Completing Higher Education USA is one part, then comes the job/internship search phase. In this page, you will find all the information that will help with your internship and full time job search. Unlike in India, campus placements, interviews doesn’t exist in over 95% of the schools and colleges. I have heard campus placements only for MBA in Ivy League schools, Stanford, Harvard and few other schools.
When there are no campus placements, you have to take efforts to find full time job. Process of applying for jobs is much different than India (or other countries). If you will be looking for entry level job after completing college, then you better find an internship first.
Internship
If you don’t have previous work experience, then you HAVE to find an internship position for atleast 2 semesters. Also, if you applying for internship have 2 fold advantage
- Helps you learn about Job Search process
- Same company may end up hiring you as full time employee
International students in first semester will try hard to get RA/TA and then part time jobs. They forget to focus their energy in preparing and learning about internship search process. F1 visa rules require students in F1 visa to complete atleast 2 semesters (Fall and Spring) before they can work as an intern.
First Semester Plan
You can spend first semester by doing following activities
- build your professional network
- build your brand
- get perfect resume written
- how to use twitter for job search
- how to use linkedin for job search
- how to use facebook for job search
- Identify target companies
- Learn to write customized cover letter
- Rate Your Resume (how good is your resume)
Second Semester Plan
You have to start applying fort jobs during second semester. Check with your university about
- CPT policy
- Requirements to get CPT
- How many semesters they would allow CPT
- How long it would take to get CPT approval when you get the internship
- Department requirements
- Course Requirements while you will be working in CPT
Start applying for internship as soon as your second semester starts. Do include your intended start date in your resume and cover letter. Start preparing for interview process (phone and in-person). Its very bad idea to start preparing for interview, only after company have scheduled an interview (phone or in-person).
Internship interviews are not as tough as full time job interviews, which can go for 2 to 8 hours in a day.
Full Time Job Search
If you have experience in searching/applying for internship you can use that learning curve to apply for full time jobs. Typically it takes about 4 to 7 months to find a full time job. So, you better start applying for full time job during your last semester.
STEM graduates have to find a full time job or internship within 90 days into your OPT. If you start looking for job after you graduate, then you are going to be in trouble. Previously, consulting companies would hire students in OPT and sponsor their H1B, but after recession, neufeld memo things are pretty strict. Unless you have a project, consulting companies are not going to hire you.
Resume Tips
In order to get an interview call, you need to have strong resume. I strongly recommend you to get your resume written professionally while applying for full time jobs. I have seen over 400 resumes of students from India and just by looking at the resume over for few seconds, I can say what kind of person I’m dealing here.
Don’t even think of having 5 page resume, that are famous in India.
Number of pages in resume is not equal to high quality or better resume. Try to keep resume within 2 pages. Don’t leave resume hanging with 1.5 pages. Make it 2 full pages.
Job Search Plan
I strongly recommend you buy the following books even before you start your job search.
You need to create a job search schedule and stick to it. Allocate atleast 2 hours per day just for job search activities, which includes
- Building your network (contacts)
- Finding job openings
- Finding contacts within the company
- Customizing the resume and cover letter for each job you apply
- Keeping track of jobs applied and status
- Improvising your job search skills
- many more activities
Job search should be approached as full time job. Try to find a secluded place in your campus, if you do the above tasks every day, then it within few weeks, you will not feel the pain of searching for jobs.
Interview Calls
Start preparing for job interview, when you start applying for jobs. Since you know the types of job you are targeting, allocate 30 minutes to 1 hour per day for learning the technical stuffs. Also, learn about behavioral interview questions and how to answer them.
It’s very hard to master behavioral interview questions, just 2 days or a week before the interview. You have to find all such questions and rehearse answers for them. Sample questions
- Explain your weakness
- What will you be doing 5 years from now
- Tell me about yourself
- What Not to Say During Interview
After Interview
After attending in-person interview always send a thank you note. Utilize this opportunity to highlight any skills you may have missed to explain during the interview. If your interviews didnt; go as expected, try to explain how you can overcome the weakness.
