The International Student and the Internship & Job Search While many of the tips and strategies for conducting an internship and job search presented in Chapter 4 are relevant for all job and internship seekers, international students may face some additional challenges. One of the most pressing challenges is to learn and feel comfortable with the hiring culture and practices in the U.S. and how they differ from your home country. Review the roles of the U.S. employer and international student in the employment process to acclimate and prepare yourself for the differences and to show potential employers you are prepared to work in the U.S.
The U.S. Employer’s Role in the Job & Internship Search Many employers restrict hiring to U.S. citizens or permanent residents because they assume it is complicated, expensive, and time-consuming to hire international students (especially for full-time positions), or they have a federal government contract. Additionally, many employers use internships to recruit for full-time positions. Although it is a less complicated process for employers to hire international students for an internship, they prefer U.S. citizens whom they could easily convert to full-time employees. The employer’s role is to... • Use various approaches to locate potential employees for internships and full-time employment: »» Career and internship fairs or community job fairs »» On-campus recruitment »» Employment agencies (“headhunters”) »» Employee referrals »» Job announcements on company websites, job boards, major newspapers, trade publications, or professional associations »» Regional and national professional conferences
Find an Internship/Job
• Seek people who are the right fit for the organization and the position for which they are recruiting.
* Note: Individual equality in the U.S. is important; thus, legally, factors like age, gender, and race cannot be considered in the interview process.
• Provide applicants with an opportunity to explain their credentials and the reasons they are suitable for a position.
GoinGlobal GoinGlobal provides career information which assists you in pursuing global career paths. This resource is available to current students. Log into your Rutgers Handshake account to get started. careers.rutgers.edu/goinglobal 44
CAREER & INTERNSHIP GUIDE
CAREERS.RUTGERS.EDU
