Coming to UNC Chapel Hill for a college education was probably not an easy decision. As an international student, you made the choice to leave your home country and study in a completely new educational and cultural environment. More often than not, the American workplace environment is different as well. The American resume, interview, and ways to interact with recruiters may not be the same as in your home country. To assist you in your career development as an international student, UCS offers some of the following resources:
- One on one appointments with career counselors: These are perhaps the most important resource for any international student looking for jobs or internships in the US. UCS counselors can talk about anything career related from choosing a major to finding a full time job, and everything in between. UCS counselors can also help you prepare and seek out employers for your Optional Practical Training (OPT) and/or Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
- Online resources: The UCS web site has a number of wonderful resources for both international and domestic students. Some of particular interest to international students include Going Global and Uniworld Directories, both of which will assist students in doing research about companies and identifying possible employment opportunities both in the US and abroad. These links can be found under the Resources section under the Student link on the UCS web site.
- Careerolina: This is the main job, internship, and on campus recruiting resource for UNC students. Over 6,000 jobs and internships are posted on Careerolina each year. Some companies posting on Careerolina will list if they are willing to sponsor international students for work visas. To access this database, go to Careerolina and login with your ONYEN.
- Career Fairs: UCS offer 12 different career fairs each year. Be sure to attend the ones that pertain to your career fields of interest and connect with recruiters. A schedule of upcoming career fairs and be found on the UCS web site.
- Workshops: UCS offers a variety of workshops each semester that focus on student career development. UCS will often collaborate with other offices (such as International Student and Scholar Services) in order to present international student specific workshops. The UCS web site will have a schedule of upcoming workshops for each semester.
While it might be more difficult as an international student to find permanent employment within the US, remember that as an international student, you already have qualities that American companies look for in employees. You showed adaptability in studying in a foreign country, you most probably know another language besides English, and you took a risk to leave your home country to study in the US. In meeting with UCS counselors and in using all the resources listed above, you will hopefully be able to secure a satisfying and prosperous career in the US in the near future.