When you the job offer, don’t accept the offer without negotiating the salary. Avoid these 9 salary negotiating mistakes.
If you have additional questions about job search process, post your questions int eh comment form below. Do share this page with your friends.
sir ji jab aap ko reply nahi karna to ye facility provide kyu kar rakhe hai ,,logo ko kya chutia samjha hai kya,,,,,, ek ko to reply kar do,,,,
Hello Sir,
Actually i am doing my final year EIE. and I want to know how to take the New GRE effectively.Because my dream is to do masters in US waiting for your reply.
Thank You
sir , did indian student faces problem in getting job in forien countries ,what starting package for student completed MS from average good university
right now starting package is “0″.
I am looking to pursue CMA (USA) I need tips on how to study & which book to refer while doing 9 hours job.
please also guide me on how to improve my GRE portfolio.
Sir
i have currentlly maintained my B.tech degree at 78.66%, my College comes under the 3rd grade category (as people say) for the top universities of USA, i want to pursue my master’s degree from there. Can you please guide me on the how should i make this happen.
hello sir,
Currently i have completed my first semester in pharmacology & toxicology at Long Island University, New York. Right now i am not satisfied with my course curriculum so i thought of transfer of university and apply for Ph.d again by taking gre. I need few guidelines from happy schools? regarding process to transfer and suggest me requirements for transfer.
waiting for your valuable advise.
Dear Sir,
I have appeared for BE-CSE with agg 58.23%(till 7th sem) awaiting 8th sem result.I had 7 backlogs in my Engg and a year gap. So will it be a good option for me to opt for GRE without job experience or shall I opt for after I get good experience.
Incase, I opt now what would be a good GRE score for my background to get admitted into a good university with some financial aid.
I am a student of B.Tech in mechanical engg. 2 of my research papers have been selected for presentation and publication at International Conference on Computer Aided Design and Applications 2011 (CAD'11) in Taiwan. Our guide (prof) is attending the conference to present the paper. Even if I dont attend, my name will be present on the journal. Will there be any additional benefits for my career if I personally attend the conference? The estimated expenses on personally attending the conference are Rs 80,000. Are the benefits worth this amount. I am aiming for top 5 schools in US for MS. Can anybody help??
no need for spending personal amount. That will not influence your admission for Masters in USA. you will get opportunity for conferences in USA in future.
Hi
am finishing my Bachelor in Pharmacy in May 2011.
I am interested in perusing My M S from U S Universities .
I shall be thankful if some one suggest me about the course which have good job potential in U S and also name of the University .
Thanks
BACKGROUND: I am a business graduate… I finished my graduation back in 2007…. My CGPA was 3.63 out of a scale of 4….I gathered work experiences in several areas. I had worked in enterprises like Grameenphone, the top mobile phone operator in Bangladesh, as an administrative officer for 1 year, and then in a reputed advertising agency named Maccom, for 1 year. In December 2008, I joined the most circulated English newspaper of the Country, The Daily Star, as a Copy Editor in its 24/7 web edition and I have been working there since then. I also work as a contributing reporter for the newspaper's IT & Technology page.
TARGET: I want to acquire a dual/joint Masters' Degree on Journalism and Business (MBA). As far as I know, few universities like University of Columbia University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Boston University and Point Park University at Pittsburgh offer such dual/joint programme. I want to learn some more names of the universities whom offer such programme and please do feel free to suggest me anything regarding my selected programme.
P.S: I am preparing to sit for GRE and IELTS tests….. My target score in GRE is 1150-1200 and in 7-7.5 in IELTS..
Thank you..
i have low GRE score 870(verbal 230 Quants 640)
toefl 98 and my B.tech percentage is 58% with 4 backlogs…plz suggest some better universities which suits to my profile
Hi Abilash,
sorry for delay in reply.
