International Career Tools
Want an internship or job in the United States? Start with these special resources for international students. Learn more about U.S. culture, work authorization and how to search.
Understanding U.S. Culture
In the U.S., it is important for you to be able to identify your individual contributions to an organization. International students have talents that can easily be “sold” to an employer in a cover letter or interview. Some of these characteristics include:
- Multilingual skills
- Geographic flexibility
- Proven work ethic
- Motivation
- Thirst for continual learning
- Adaptability to new environments
- Knowledge of global business practices
Capitalize on these talents, in addition to the other skills your education, past experience and extracurricular activities have given you.
Challenges
Often, international students experience challenges in landing jobs in the U.S. because they are competing in an environment that is completely different than the one in which you were raised. Not only can written and verbal communication skills present difficulties in attempting to translate thoughts into a non-native language, but business cultures, customs and expectations vary greatly in other countries.
The following issues have traditionally come up for international students and can be addressed through your education before your job search commences. (Note: These conflicting values represent a cross-section from various cultures.)
| Issue | Expectations in U.S. |
|---|---|
| Self-promotion |
|
| Individual responsibility in finding employment |
|
Directness in communication |
|
| Career self-awareness |
|
| Punctuality |
|
| Informality in the interview process |
|
| Effective cover letters and résumés |
|
| Individual equality |
|
| Knowledge of organization prior to interview |
|
Modified from original source: “International Students and the Job Search.” Goodman, A.P., J.A. Hartt, M.K. Pennington and K.P. Terrell, Journal of Career Planning & Employment, Summer 1988
Additional Resources
Dreambridge Partners: a leadership training and career development-coaching firm, which focuses on understanding the U.S. culture and its expectations as well as strategies for living, studying and job hunting in the U.S.
Improving English Language Skills
U.S. employers consistently rate communication skills as one of the most desired qualities in both new hires and seasoned executives. How well you communicate will set you apart, both in the hiring process and later as you advance in your career. Below are a list of tips for improving your English language at home and on campus.
On this page:
Interstride is a tool for international students that offers U.S. visa insights, foundational work-related immigration and visa information, and webinars on how to execute a successful job search in the U.S. and abroad. You can investigate if a specific company has petitioned for an H-1B before, or conduct research on top prospects based on city, industry, etc.
Dreambridge Partners is a leadership training and career-development coaching firm, which has videos on:
- U.S. culture
- Cultural expectations
- Small talk
- Interviewing
- Job search
Center for Excellence in Writing
Multilingual students may take advantage of the Center for Excellence in Writing’s individual consultation service as needed, up to three visits per week. Ongoing appointments attend to your particular writing needs as well as help you to accelerate your proficiency in written English. Writing is an essential skill in business. Schedule an appointment today. (Free with student ID)
Oral Communication Lab offers opportunities to practice speaking formally and informally. Practice in a supportive, low-pressure environment.
- Befriend American students. The more you converse with native speakers the faster your language skills will improve.
- Watch television and movies in English with the English subtitles on.
- Listen to English speaking podcasts and watch TED Talks.
- Keep a journal of new words.
- Follow English language social media and post comments in English.
- Make a “Speak English Only” agreements with friends who share your native language on campus.
- Consider becoming a tutor at UB. Previous UB international students have found teaching difficult subject matter to other students has greatly increased their pronunciation and confidence in interacting with native speakers. Apply to become a tutor.
There are several common career words that are misspelled by international students. Set your Microsoft Word and word processing documents to American English to ensure that spell check will catch these common mistakes.
| United Kingdom or Commonwealth Spelling | American Spelling |
|---|---|
Analyse | Analyze |
Behaviour | Behavior |
Capitalise | Capitalize |
Centre | Center |
Familiarise | Familiarize |
Fulfil | Fulfill |
Instal | Install |
Judgement | Judgment |
Labour | Labor |
| Learnt | Learned |
Maximise | Maximize |
Modelled | Modeled |
Optimise | Optimize |
Organise | Organize |
Practise | Practice |
Prioritise | Prioritize |
Programme | Program |
Realise | Realize |
Utilise | Utilize |
Visualisation | Visualization |
CPT and OPT Basics
As an international student, it is important that you understand the regulations associated with your visa. Explanations of work eligibility (whether it be on or off campus) for students studying with a F-1, J-1 or H-4 visa can change depending on what curriculum you are taking within a university. Therefore, attending workshops and reading guides provided by UB’s International Student Services (ISS) and attending workshops provided by the School of Management will arm you with the necessary information about your eligibility to work or intern on or off campus.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of work-authorization used for F-1 students to complete off-campus training experiences.
