Post on 05-Aug-2015
Selling Yourself: Interview Strategies for the Experienced Interna6onal Student Elissa Clemons, University of Detroit Mercy
Overview • Learn strategies for a successful job search ▫ Resources and approaches necessary to: ▫ Find Employment and get a job offer ▫ Discussing ImmigraEon Status � What to say and what not to say?
• Confidently discussing the experience and the skills you posses.
• Tips for Interviewing • Tips for Networking • Take Away
As the world becomes smaller with the globalizaEon of markets, the number of internaEonal students on campuses has increased throughout the U.S. today.
InternaEonal students seeking employment in the U.S. have unique and different challenges.
Two major obstacles:
• Employment restricEons imposed by U.S. immigraEon regulaEons;
• Cultural differences that may affect a student’s ability to successfully present his or her qualificaEons to an employer.
Employment RestricEons:
• Understand your Visa status
• Become knowledgeable on CPT, OPT and H1B Visa status
Employers’ hiring preferences relaEve to experience, by percent of respondents Hiring Preference 2013 2012 2011 I prefer to hire candidates with relevant work experience
70.1% 73.7% 72.4%
I prefer to hire candidates with any type of work experience (doesn’t maZer if it’s relevant or not, just some type of experience)
19.9% 17.5% 17.6%
Work experience doesn’t typically factor into my decision when hiring a new college graduate
4.8% 5.1% 5.3%
Other 4.3% 4.6% 4.7%
Reprinted from Job Outlook 2013, with permission of the NaIonal AssociaIon of Colleges and Employers, copyright holder.
Preparing for the Job Search
• Determine your short-‐ and long-‐term goals ▫ You should be able to clearly arEculate your career goals to an employer
• IdenEfy PotenEal Employers ▫ Which employers hire for pracEcal training experience or full-‐Eme employment ? ▫ Companies/organizaEons with exisEng relaEonship with your home country
Skills to highlight on Resumes/Cover LeZers
As a student studying abroad you have a variety of skills employers are seeking: • DeterminaEon, • Resourcefulness, • Flexibility, • Intercultural competency, • The ability to navigate through a different social and cultural system, etc.
AbiliIes Employers Seek on a Resume – Job Outlook 2015
AbiliIes Percent
Leadership 77.8%
Ability to work in a team 77.8%
CommunicaEon skills (wriZen) 70.9%
Problem-‐Solving skills 70.9%
Strong work Ethic 70.4%
AnalyEcal/quanEtaEve skills 68.0%
Technical skills 67.5%
CommunicaEon skills (verbal) 67.0%
IniEaEve 66.5%
Flexibility/adaptability 62.1%
Source: Job Outlook 2015, NaEonal AssociaEon of Colleges and Employers AddiEonal aZributes visit www.naceweb.org/surveys/job-‐outlook.aspx
Data for the Job Outlook 2015 survey was collected from August 11, 2014 through October 7, 2014. A total of 260 surveys were returned for a 25% response rate.
Interviewing Tips
As an internaEonal student, it is important that you sell your unique strengths during the interview.
• Fluency in mulEple languages • Global/intercultural competence • Adaptability and flexibility • Resourcefulness • Willingness and ability to easily relocate (many internaEonal students do not have family or other obligaEons tying them down to a geographic area)
Language Skills and H1B Status
• Language Skills ▫ Listening and speaking skills are of parEcular importance during the interview process. ▫ Seek out opportuniEes to pracEce your English language skills
• H1B Status ▫ Do not immediately as for Sponsorship ▫ Employers can ask “Are you eligible to legally work in the U.S.?” ▫ Do not let your visa status be the focus of the interview.
Networking Tips
It is omen reported that 60% to 80% of all employment opportuniEes are developed through networking.
• What is Networking? ▫ Networking is connecEng with people and creaEng relaEonships, ▫ an effecEve way to increase your chances of success in the job search; ▫ an opportunity to learn more about your field of interest and various occupaEons within it, ▫ as well as specific organizaEons, which may help you in choosing a career path.
Take Away • Become an expert on the Visa and HB1 process • Follow-‐up with your career services and InternaEonal Services office on your campus!
• Start your job search early! • IdenEfy employers who have hired internaEonal students in the past!
• Be confident when arEculaEng your experience!
• PracEce your English language skills! • ParEcipate in pracEce interviews! • Work with the career services office on your campus!
QuesEons & Answers • Make an appointment to speak with your career services office for individualized assistance!
Resources • GoinGlobal (check with your career services office) • My Visa Jobs -‐ hSp://www.myvisajobs.com/ • Career Services Office at your insEtuEon • InternaEonal students office at your insEtuEon