Presented by CS & ISSS February 24, 2015

CAREER SERVICESMcNeil Building, 3718 Locust Walk, Suite 20

www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND SCHOLAR SERVICES3701 Chestnut Street, Suite 1W

http://global.upenn.edu/isss

U.S. Job Search for International StudentsJob Search Advice and Immigration Options Q & A for Graduate Students and Postdocs

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JOB SEARCH ADVICE

Fatimah Williams Castro, Ph.D.Associate Director

Career Services215-898-7530

fwil@upenn.eduwww.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/

Immigration 101

• In general, current U.S. immigration laws permit international students to be employed in the U.S. during & directly after a course of study.

• “Practical Training” offers students studying in the U.S. on F-1 visas the opportunity to work for up to 12 months in a field related to your studies

– Laws can change – make sure you keep up-to-date

– Stay connected with ISSS.

• If you wish to work in the U.S., you must plan ahead

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Visa issues

• In general, not being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident adds a level of difficulty to a job search

– It can also add a level of expense (for employers)

• There ARE employers who are willing to hire foreign nationals

– It will depend on the industry and the employer (e.g., size of organization; need for workers; relations with international clients, etc.)

• As a foreign national you cannot work for the U.S. federal government (there may be some exceptions)

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Why would US employers hire me?

• You may offer a higher degree of qualification than the employer can find in a U.S. permanent resident or citizen

– You may have different, useful experiences

– You may have outstanding skills and abilities

– You may have important language skills

– You may have an understanding of different countries/cultures

• You will need to demonstrate and illustrate your qualifications, skills and abilities to an employer through your job application materials and interviews

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To succeed in application & interviews

Match your skills with the employer’s needs. You must be able to articulate that:

• You can do the job

– Identify your skills, interests, accomplishments and aptitudes in relation to the position

• You are a good fit

– Know your personality and values and how they will be an asset for an organization and its personality

• The employer can confidently invest in you

– The benefit you bring outweighs the cost (in terms of time and effort) of visa issues

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Career Services resources

• Career Services has great tools to help you with your job search:

– Extensive web resources for graduate students

– Reference library and subscriptions

– Calendar of Workshops, Panels and Career Fairs

– On Campus Recruiting (PennLink)

– Job database (PennLink)

– One-on-One advising – Walk-ins & Appointments

– Mock interviews

– E-mail listservs for job and workshop announcements

– The “Penn and Beyond” Career Services blog

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Resources for you to explore

Research prospective employers, including those

you find via online resources

www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices

GoinGlobal & Uniworld

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Use online subscriptions for GoinGlobal and Uniworld.

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Job application materials

• You will need:

– Resume for business/industry positions

– CV for academic positions

– Cover letter for most positions

– 2-3 references for each application

– Writing samples are needed for some positions

• You will also need:

– Your materials to be concise and error free

– Your materials to articulate the match between you and the position

– To demonstrate your relevant skills by illustrating them in examples

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Cultural differences in applications

• US resumes may include more phrases in which you “sell” your skills

– You must illustrate the skills you have, and how effective they are achieving results/outcomes:

– “Coordinated 3 conferences for 300 students, resulting in highest attendance in last 10 years”

– “Taught 2 introductory chemistry classes to 20 undergraduates, utilizing multi-media resources”

• Cover letters are more direct, specifically linking your interest and skills to the position you are applying for

– US cover letters tend not to use very polite formal phrases (e.g., don’t say “it is my honor”)

– Career Services has samples on our website14

Interviewing – the US way

• The interviewing process in the US may be different from what you have experienced back home.

– Interviewing is about being able to talk effectively about how your skills are relevant to the employer

– There’s lots of eye contact, shaking hands, and talking about yourself

• You need to be:

– Positive, optimistic, out-going, personable, honest…

– Able to talk about yourself confidently, as this is more

effective than being overly humble

• If you are new to interviewing in the US, attend Career Services workshops and meet with a Career Advisor

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What to say about your visa status?

• ALWAYS the truth!

• On an employer's formal application form

– You MUST fill in fields that ask about your visa status with

the correct information

• On your resume

– You may omit your visa status OR make the most positive statement that you can truthfully make.

– If you are a permanent resident, be sure that your resume states "U.S. permanent resident"

– Or state: "Visa allows 12 months U.S. work permission" or "Permanent residency to be awarded within the next 4 months.“

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When to talk about visas?

• You should mention your visa status before an employer offers you a job

– Some employers aren’t aware of work permission issues

• Raise the issue sometime near the end of a positive 1st

interview, or when you are invited in for a 2nd one

– Or…, if you know for sure you will be receiving permanent residency status in the near future, tell the employer upfront

• You should only say things which are TRUE, and you should be prepared to document them

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Final tips/ideas

• Begin your job search early; be prepared to devote extensive time to it.

