Getting a job in the U.S.

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Getting a job in the U.S.
Career Development Resource Clinic International
Programs Services Career Services Spring 2007

• Workshops for International Students

Materials adapted from MU International Students
Career Services
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Overview

• Workshop 1 February 15th
• What are my career options?
• What are potential barriers and personal
  strengths?
• Workshop 2 February 22nd
• How to plan my career in the U.S.
• How and when to apply for OPT/CPT
• Workshop 3 March 1st
• What is the U.S. work culture?
• What is involved in the job search process?
• Career Panel Successful stories
• Workshop 4 March 8th
• How do I write a resume and cover letter?
• What are good interview skills? (Career Services)
• Workshop 5 March 22nd
• Follow-up

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Presenters

• Career Development Resource Clinic (CDRC)
• Life Science II Room 217
• Amanda Jantzer, MA Lan-Sze Pang, MA
• Sheetal Shah, MA Frances Shen, MA
• Career Panelists
• Dhrubodhi Mukherjee, PhD
• Yihua Philip Sheng, PhD
• Neha Udar, PhD Candidate

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U.S. Work Culture

• The U.S. work environment professional casual
• Casual
• No apparent hierarchy between bosses and
  subordinates (calling boss by first name). BUT,
  be careful! Your boss is still your boss, and
  this informality of friendliness is an U.S. form
  of politeness only.
• Dress codes are informal (polo shirts and jeans
  are fairly common), but be well-groomed
• Professional
• Time-consciousness (punctuality)
• Assertiveness initiation
• Work life and personal life have clear boundaries

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Dos

• Personal space maintain a physical distance
  (closeness means intimacy)
• Hand shaking not too firm and not too light
• Eye contact direct eye contact is important
• Directness be clear and direct about what you
  think/need
• Punctuality be punctual to meetings/appointments
  
• You have to put your best foot forward

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Donts

• Avoid asking personal questions
• Avoid touching co-workers (e.g., putting your arm
  around someones shoulder, holding hands)
• Avoid gift-giving its not as important in the
  U.S. as in other countries. When giving a gift to
  a business acquaintance, dont give anything that
  is personal
• Never speak in your native language with your
  co-national colleagues in the presence of a U.S.
  co-worker

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Steps in the successful job hunt

• 1. Plan
• When do you need to start thinking about finding
  a job?
• The earlier the better! Why?
• The early bird catches the worm
• Select job search methods.
• Make a schedule and stick to it.
• Develop a record keeping system.

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Select job search methods

• Use more than one!!!
• Conventional
• Newspapers, trade journals, online job search
  engines, job fairs, internships
• Unconventional
• Informational interviews, networking, directly
  contacting employers

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Steps in the successful job hunt

• 1. Plan
• When do you need to start thinking about finding
  a job?
• The earlier the better! Why?
• The early bird catches the worm
• Select job search methods.
• Make a schedule and stick to it.
• Develop a record keeping system.

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Steps in the Successful Job Hunt

• 1. Plan
• When do you need to start thinking about finding
  a job?
• The earlier the better! Why?
• The early bird catches the worm
• Select job search methods.
• Make a schedule and stick to it.
• Develop a record keeping system.

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Steps in the Successful Job Hunt

• 2. Search
• Search for employment opportunities.
• Stick to your schedule and keep your record up to
  date.
• Remember to research organizations and companies.
• Make all of your communications as personable as
  possible.

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Steps in the Successful Job Hunt

• 3. Follow-Up
• Follow-up with employers and contacts
• Send thank-you notes to whomever you speak with
• Evaluate offers are they come

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Additional handout/information

• When How to Reveal Your Status
• U.S. companies that hire international students
• - 21 pages
• - email for an electronic copy
• (lancy_at_siu.edu)

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Career Panel Successful Stories

• Neha Udar
• PhD Candidate, Electrical Computer Engineering
• Interned at Intel Corp. Agere Systems
• Dr. Dhrubodhi Mukherjee
• Assistant Professor, Social Work
• Dr. Yihua Philip Sheng
• Computer Information Specialist, Computer Science
• Chief Scientist, Asia-Pacific Institute of
  Finance Management

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Evaluation

• Please help us serve you better by
• filling out our evaluation.
• Thank you!
• Next week (March 8th) U.S.-Style cover letter,
  resume writing, job interview (presented by
  Career Services)