- The primary purpose of CPT is to gain practical experience in the student's field of study.
- The training experience must be an integral part of an established curriculum and directly related to the student's major area of study.
- The student must also enroll for a course that requires an off-campus training experience.
- CPT is not possible for all F-1 students because it is dependent on the academic requirements of a specific academic program.
Please note that “employment” is defined as any type of service for which a benefit, including academic credit, is received. Therefore, even if the student will not be paid for the internship, they should obtain CPT authorization.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an F-1 student benefit that allows you to work off campus in a job related to your major. It is meant to supplement your academic experience with practical experience. Optional Practical Training may be authorized for a total of 12 months. Students in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) can qualify for a STEM extension.
STEM Extension
Some UB School of Management degree programs qualify for the optional practical training (OPT) extension for the F-1 students with science technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees. They include:
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Management
- Master of Science in Business Analytics
- Master of Science in Finance
- Master of Science in Management Information Systems
Talk to Employers about OPT
If you need some help talking with potential employers about OPT, refer to our Employment Visa Frequently Asked Questions.
This means that international graduate students in these programs may qualify for an extension of their post-graduation work authorization (OPT) up to a total of 36 months. Additionally, graduate students on an international visa who earned their undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution in a STEM designated program are also STEM designated. Some employers are more willing to hire and petition for candidates who are earning a STEM designated degree because the candidate gets more chances at the lottery.
When Should I Apply for OPT?
Once you have graduated, you should be ready to work when an employer wants you. If the employer has to wait for your employment authorization document (EAD) card so you are eligible, the employer may select its second-choice candidate instead and you may miss out on that job opportunity. We have seen this happen many times.
- Note EAD processing times have increased in recent years especially for June graduates. Approval may take from 90 -120 days.
- Therefore, we recommend that you submit your OPT application to ISS 90 days prior to your completion of degree conferral date to allow sufficient time for ISS and USCIS processing.
- Then, choose your employment authorization start and end date. You may choose any start date between your degree conferral date and the end of your 60-day grace period.
- For example:
| Degree Conferral Date | Choose any EAD start date between |
|---|---|
| June 1 | June 1 and July 31 |
| February 1 | February 1 and April 1 (leap years are an exception) |
| September 1 | September 1 and October 31 |
Employment Visa FAQs
See answers to the most frequently asked questions about working in the United States including how to answer employment questions when you apply for jobs and internships. Learn more.
The U.S. Job Search
Generally the job search for new graduates, both domestic or international, is very self-directed. The school’s involvement includes planning career events, organizing on-campus recruitment and résumé drops, connecting you with alumni at your request, and preparing students for the job search through educational seminars and one-on-one advisement. However, as a student (or new graduate), your responsibilities include selecting career and industry areas, perfecting your correspondences so they are ready when the time comes, staying abreast of events and opportunities, attending activities, meeting people who can help in your career advancement, searching for companies in industries or geographic regions that interest you, sending applications, following up appropriately, preparing for interviews and more.
- Get your résumé and cover letters reviewed by a career counselor, employer or alumni.
- Become thoroughly familiar with immigration regulations and benefits attached to your visa status.
- Research the employers and positions in which you are interested.
- Participate in a mock interview.
- Practice speaking confidently about your skills, interests and career goals.
- Improve your English skills by speaking up in class, making presentations and expanding your circle of native English-speaking friends.
- Create and actively use a LinkedIn account.
- Network, network, network. Get to know influential people at companies in your target industry. Refer to the CRC's networking resources.
A well-prepared résumé and cover letter are essential to getting a job interview. For a U.S. job search, your résumé and cover letter must conform to basic, generally accepted standards.
| Expectations in U.S. | Details |
|---|---|
| Résumés are generally one page. | U.S. employers expect one page per ten years of related experience. |
| Personal information is usually excluded. | Do not include your picture, birth date, age or marriage status. |
| Do not list English as a skill. | The employer will assume you are fluent, so do not give them a reason to question your English skills. Your domestic competition never lists that skill. The marketable and unique skill is the language that is foreign to the U.S.
|
| Do not assume U.S. employers understand your international GPA. | Most employers in the U.S. would consider a percentile of 80 percent to be a “low B” average and barely passing a graduate-level program. Yet, in many countries, 80 percent is fantastic. It is difficult and often inaccurate to calculate percentile into a U.S. GPA on a 4.0 scale. Therefore, we recommend you use other methods to show your success, such as your class rank or phrases like “top 10 percent in class” or “graduated first class.” |
The CRC has several resources on our website and in the office that can assist you. If you are creating a résumé for the first time, begin by using the CRC Résumé Guide and résumé template.