• Learn everything you can about the process through which an employer can obtain an H-1 visa for you

– Information helps you to take strategic steps towards achieving your goal

– You may need to explain the process to an employer

– Don’t vaguely tell an employer that it’s “no problem”

– There may be an advantage if the paperwork is handled by a lawyer

• Consider working for a U.S. firm at home

– See Uniworld directories18

Helpful resources

• Penn Global-International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) web site: http://global.upenn.edu/isss

• Career Services pages for grad students & postdocs

– www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradstud/index.php

• Career Services web pages for International Students – www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/affinity/internationalstudents.php

• Establish a network with other Penn International students

– Penn Alumni database www.myquakernet.com

– Penn alumni LinkedIn group:

– www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/networking/linkedin.php

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WRITING RESOURCES

Other Resources and Support at Penn• Weingarten Learning Resources Center• Academics Plus: Workshop Series for International Students at

Weingarten• Graduate Student Center Resources for International Students• Graduate Student Center Language Chats• Penn English-Language Program

Writing Resources for You• The Longman Language Activator: writing dictionary• WebCorpLSE: a linguist’s resource for how words and phrases are used• Google Scholar: to assist with phrase usage• Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills, 3rd

edition, by JM. Swales & CB. Feak: an ESL book

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International Student Employment

Kate Cook

Advisor

International Student and Scholar Services

phone 215-898-4661

http://global.upenn.edu/isss

After Graduation…

• Employment Authorization is needed for any employment after graduation, including employment at Penn*

• F-1: Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT)

• J-1: Academic Training (AT)

• H-1B: Temporary Workers

• TN: NAFTA Professionals

• E-3: Australian Treaty Workers

• O-1: Person of Extraordinary Ability

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After Graduation…

• Only for private companies:

– E-1: treaty traders

– E-2: investors

– L-1: intra-company transferees

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F-1 Post-Completion OPT

• Purpose– OPT: to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to

practical work experience

• Eligibility– Must be in valid F-1 student status at the time of filing

– Must have spent at least one academic year enrolled full-time and in lawful status

– Employment must be directly related to field of study

• Approved by USCIS for up to 12 months

• Possible STEM OPT Extension (E-Verify)

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J-1 Academic Training (AT)• Purpose: “Academic Training” is work, training, or experience

related to a student's field of study. Provides an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge obtained in an academic program to a practical work experience.

Eligibility Requirements:

– must be in valid J-1 status and in good academic standing– must have a job offer for a position related to your field of

study with a specific employer/training site.

– must prove adequate financial support for him/herself and J-2 dependents if any

Approved by an ISSS advisor.– must be done in advance of employment and prior to

completion of program

Up to 18 months or 36 months (for PhD)25

H-1B: Specialty Occupation

• Facilitate employment in a specialty occupation requiring:– Theoretical and practical application of a body of highly

specialized knowledge

AND

– A bachelor’s or a higher degree in the specificspecialty/field as a minimum for entry into the occupation

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H-1B: Employer Requirements

Employer must petition for employee

An offer of employment is required; the employee may not petition for him/herself

Employer is responsible for return cost of transportation abroad if employee is dismissed for any reason before approval period expires

The regulations permit concurrent H-1B employment as long as each employer has its own H-1B petition approved by USCIS

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H-1B: Other Factors

Annual quota for private companies– 65,000

– 20,000 extra for U.S. masters or higher

6 year maximum stay - given in a maximum of 3 year increments

H-1B is specific to position, work site, condition, and employer

Can hold a tenure-track or permanent position

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TN: NAFTA Professionals Part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to

facilitate the entry of Canadian and Mexican citizens to the United States to engage in professional business activities on a temporary basis

Only for Designated Professions (see our website for complete list)

Approval given at the border or by USCIS (Canadians) and at the U.S. Consulate (Mexicans)

Approved for a period of three years and is employer/position specific

Can be renewed

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E-3 Australian Treaty Workers

Available to citizens of Australia

Up to 10,500 E-3 issued per year

Same qualifications as H-1B, but less cumbersome application process

Admitted/approved for two years at a time

Dependents of E-3 may apply for employment authorization with USCIS

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O-1: Person of Extraordinary Ability

• The O-1 nonimmigrant category is for the employment of individual aliens who have achieved and sustained national or international acclaim for extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics or aliens who have demonstrated a record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture and television industries.

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O-1: Advantages and Other Factors

The O-1 has an initial period of stay up to 3 years with one-year extensions thereafter, no maximum cumulative duration limit like H-1B.

Recent graduates do not typically qualify for O-1 status.

An offer of employment is required. The employee may not petition for him/herself.

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Qualifying for Lawful Permanent Residence

• Family sponsorship

• Employment-based cases

• Public or humanitarian Policy

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Reminder

ISSS cannot legally advise on immigration matters for those who will be “sponsored” by an employer other than Penn

Penn is enrolled in E-Verify

Caution: Volunteering is permitted only where it does not violate labor law.

Employment authorization must be obtained before beginning employment.

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Where to go for informationCareer Services (CS)

• Provides information on job searching techniques, strategies and resources

• Helps you identify potential career avenues

• Prepares you for the job application process and interviews

• Provides additional resources you can use www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices

• Career Services counselors cannot help with specific visa issues.

• MBA students must use the services of the MBA Career Management office http://mbacareers.wharton.upenn.edu/

Penn Global-International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

• Staff at ISSS are campus experts on work permission & immigration regulations.

• Regulations change constantly, and ISSS can acquaint you with current requirements.

• The ISSS web site has important information: http://global.upenn.edu/isss

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ANY QUESTIONS?

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