ICAway Career Coach (Find F1 CPT, OPT, H-1B Jobs)

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

In this episode, we will be discussing how to effectively use work experience gained outside of the US to secure job opportunities in America.

Contrary to popular belief, US employers are interested in more than just work experience gained within the US.

I know this firsthand because when I first arrived in the US back in 2014, many people told me that my ten years of work experience in Thailand wouldn't be valuable here.

Despite that, I was able to secure a six-figure salary job using that same experience.

I'm here to share with you how you can do the same.

First, it's important to be your own advocate.

Have confidence in your skills and abilities, and believe that you can be a valuable asset to a potential employer.

Next, focus on effectively highlighting your international work experience on your resume.

Use the A-P-R method: Action, People, and Result.

The first element is Action - Action refers to what you did, for example, managing a project that impacted 3,000 employees nationally.

Be as specific as possible, and consider mentioning the purpose of the project and your contribution to it.

The second element is People - People refers to who you worked with, such as your supervisors, coworkers, or your clients.

Showcasing your ability to work well with others is a common skill employers look for,

so make sure to include that if it's relevant.

The last and most important element is the result.

Result refers to the outcome of your actions, and it's ideal to provide data or statistics to support it.

For example, you could mention that the project resulted in 100% user acceptance.

Be sure to highlight any major achievements you accomplished in your previous roles.

It's important to focus on skills and experience that are relevant to the industry you're targeting, regardless of where the experience was gained.

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

In this episode, I’ll talk about finding what work experience matters when applying for jobs in the US.

When searching for jobs, it can be very discouraging to see how many job openings require experience - even entry-level positions sometimes ask for 2-3 years of work experience.

For international students that are coming over without work experience in the US, or maybe even have no work experience at all, this can feel like an even more intimidating obstacle.

If that’s how you feel, here is data that may help you feel more hopeful. More than 50% of ICAway students have managed to secure jobs with zero prior work experience.  What are you going to put on your resume if you haven’t had a relevant job before? Or haven’t had any job at all?

The answer is to use your school experience instead. Contrary to popular belief, the projects you work on in school can be very compelling to interviewers if you know how to tell your stories. Highlight them on your resume if they are relevant to the job you are applying for

For example:

if you are applying to work in data analytics and in school you did a project that required you to analyze data and you also led the team by arranging meetings and controlling deadlines.

Highlight that on your resume! For example, one of my students got to work on a data analytics project at school. Her school provided the database and ask students to define the factor that affected income in the U.S.

She could even write a bullet like

“Led a team of three to extract data from the government database for regression analysis to define factors affecting income inequality in the U.S.”

What if you don’t even have compelling school projects? Find opportunities to volunteer.

There are many non-project organizations that may need to have someone with diverse backgrounds and skills like you! And you don’t need a CPT work volunteer in those non-profit organizations. If you are from an Asian country like I am, I’d recommend that you check into https://www.ascendleadership.org/. For the Hispanic community, I’d recommend that you check https://www.prospanica.org/ and https://www.alpfa.org/ 

Or you can also reach out to your professors or leaders at your school to ask if there are any projects you can do to volunteer as you want to build skills in that area.

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

In this episode, I will talk about career branding

Career branding is important.

It will help you become the right candidate for your dream employer.

Good, Legitimate employers who sponsor, will only sponsor you when you can show that you’re the right candidate.

I would like to share with you my own experience from when I first moved to the US.

I came to the US with an MBA and over 10 years of work experience.

I have a diverse background in both industry and consulting,

At that time, I thought I would be able to get a job easier by casting a wide net rather than making a narrow search

Unfortunately, I was wrong.

No matter how many jobs I applied for, I wasn’t getting any job interviews.

My approach of applying for jobs like a numbers game wasn’t working!

So I decided to change my approach.

I started by looking into the job market and defining my niche that would interest American employers.

I found that one of my experiences in change management was in high demand in the US.

Therefore, I changed my resume and updated my LinkedIn, branding myself as a “Change management consultant.”

I also put together work samples for my potential employers.

After that, I was able to secure many job interviews and finally got a job with a six-figure salary.

