Best Practices: Collaborating Across Departments to Enhance

Student Job Opportunities at Home & Abroad

Melanie Funken, Education Abroad, Suffolk University

Amy Sanford, Career Services, Harvard University

Susan Shea, International Student Advising, Boston College

Career Services: SnapshotAdvising F-1 international students: 40 % international from PhD/master’s pop. STEM students, heavy users of OCS Lack of US students in these majors as of 2010,

recruiting from Asia! 3rd country interest for international students

who may not go home country, but to BRIC, MAVINS (Mexico, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa), PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain)

Career Services: Collaborations with the International Office Partner with Harvard International Office (HIO) each summer to

welcome international students to Harvard and highlight importance of starting job search early and communicating with HIO.

“The International Job Search: US and Abroad”: International student specific job search programs at Career Services: in collaboration with international office (at Harvard), Oct. 2010

Cultural presentations for U.S. students interested in working overseas (Power Ties)

H1B and Green card sessions with Immigration Attorney/HIO. Send all F-1 students to HIO as part of career counseling

session …also, specific cultural handouts and books/reading recommend

Career Services: Collaborations with Education Abroad CRIOS: Office of Careers, Research, and

International Opportunities for students

(I-phone Apps. Icon to explain) Education Abroad and Career Services are

part of the same team at Harvard Collaborating across offices: career services

education abroad and international student advising

Education Abroad: Assessing & Translating the Student Study Abroad Experience

Employer Perspective on Education Abroad can range drastically A positive global experience that can prepare students for the

global marketplace Academic Tourism

Student Perspective on Education Abroad can also vary A way to build a resume: expand global business and political

perspectives, acquire cross cultural skills, learn a second language

A fun way to spend the semester, but unsure of job related skills acquired

Our Challenge Bridge the gap between the Student/Employer Disconnect

Help translate skills learned during study abroad to students and employers through program assessment, reflective workshops and quality programming

Education Abroad: Assessing & Translating the Study Abroad Experience Analysis

CIE Study Abroad Assessment Tool What do students expect to learn while abroad? What do students actually learn while abroad?

Program Development Improve programming around assessment outcomes

Translating Skills for Employers Collaborate with Career Services Work with Recruiters

Education Abroad: Assessing & Translating the Study Abroad ExperienceWorking Together: Career Services & Study Abroad

Translating Skills for Employers Review Assessment from Career Perspective

What skills are students learning while abroad that are translatable for employment in the US?

Develop Re-entry Workshops Help students to translate the skills they acquired studying abroad

experience into a language employers can understand Interviewing skills Resume writing techniques and key words

Build Awareness Quality Programs Employer Outreach Alumni Network- Success Stories!

Education Abroad: Increasing Job Opportunities Building Partnerships with Providers

International Internship Opportunities EPA (Educational Programmes Abroad) EUSA- Academic Internship Programs

Increase Employability for Returning Students Use Assessment Tools Continue Re-entry Workshops with Career Services Follow up with Alumni Programs

International Student Advising: Collaborations with Career Services Employment Workshops for International

Students (series in the fall and spring) Working in the U.S.: What you need to know

about immigration (immigration lawyer) Resume Workshops- Separate sessions for

undergraduate and graduate students Interviewing in the U.S. Alumni Panel

International Advising: Education Abroad and Career ServicesGlobal Proficiency Program: Created in 1998 by Adrienne Nussbaum (Director of

OISS at BC and ICC member). Model nationally. Certificate program for undergraduates that can be

completed in addition to any major Holistic approach to time spent abroad, academic

coursework, co-curricular activities. Receive a transcript and certificate that will

distinguish them with employers and graduate schools.

Global Proficiency Requirements1. Abroad Experience:

This includes living abroad, studying abroad, interning in another country, or volunteering in another country.

2. Academic Requirements:This consists of a language requirement, a humanities requirement, and a social sciences/business/education requirement.

3. Activities and Service: Students must complete a total of four co-curricular activities, at least one of which must be a service activity.

4. Reflection Project: Students must complete a  reflection project in their final year. The reflection project can be a short reflective essay or presentation.

International Advising: Collaborations with Career Strategies Created by the Career Strategies Office in

the Grad School of Management to prepare students for the job search process.

3-day orientation session and follow-up sessions throughout the first semester: Interviewing in the U.S. Networking English language evaluation, business English Resumes and cover letters

Round Table Discussions

Topic 1: How to help students to translate their skills to employers

Topic 2: How to encourage students to attend your programs and visit your office: Marketing programs and services to students

Topic 3: How to collaborate across departments: Challenges and successes posed by organizational structure

Questions?