Career & Professional Education

• Assertiveness, openly discussing accomplishments
• Follow-up with employers, thank you notes, etc.

• Unless presented as part of a group activity, citing achieved goals, accomplishments and skills is viewed as boastful and self-serving
• Asking Employers directly about status of application may be viewed as rude

• Open and direct responses to questions
• Eye contact with interviewer, relaxed posture
• Discussion of salary and benefits only when initiated by interviewer or at time of job offer
• Candidate asks questions about the job at the end of the interview

• Eye contact, especially with persons of higher status is disrespectful
• Appearance of criticism must be avoided
• Asking open-ended questions about the job may be seen as rude and inappropriately direct

• Demonstration of knowledge of self, career goals and how they relate to job
• Discussion of long-range career goals
• Ability to be self-directed

• Jobs are assigned by government or family or determined by school or test score
• Individual must be flexible to accept whatever job becomes available without regard to their career goals

• Congenial interviewing environment that encourages openness, some joking, and exchange of information

• Sitting with a person of higher status requires deference. The job applicant is very polite and does not ask questions or provide information that may indicate lack of respect for interviewer's position. Handshaking, touching, using first name, crossing legs, etc. are inappropriate.

• Must arrive 5-10 minutes before appointment

• Personal relationships are more than time. Anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours lateness from agreed meeting time is not insulting.

• Error-free, one-page, concise, and attractive outline of relevant job experience, skills, accomplishments and academic credentials
• Personalized to reflect each individual's strengths and capabilities

• Resumes are a detailed chronology of academic and formal work experiences and not a tool for self-promotion
• Often contain personal information about family, marital status, a photo, parent's occupation, etc.

• Race, sex, and age are legally not supposed to affect the interview process
• Politeness and respect are shown to all employees a candidate meets, whether receptionist or CEO

• Males and older persons may expect to assume dominance in interactions with females and younger persons
• Level of organizational hierarchy may determine the amount of respect an individual is given
• Attitudes on gender, race, and other personal characteristics and how they impact hiring decisions may vary from culture to culture

• Obtain as much information as possible about the company and position prior to the interview. Demonstrate awareness of organization in cover letter and during the interview

• Research about organization may indicate excessive and undesirable initiative or independence

• Concise, attractive marketing tool
• Includes your relevant experiences, skills, accomplishments, and academic background
• No instances of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization errors
• Typically one or two pages in length
• Efficiently and aesthetically uses space

Refer to the Buffalo State CAPE’s resume information page for additional information on creating an effective U.S. resume

• Chronologically details academic and formal work experience
• Sometimes exceeds two or more pages in length
• May include age, marital status, race and/or religion
• Often includes a photograph of the job seeker

Lack of Visas
Employers question if hiring an international candidate is worth the risk of losing him or her in one year due to the H-1B visa situation.

Be the candidate who can fill their need and be ready to be hired when they need you.
Show them you are worth the risk. Be prepared by having your EAD card in good standing. Know yourself and what you have to offer.

Pro‐American Culture
Some employers like to hire people who are like themselves.

Become a Buffalo Bills Fan... or a Chicago Cubs fan, or get a US-focused hobby. This may indicate that you have become genuinely interested in U.S. culture and see yourself here for the long term. If you can express that in a cover letter or interview, you may put the recruiter at ease.

Lack of Commitment to the Job
Employers fear that international students may return to their home country after a year or two and are therefore reluctant to invest time and resources into training.

Choose a company-not just a job
Show commitment to the company by doing your research and be able to explain why you want THEIR company, not just any job. Never give the impression you want any job just to stay in the U.S. You should find a position with a company based on what fits your future career goals.

Hiring Complexities
Many employers are unfamiliar with the process of hiring international students and therefore believe it to be complicated and expensive.

Become an Expert
The more you understand what it takes and how easy it is to get CPT and OPT, and the more you can communicate about these processes, the more likely it will be that you can convince an employer to hire you.

Communication
Employers are concerned about international students' ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written English with their clients and internal personnel.

Practice, Practice, Practice
Even if you have been speaking English most of your life, there may be nuances that can be tweaked by spending more time with domestic classmates, participating in customary U.S. activities, conducting a practice mock interview, joining a club, going to networking events, etc. And consider getting your resume and cover letters critiqued at the CAPE.

Cost
Cost to hire an international candidate can get up to $6,000 per candidate to petition for an H-1B visa and if the employee is already trained and ingrained in the culture and the petition is not approved, the cost adds up to start the hiring process over.

In the budget?
The cost of $6,000 per candidate is about the same as many companies’ signing bonus and is often budgeted into the hiring plan for the year. Smaller companies and nonprofits pay much less. Don’t give in and offer to pay; it’s illegal for the candidate to pay government fees.

Employment Restrictions
In general, as an international student, you cannot work for the U.S. federal government, most U.S. state and local government agencies, or for some private companies contracted by the government. Your visa status will be less of a barrier with other industries and employers.

Focus on the Companies who DO Hire
International students will find strong employment at organizations with an international focus, such as the World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, etc. You may have more success with U.S. companies that have an international presence. Your experiences, language, and cultural fluency make you attractive to these employers. In the case that your H-1B is denied, you may be able to continue to work in your home country.