Breaking into the US job market is difficult, especially if you are just starting out.

For students, you may feel discouraged when reading job descriptions as Most jobs that you see online require years of work experience, even at the entry-level

As you’re new to the country, you may not have the professional network to help you bypass those requirements.

On top of that, you may also be running into problems caused by your need for sponsorship.

The unfortunate truth is that some companies just don’t have a visa sponsorship policy

However, I have witnessed many students who were able to bypass those immigration hurdles and land their dream jobs before their graduation

How did they achieve that?

Your first step is to be the candidate that companies won’t reject!

Recruiters said that their biggest reason for rejecting your application was because it was irrelevant.

Some companies said that they would blacklist those candidates from coming up in future applications.

Please stop treating your application like a number game.

It is like taking a shot in the dark with your resume.

Applying to more jobs does not increase your chances of getting hired.

Instead, you should focus on creating and perfecting your career brand.

Your career brand is how your potential employer will see you.

It goes beyond your resume and can include online profiles like your LinkedIn, your portfolio, and all the other channels that your potential employers can use to get to know you better.

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

In this episode, I’ll share with you the right strategy to look for jobs when your 90-day OPT unemployment allowance is running out.

One important thing that makes International Students’ job search different from domestic students is work authorization.

To be eligible to work after graduation, international students need to apply for their Post-Completion Optional Practical Training or OPT.

Whether you are a STEM or non-STEM student, US federal law limits the period that you can be unemployed when your OPT starts.

The limits are 90 days for post-completion OPT.

It counts both weekdays and weekends.

If you travel outside the U.S. like visiting home, your time spent outside the U.S. also counts as unemployment.

I want to focus on this topic because there has been a lot of career advice out there for international students on social media channels

Recently, a few students of mine shared a post from a social media influencer on Instagram.

This person shared a job search tip for international students who need to find jobs within 90 days

They gave this advice.

Quote Unquote “Put all your effort and time into companies that will actually sponsor your visa”

This is totally misguided.

Be careful of wasting your time by following the advice from content creators out there who do not actually have hands-on experience coaching international students.

They just post the content because you want to hear it and it’s not necessary to be good advice.

With your OPT, remember that you don’t need a company that promises to sponsor you right away.

Your OPT is your work authorization.

You can start working part-time or full-time without sponsorship.

You don’t need to ask for sponsorship right away.

Job hunting within 90 days is a time crunch if you’re not familiar with the US job market.

Even for domestic job candidates who do not have work visa barriers, securing a dream job within 90 days could be challenging.

First, know the options that allow you to stay past the 90-day period.

The term “employed” for your OPT is not as specific as you might think.

First, this employment needs to be related to your field of study.

But whether it is Paid or unpaid job - it doesn’t matter!

As long as the responsibility is related to your major, this employment will help stop the 90-day unemployment allowance clock.

If you cannot find a paid full-time job, look for other options, such as temporary jobs, volunteering positions, or internships that will allow you to remain in the USA.

Maintain your status first and continue your dream job search!

Please always contact your International Student Services Office at your college or university. Your DSO is the person who can approve if the job is compatible with your OPT.

Now, let's listen to this episode to learn more about how to find jobs within 90 days.

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

In this episode, I’ll share with you the right strategy to look for jobs when your 90-day OPT unemployment allowance is running out.

One important thing that makes International Students’ job search different from domestic students is work authorization.

To be eligible to work after graduation, international students need to apply for their Post-Completion Optional Practical Training or OPT.

Whether you are a STEM or non-STEM student, US federal law limits the period that you can be unemployed when your OPT starts.

The limits are 90 days for post-completion OPT.

It counts both weekdays and weekends.

If you travel outside the U.S. like visiting home, your time spent outside the U.S. also counts as unemployment.

I want to focus on this topic because there has been a lot of career advice out there for international students on social media channels

Recently, a few students of mine shared a post from a social media influencer on Instagram.

This person shared a job search tip for international students who need to find jobs within 90 days

They gave this advice.

Quote Unquote “Put all your effort and time into companies that will actually sponsor your visa”

This is totally misguided.

