Getting the Job as an International Student

If you’ve ever seen the Ninja Warrior competition course with the numerous hoops, obstructions and twirls, it doesn’t even begin to describe the challenging fate of obtaining a job as an international F-1 student.

For thousands of students who’ve completed their degree in the United States, they’re awarded the opportunity to work after the completion of their degree for 1 year and it’s called Optional Practical Training (OPT). If their degree is STEM, (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), then they’re allowed an additional 2 years of OPT.

So how do you get a job? Well first you need to network and apply for jobs because it’s going to be a numbers game. 

It’s already difficult to gain employment for fresh graduates, it’s even more challenging when you tack on a deadline to receive a job. That’s because you cannot use up all 60 days of unemployment or else your permit becomes void. It starts counting on your employment start date on your permit card even if you don’t have a job. 

It takes a wealth of planning, strategy and patience to deal with the mountain of stress many international students face when entering the job market in the United States. 

So how does one complete it? How does one get the will and the continuing positive influence to keep going and to keep pushing? It takes the will and tenacity of 1000 suns and then some. 

Firstly, you need to plan as early as possible. Some plans are as far back as before you even choose what degree you would like to study. For me, I started a year before I graduated, like many others. I applied, networked, even closely monitored companies just to be denied. I applied to about 100 positions throughout the United States only to end up getting denied. I knew I would have the odds against me, but I still pushed because I just needed to get to at least an interview.

I knew if I got to the interview, my chances increases significantly. I networked with any and everyone so much that I was even able to help others get jobs almost immediately because I knew how to connect them with opportunities. I figured since I have met so many people, the least I could have done was practice recruiting and help out others with finding opportunities. 

So, if I was this good, why couldn’t I just get an interview right? Well, I had to overcome the one haunting question in almost every application, “Will you now or in the future require sponsorship or currently on OPT?”. That haunting question, denies any chance of hope of working at that company and for good reason. It wouldn’t be fair for a company to hire someone for only a year just to find another person afterwards. They would have spent copious amounts of time, resources just to have you leave after a year especially when they aren’t able to provide sponsorship.

Now you would think that you would just simply get an internship right? The problem was that I couldn’t even do an internship during my course because it wasn’t part of the curriculum. This option is CPT, curricular practical training which allows you to do an internship. For an international student to do CPT, it must be a part of the school's curriculum so that it's seen as a credited course. I am able to do an internship after I graduate but most internships require you to be enrolled or about to graduate. So, what’s next? 

Welcome to the powerful art of networking, perseverance and patience. This act caused me to land a paid internship right after graduation that then led me to work on contract at one of the best places to work for in the United States, HubSpot and The Vertex Companies.

How does one even begin to achieve that? Well, I genuinely networked with everyone. The key word is genuine. It started off small and it snowballed into bigger and bigger things. I was working as a Graduate Assistant for a University and I ensured that my students were always well sought after because it’s my job and I genuinely cared for them.

I didn’t always tell people I was looking for a job or internship when networking at events. I honestly just met them and learned about their goals and what needs they were looking to fulfill in their business. I had done this at every university career fair for since starting my 1st degree. It was difficult to start because I knew the odds were not favorable and most places were meant for students who do not require sponsorship. I even remembered employers telling me straight up that they don’t hire international students even if it was just for an internship. It was necessary to have very tough skin because I knew that I would hear the word no many times, but that was ok cause I only need 1 yes.

At many career fairs, I would break down in deep tears in private, after making a lap around the career fair because I knew it was for domestic students and international students couldn’t fit their profile because of their F-1 status limitations. It didn’t even matter if you had a high GPA, similar experience or the best recommendations. It was like going into a buffet feast starving and you can’t eat anything. That can be taxing mentally on anyone especially when you’ve tried your absolute best, only for it to not matter. I knew I had to remain positive and persevere. I remained hopeful because I knew I was qualified and very capable, but that F-1 status obstacle can be a thorn.

However, after the brief but necessary breakdown, I always managed to get right back up and walk straight into that career fair, fearless and unstoppable because I don’t quit. I would always start chatting with all the booths that I’ve researched and learn what roles the recruiters were trying to fill and how their HR team dealt with the recruitment process. This warmed me up and I was able to gain insightful information about their companies, especially their HR team.

I remained positive, hopeful and engaging throughout the career fair. This perseverance served me well especially when I came across one of my residents whose company was looking for interns at the company where they worked, and it just so happened that they needed someone for Human Resources. They also happened to have interviews that same day. Finally, some luck seeped through. I aced the interview because it was like that one opportunity and failure was not an option.

From that interview, I landed another, and I was accepted for the internship. It didn’t stop there, I continued to push even harder by any means necessary because I needed to do my best work. This continuous push allowed me to receive tremendous support from my Supervisor, Lauren Fazio and the HR team Gladys and Maria. Lauren helped me prepare for even more job interviews and connected me with the wealth of her network. This act greatly helped me get connected with even more opportunities right after my internship. It got me to work on contract at HubSpot and then The Vertex Companies.

I’ve learnt so much from the experience and I would be forever grateful for the opportunity. Although I didn’t get a permanent position because of my F-1 status, the complications of sponsorship and not to mention a global pandemic near the end of my OPT, I am forever grateful for the opportunities, knowledge and the goodwill of all those who’ve helped me along the way. I developed an even stronger passion for helping others in their employment search because I knew that it’s not easy and everyone needs a little help. 

My advice for any international student who is currently going through the similar trials is to not give up hope, keep pushing forward positively, even when you think all hope is lost, because the journey is developing your character into something extraordinary.