1.) National Uniiversity(San Diego) Toefl – 79., no Gre required.
2.) North western Polytechnic University(Fremont, San Jose), Toefl – 70
no Gre required.
But u can go to good state universities with Toefl score rather than gng to lower level universities.
Hello
I am doing MS in Industrial Engineering in US. I want to do summer internship in India. How can I find them ?
hii….i got a low GRE score of about 850(quants-610,ver-240,awa-2)
do i get the US visa…..plz let me know…..
what are universities will be comming to my score…plz anyone can help out in this…
hi HSB
I have 4 backlogs, with 63%, GRE:900,TOFEL:98.
Can u tell which university will i get for doing masters.
Basically i from ELECTROCAL back ground………..
i have 24 back logs ,with 62%.toefl sore is 96, gre score is 1170. nect week i have my visa interview, plz help me …
Well backlogs is not a problem. Visa officer will not ask you about backlogs. Have confidence about your field of study that what will you do after Masters degree. where will you find job, finances etc. are more important questions.
hi,
my name is shabbeer… i did my B.tech in Electronics and communication with an aggregate of 70.1%…. and i have 1 backlog in my academic career….. i have doubt that am i eligible for all universities in US…. is there any problem for having backlog….. please guide me… i am tensed about this….
Hello HSB,
The above tips for the job search is really helpful but I have a question. I am an Undergraduate Student in City University of New York, Brooklyn College and this is my last semester. I have done two internships regarding the tax/ accounting. Now the problem is, I am doing a double major: first major Business Management and second is: Accounting. According to the information I heard of, I cannot show my double major while applying for the OPT. I mean in the card it will be written that I can only get job regarding the Management. Is it so? If yes, then should I be talking to the International Office that to change my first Major as Accounting because I am really interested on going to that field and finding jobs. Please advise me.
Thanks!
hello HSB, i did my btech in 2007 in electronics n
communication with 61% marks and after that also did my PG diploma
course in embedded and vlsi design .after that i was in teaching
and right now m working on GIS. now i want to do MS so plz guide me
and onemore thing plz clarify me the selection crieteria(%) and the
procees regarding admission.plz guide me
Dear HSB,
Iam in need of information about the Pennsylvania State universities Colleges of Communication?
Would also love to know the minimum requirements and eligibility, cost of living etc etc….
Pls guide me.Awaiting Responce
Regards,
Subba Rao M
Dear HSB,
My score is,
GRE 1220 (Verbal 440 and Quant 780) and undergraduate 55% average
The course I want to apply for is MS in Mechanical Engineering.
Can you please guide me on whether the score is sufficient to get admission in following universities for Fall 2011,
1. SUNY at Buffalo
2. A & MUniversity of Texas
or any other university
Can I get any kind of assistance with this score?
Heyyyyyyy guys just undergoing a lot of tensions…….i will be applying for universities for the fall 2011 only……….Took the guidance from counsellor but feels like she is not showing much interest in the process……….Anywayssssss please guide me that, to which universities should i apply based on my score………
GRE : 1050 ( Quants-730, Verbal-320)
TOEFL: 73
UNDER GRADUATION :71.16%
dear ila ,
wt i sincerely suggest is plz do take your gre&toefl again
How to improve our portfolio if our GRE marks are low?
How to improve our portfolio if our gre marks is very low?
Hello HSB,
I gave my TOFEL and also my GRE
TOFEL=68
GRE=840
and the course applied is Management Information Systems
I have sent the scores to
FIU
FSU
syracuse university
CSU Fullerton
Can any1 tell me, are there any chances of getting an admission from these universities for such low scores.
And i have the certificate’s of native English language of 16 yrs.
Plz Suggest something about it……
I am waiting for your reply……
Advance Thank you….
if u can give me your contact no i can help you further and i suggest uat would be the right place for you r score.
+918871930028 pls help me depa . raj