Be careful of wasting your time by following the advice from content creators out there who do not actually have hands-on experience coaching international students.

They just post the content because you want to hear it and it’s not necessary to be good advice.

With your OPT, remember that you don’t need a company that promises to sponsor you right away.

Your OPT is your work authorization.

You can start working part-time or full-time without sponsorship.

You don’t need to ask for sponsorship right away.

Job hunting within 90 days is a time crunch if you’re not familiar with the US job market.

Even for domestic job candidates who do not have work visa barriers, securing a dream job within 90 days could be challenging.

First, know the options that allow you to stay past the 90-day period.

The term “employed” for your OPT is not as specific as you might think.

First, this employment needs to be related to your field of study.

But whether it is Paid or unpaid job - it doesn’t matter!

As long as the responsibility is related to your major, this employment will help stop the 90-day unemployment allowance clock.

If you cannot find a paid full-time job, look for other options, such as temporary jobs, volunteering positions, or internships that will allow you to remain in the USA.

Maintain your status first and continue your dream job search!

Please always contact your International Student Services Office at your college or university. Your DSO is the person who can approve if the job is compatible with your OPT.

Now, let's listen to this episode to learn more about how to find jobs within 90 days.

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

In this episode, I will be discussing the 2023 Job Search Game Plan for F-1 Students (during the Tech Layoff era)

The 2022 US job market could be intimidating as many big tech companies went through serious downsizing that led to many employees getting laid off.

This is concerning among all international students because those companies were common sponsors of H-1B work visas and green cards, but now they seem to have completely shut their doors to new employees.

So what can you do in 2023 to ensure that you land a job that you deserve?

First of all - let’s keep being positive

Don’t panic!

In November 2022, the Society of Human resources Management or SHRM published an article saying that technology job openings remain well above their pre-pandemic level.

And the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' new employment data shows that there are still almost two job openings for each job seeker.

You heard it right! There are almost two job openings for each of you!

However,  The competition in the job market overall is going to be more intense as there are more experienced candidates available in the job market.

the First step to looking for jobs in 2023 is to target careers in the industries that are hiring.

We usually see a strong relationship between economic growth and employment.

Meaning that, if a certain industry is performing well, there’s a high chance of more employment in that particular industry.

Right before the New Year,  the Economic Intelligence Unit or EIU published a report that summarized challenges, opportunities, and trends to watch in 7 business sectors for 2023.

Here’s a quick recap for you

1) the automotive industry will be on the rise because of the increasing sales of electric vehicles

2) Consumer goods and retailing - the lower volume of sales and increasing costs due to inflation will lower their profits.  They will turn to automation technology to help them reduce labor costs.

3) The Energy industry is slowing due to natural events, but the advances in renewable energy are continuing

4) Financial Services - Times will be tough for financial services due to rising interest rates and inflation. FinTech companies are likely to fail in large numbers.

5) Healthcare, for this sector, they are being affected by inflation, unfortunately.

6) Tech industry, the hiring trend is still hopeful as The metaverse has led to new openings in this industry.

And lastly 7) Tourism. Tourism will jump up by 30% from people tired of hiding in lockdown.

Now you know which industry will tend to have more job openings coming up this year

Next is to focus on marketing yourself to those industries as the job competition will be more intense and you'll need to become extra good at marketing yourself as the right candidate for the job.

What can you do to raise your chances of getting hired?

ICAway students still receive job offers during this layoff era.

Aim to be more than just another job seeker.

I’m rooting for you and wish all of you lots of success with your job hunt in 2023!

To learn more about job search strategy for F-1 international students, visit https://www.icaway.com/

I grew up in Bangkok, Thailand and when I moved to the U.S. in 2014, I was so excited about starting my new chapter!

But after months of job hunting, I became very frustrated and disappointed because it was not easy to land my dream job since I wasn’t born and raised in the US!

I didn't know how to market myself! I didn't know how to communicate my brand to American employers. I didn’t know how to make people like me enough to eventually become referrals for my dream company.

