The focus of our weekly series Foreign Students Fridays is to discuss issues of interest for foreign students studying in colleges abroad. Last week we had talked about the rise in number of Graduate Students in US.

Today we will be discussing & sharing tips related to another important issue i.e. getting a job of your choice. Job hunting often becomes a major worry for international students after they finish their school course.

As Lindsey Pollak mentions in her article, it is wise to begin your job search process early.  While it would help any student in general, it specially holds good for international students as it takes them longer to get a job offer due to visa norms & other paper work. So start searching for jobs early as that would give you a better chance.

A workshop by MIT Careers office on job search strategy for international students emphasized the value of researching about your prospective employer. Research is very helpful as you can learn about the norms in the company, evaluate whether you want to work there and save time before coming to companies for an interview.

There are many job search portals through which you can search and apply for jobs in your interest area. At the same time, it is equally vital to search offline in directories (national business, specialized business), books, business magazines, trade associations and annual reports. For more information, you can refer to the document published by MIT Careers office.

The Career cell at University of Pennsylvania underlines the importance of networking during job search process. Networking gives you access to the hidden job search market as there are many jobs which are not advertised on the public domain. Whether you are seeking jobs or just thinking about future possibilities, learning to network will be helpful.

Apart from doing your own research, you should also seek the help of experts. Normally the career services offices of top schools have wealth of experience in helping international students. So setup appointments with them and seek their advice on your individual situation.

To address the queries from prospective employers about visa sponsorship, you should enhance your knowledge about the H1B visa sponsorship process. Be prepared to all questions that your recruiter may ask you about the process, and learn about the process as much as possible. It will give you confidence and also make your employer more confident about the process of hiring you.

Lastly, it is very important to keep patience during the entire job search and visa application process. Sometimes it can be quite frustrating as the process takes time but remember that you have a lot to offer an employer with your knowledge of international business practices and global perspective. Make sure that you are confident in your own abilities so an employer will want to invest in you.

Are you an international student working in the U.S.? Please share any additional tips or advice with our community on our Facebook page! You can also follow us on Twitter for a quick discussion