Work in the U.S. is not guaranteed, nor promised, to foreign nationals entering the country on a student visa. In addition to quotas set on the number of skilled foreign workers legally permitted in the country, the following factors contribute to the difficulty you may experience trying to find employment in the United States.
Challenge | Recommendation |
|---|---|
Networking A large difference between the U.S. employment market and other parts of the world is the reliance on networking. | Networking is a learned skill. Let the CRC help you develop it. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 48% of all job connections are made through personal contacts. Therefore, networking is essential in your career development. Visit our networking resources to learn more. |
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. Have your EAD card on time and know yourself and what you have to offer. Be able to explain why you are uniquely qualified. |
“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 U.S.-focused hobby. Show employers that you have become ingrained in U.S. culture and see yourself here for the long term. If you can express that in a cover letter or interview, you will ease the employer’s reluctance. |
Lack of commitment to the job Employers fear that foreign nationals will return to their home country after a year or two and are reluctant to invest resources into training them. It is common for international employees to leave for another company shortly after the H-1B is granted; the companies they leave perceive the experience as negative and are less likely to hire again. | Choose a company—not just a job. Show commitment to the company by doing your research, and be able to explain why you want that company, not just a job. Never give the impression you want any job to get your H-1B. You should get a position with a company based on what fits your future career goals. Also, consider moving to the city you plan to live in, or even discuss the benefits of owning a home versus renting. |
Hiring complexities Many employers are unfamiliar with the process of hiring an international student and therefore believe it is complicated and expensive. | Become an expert. The more you understand what it takes and how easy it is, and the better you can communicate that, the easier it will be to convince an on-the-fence employer. |
Communication Employers are concerned about foreign nationals’ ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written English with 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 U.S. classmates, participating in customary U.S. activities, practicing interviews, joining a club or attending events. Always get your correspondence critiqued before sending. |
Cost Fees to hire an international candidate can exceed $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. Do not give in and offer to pay; it is illegal for the candidate to pay government fees. |
Employment restrictions In general, as a foreign national you cannot work for the U.S. federal government, most U.S. state and local government agencies or some private companies contracted by the government. Your visa status will be less of a barrier with other industries and employers. | Focus on companies who do hire International students will find strong employment prospects at organizations with an international focus, such as the World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, World Bank or African Development Fund. You may have more success with U.S. companies that have an international presence. Your experiences, language and cultural fluency make you attractive. And, if your H-1B is denied, you may be able to continue work in your home country. |
Identify Employers Who Hire International Students
Identify companies who have petitioned for H-1B visas by geographic region, functional area and more. Use this site to create a targeted list of companies or identify if the company you are applying to has hired international talent. Contains job postings for international candidates. Go to MyVisaJobs.com.
- Interstride is a tool for international students that offers U.S. visa insights, foundational work-related immigration and visa information, and webinars on how to execute a successful job search in the U.S. and abroad. You can investigate if a specific company has petitioned for an H-1B before, or conduct research on top prospects based on city, industry, etc.
Provided by the U.S. government, the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center discloses relevant information about H-1B petitions by companies in recent years. This resource shares a lot of information about the petitions including the companies who hired internationals, jobs titles, salaries, cities of the companies, as well as the locations where the hired person is working, and more. If this company hired an international candidate before, they should be on your list to investigate. Note: review the tab marked Disclosure Data, then scroll down to LCA Programs (H-1B). The entire website has helpful information about H-1B and permanent resident filings. Explore the full site for more information. Go to the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center.
Review employers who have hired international graduates from the University at Buffalo School of Management.
Attend events and engage with recruiters who hire international graduates. Go to International Recruiting Events.
Helpful Resources
Immigration
- UB International Student Services
- Pro Bono Program - Free Legal Service Providers
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services'
- “How to Get An H-1B Visa”, from the Law Office of Carl Shusterman
- "What are H-1B cap-exempt jobs?" from Interstride
- "Taking Charge of Your US Career with An O-1 Visa" by Rudra Roy Choudhury
- Fragomen Worldwide: Alerts about current procedures and processes, and provide up-to-date information about immigration issues and anticipated changes
- Miller Mayer: Join this immigration law firm's immigration newsletter for occasional visa news in the U.S.
- SGM Law Group: Provides updates and news on immigration issues and H-1B masters' quota
Job Resources
- OPT Nation - U.S.-based OPT/CPT job portal
- United OPT - U.S.-based OPT/CPT job portal
UB Library Resources
These directories are available in Lockwood Library on UB's North Campus.
- Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries
- Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States