Nobody gave me proper advice about how to communicate my work authorizations as an immigrant!

I experienced unique barriers that most American friends of mine will never understand!

I evaluated my situation, I came up with a new game plan and finally discovered how to market myself as an international professional.

I built new connections from scratch and secured a 6-figure salary job at one of the big four consulting firms in Chicago.

The firm said they receive about 500,000 job applications a year and only 3.5 percent of them get hired

and I got hired.

This is what I’m here for!

At ICAway, my mission is to help YOU achieve the same outcome

I want to help international students or first-generation immigrants overcome their obstacles and be able to successfully market themselves to American employers.

If you are a school advisor advocating an IS career, I really admire your dedication and hard work in supporting the international student community! 

I’d like you to know that ICAway is here to support you and your work in order to achieve our common goal - helping international students launch their first career in the US.

This is the new season of the ICAway podcast that’s designed to help international students launch their first career in the US.

The international student job search situation is very unique!

When compared with domestic students,  International students have to deal with more intense time constraints in their career search.

like having to get hired within 90 days after the OPT work authorization starts, and getting work visa sponsorship before the expiration of their OPT.

This podcast will help you start making the right gameplan, and build a career brand and networking strategy.

You need a game plan because success happens when you start early, follow a proven strategy, and never give up.

Let’s start by looking at some true stories of people that have used the information that I will be discussing in this podcast. 

They are international students at ICAway who landed their dream jobs at top global companies because they had solid career brands and networking skills.

All of them bypassed all the traditional job application processes because they know how to optimize their career brand and network with the right people.

In our next episodes, I’ll start sharing the formulas they use to help them land their dream jobs. Stay tuned!

Get Help Finding Your Dream Job in the U.S. Today: Join ICAway Coaching Program

Did you know that the average job opening attracts 250 resumes? And that only 2% of applicants will be called for an interview?

It’s hard to get results when applying for jobs online!

In this episode, we want to help you increase your chances of getting job interviews.

Our guest mentor today is Brian Fink, a Senior Technical Recruiter at Twitter. With 10+ years of recruiting experience, Brian has helped a wide range of professionals from new grads to C-Suite executives.

Brian joined a conversation with Coach Kwan to discuss how job seekers can become recruiter magnets.

Follow Brain on LinkedIn and Twitter 

Get Help Finding Your Dream Job in the U.S. Today: Join ICAway Coaching Program

Personal branding is not exclusive to professionals in a leadership role.

It is a tool that everyone should engage to help solidify their career, especially young professionals.

Personal branding can help you in so many ways - not only to find your first job but also to pave your way on a fast track to success in the corporate world.

Our guest mentor in this episode is Stephanie Nuesi [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanienuesi/]

She's the CEO and Founder of Max Up. 

Stephanie is passionate about career coaching and public speaking. She has given over 300 workshops and events in 10 countries and has been guest speaker for companies like Wiley, The AICPA, UBS, LinkedIn, and more.

Stephanie has been featured on Fox News, abc news, The Denver Channel, The Well, The CPA Journal, Josh Talks USA, and more. She has helped over 5,000 students and professionals from all over the world with her company Max Up, where she provides career coaching and professional development strategies and resources to help them land their dream careers. Because of her passion to keep involved with the community, she was chosen as a 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar and is now a NextGen 30 Under 30 for the hispanic executive magazine, which highlights the most successful latinos worldwide.

Stephanie has interned in various top accounting firms, tech companies, and different banks in New York City and California. Stephanie is now a financial analyst at Google. 

Get Help Finding Your Dream Job in the U.S. Today: Join ICAway Coaching Program

The ability to work with people having diverse values and cultures is extremely important.

As an international student or immigrant in the U.S., you may be looking for an inclusive workplace

Where people acknowledge your differences and know that your uniqueness will contribute to the organization’s culture and business outcomes.

Our guest mentor today is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney. She is an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati and also the founder of Beyond Discovery Coaching

Nadia and I sat down to discuss the approach to help you find inclusive companies in the U.S.

Connect with Nadia, visit https://www.instagram.com/beyonddiscoverycoaching/