Petroleum engineering and geology senior Citra Inaray wants a job after graduation, but for international students like her, the process of searching for a job is full of challenges American students don’t worry about.
“The job process is not as straightforward for international students as domestic students,” Inaray said.
According to International Services Director Natalie Rigby, upon graduation, international students may apply for Optional Practical Training, which allows them to continue living in the United States for a year if they have a job working in the field in which they received a degree.
Because this period of time is so limited, getting a job after graduation is a high priority for most international students.
“[OPT] gives [international students] a chance to get some work experience before they go back home,” Rigby said.
International students with experience working in the United States have an advantage when applying for jobs, even if their employment lasts only a few months, according to Rigby.
“When you’re looking at international and global companies that may place workers anywhere in the world, they’ll look like a worker who can adjust to cultures, adjust to environments,” Rigby said.
Inaray knows the benefits of having U.S. work experience on her résumé, but she does not want to work here forever.
“My end goal is not to get a visa. I really want to get an OPT, maybe go to grad school and then go back to Indonesia to build my career,” Inaray said.
Inaray is using resources offered by Career Services to find a job in time for her graduation in December 2013. So far, she has attended workshops, informational sessions, networking receptions and the Career Expo.
Job Search Coordinator for Career Services Blake Winchell said statistically, international students use Career Services resources more than domestic students.
“Getting a job in the U.S. is important so I can see different perspectives of how an industry works, so I can go back to Indonesia and contribute something more than other workers,” Inaray said.
Career Services held a networking reception for engineering students and potential employers Tuesday night; the engineering Career Expo was held Wednesday.
Inaray prepared for the reception and expo by researching companies looking for petroleum engineering students that were willing to hire international students.
“It’s tricky and requires a lot of planning to approach companies that are more globally exposed,” Inaray said.
At the reception and expo, Inaray spoke with representatives from companies she was interested in, but she said she was not surprised to find that most representatives could not answer the specific questions she had.
“When I asked about global operations, [the representative] knew about it but not specifics of each country,” Inaray said.
Assistant Director for Career Services Jesse Downs said companies will often send alumni to connect with students, but these alumni won’t always be able to answer the specific questions international students may have.
“I’m optimistic,” Inaray said. “And I’m not like, ‘If I don’t get a job, my world ends.’ I could always go back to my home country and continue my search there.”
