
Questions about work authorization
As an international student, you may run into questions about your authorization to work in the United States when interacting with employers. Here is some guidance around answering them.
Why do employers ask about work authorization during the hiring process?
U.S. employers cannot discriminate by making any hiring decision based on a candidate's nation of origin or immigration status. The U.S. Department of Justice has pre-approved two non-discriminatory questions that employers can ask candidates about their immigration work authorization in the U.S.
Permissible work authorization questions:
- Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?
- Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment authorization?
Below are some general scenarios to help you decide how best to answer the questions, but you should consult with an immigration attorney for specific guidance.
Question 1: Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?
- Generally, the answer for most students can be "yes" with the right authorizations. If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, you can typically apply for work authorization in your field of study through Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training. Check with your university or J Program sponsor to find out more about timelines and processes.
- All immigration-based work authorization has specific requirements, so a student should confirm that all of the requirements are met before answering "yes," they have work authorization for the position.
- Visit the Office of International Services website for information about applying for F-1 or J-1 work authorization.
Question 2: Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment authorization?
- Generally, the answer for most international students is yes. If the company will need to "sponsor" an immigration-based work permit (e.g., H1B work visa) in order to employ you, either now or at some point in the future, then you can select "yes." It can be helpful for the employer if you let them know early on so that they plan appropriately.
Since these are all questions that have some complexity and can vary based on your individual situation, we strongly recommend you talk with an immigration attorney who specializes in employment-based immigration if you have questions about your situation.
Are there questions that are illegal for an employer to ask me?