Every semester, 291,000 international students on OPT face the heartbreaking need to leave the country because they can’t secure a sponsor. There are several factors that contribute to these statistics. Here are the top 5 mistakes that international students make when the look for a job in the US:
Being unprepared to answer questions about sponsorship during an interview. Most international students are not ready to answer questions about sponsorship. This is troubling considering most U.S. companies have no knowledge in this matter. To succeed during an interview, international students should be familiar with the immigration process they qualify for, its steps, the costs involved, and the time frame to complete it. Do you know how to answer questions about immigration? Read: “4 Steps to Prepare to Answer Questions About Sponsorship During a Job Interview.”
Not starting your job search very, very early. Your job search should begin in your junior year. This may sound like an exaggeration, but it is crucial because employment-based immigration processes, like the EB-2 and EB-3, can take 18 to 24 months to complete. Finding a willing sponsor before graduating gives you a better chance of completing your immigration process before your OPT expires. Read: “A sponsorship timeline that works for international students.”
Using the wrong job search strategy. Job search strategies that work for domestic students may not be as effective for international students. We highly recommend prioritizing networking as the foundation of this strategy. Whereas exclusively relying on online job boards for your job search can lead to submitting numerous applications without any results. Based on our extensive research and the data we've analyzed, networking has repeatedly emerged as the most effective strategy for international students. Read: “A proven strategy for international students to find a job in the US.”
Not targeting the right businesses (the ones that are most likely to sponsor). Businesses that sponsor often possess distinct characteristics. Identifying and targeting companies with these specific traits can greatly enhance your success. Look for businesses with these traits: 20-50 employees, founded between 2011 and 2019, and belong to the top industries that sponsor. But the best indicator is a track record of sponsorship. 97% of businesses that have sponsored an international employee before tend to do it again. Unsure about how to locate businesses with a track record of sponsorship? Use SponsorshipGuru, an AI-driven platform, to find known sponsors, quickly and easily.
Comments