It’s time to Talk about about international student careers

974,926You’re doing pretty well in

international student recruiting. So isn’t it time we started talking more about international student success?

# of international students in US

2014/15

“By only focusing on input metrics like recruitment goals rather than student success, institutions run the risk of

damaging their reputation and competitive positioning. Institutions cannot take academic or career success

of their international students for granted.”

- Dr. Rahul Choudaha, “Investigating International Student Success,”

University World News

“Asked about good practices, (international) students identified financial assistance or scholarships, on-campus jobs for international students, and career services tailored for international students...as examples of good practices, whereas international education administrators put comparatively less emphasis on issues related to jobs and finances.” - “Why They Stay or Leave,” Inside

Higher Education, June, 2014

How can career advisors better help

international students?

➔ Build relationships with students

➔ Don’t assume same approach works for

domestic and international students

➔ Be explicit about timelines, etiquette,

and expectations

➔ Remember international students are not

a homogenous group

➔ Focus on empathy; understand the

international student perspective and

experience

➔ Understand your own cultural bias

What barriers do international

students face in a U.S. Job Search?

★ English language ability and confidence

★ Cultural expectations in the job search

(informality, directness, self-

promotion)

★ Unfamiliarity with US job search process

★ Adapting to a self-directed search

process (vs. placement expectation)

★ Discomfort and unfamiliarity with the

myriad ways to network

★ Lack of US work experience, professional

network, and work authorization

What can students do to improve their

U.S. job search results?

➔ Go beyond “apply and wait” search

strategy

➔ Invest more time in researching

companies that sponsor (myvisajobs.com,

LinkedIn)

➔ Take ownership of visa issues to

educate employers, negotiate creative

solutions

➔ Focus on improving soft-skills

➔ Embrace and conduct multiple

informational interviews as path to US

jobs

How can career services modify

existing training for international

students?

★ Teach LinkedIn and networking skills

before resume writing

★ Show don’t tell. Don’t rely on “You

have to network” as career advice;

break it down into its many parts

★ Experiment with virtual workshops,

mixed media, and diverse workshop

leaders

★ Add perspectives from international

student alumni working in the US

★ Include training on soft-skills and

intercultural communication

How can career services improve international

student outcomes?

➔ Hire international professionals

➔ Provide intercultural training to help

staff better understand how to coach

and communicate across cultures

➔ Build targeted relationships with local

and global employers

➔ Conduct regular international student

focus groups and incorporate feedback

➔ Partner and network with diverse campus

groups to share the workload (i.e. visa

advising, building employer

connections, improving student’s

English skills)

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