Information for international students regarding interviewing in the U.S. - Medill Career Services - Northwestern University

1. INTERVIEWING SKILLS FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
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Medill Career Services
Jerry Donahue, Assistant Director

2. Be Prepared!
 Do at least three things:
 Assess your strengths and weaknesses
 Research the employer
 Review/analyze interview techniques
and expectations

3. Be prepared, pt. 2!
 Two additional things to do:
• Ask yourself what skills the employer is
seeking; review the job description
carefully
• Think of stories about things you have
done that demonstrate those skills – use
the S.T.A.R. method, i.e. Situation/Task,
Action, Result since many employers
use behavior based interviewing.

4. Why stories?
 The best predictor of future behavior or
performance is past behavior or
performance in a similar situation.
 The interviewer may ask you to describe
past situations, your actions, any
obstacles you encountered, and the
results of your action

5. Behavior-Based Interviews
 To prepare ...
• Look back at previous jobs or other
experience and analyze what skills you
used in various projects
• Think about what went well and what you
could have done better
• Prepare some examples using the S.T.A.R.
technique to answer these types of
questions

6. Behavior-Based Interviews
 Examples
• Tell me about a time when you conformed
to a policy with which you did not agree. What
happened and what did you do?
• Tell me about a problem with a guest that
came as a surprise to you. What did you
do to resolve it? What was the outcome?

7. What Are Employers Looking For?
 Hiring managers typically look for evidence of:
• Positive attitude
• Strong work ethic
• Excellent verbal & written communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Self-motivation
• Collaborative skills
• Business acumen
• Passion
• Local & global perspective
• Intellectually curious, continuous learner

8. Know Yourself
 Be able to clearly communicate ...
• Your skills
• Your accomplishments
• Your career goals
• Your interests
 What is your greatest strength?
 What is your greatest weakness?
 Can you frame the weakness in a positive
way?

9. What to Bring
 For the employment interview:
• Additional resumes
• Reference list
• Application (if received prior to the
interview)
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• Name & title of the interviewer
• Company literature to review while
waiting
• A black or blue pen

10. What to Wear
For both men and women:
•Go conservative
• Present a polished, professional image

11. What to Wear
Men: Stay with classic fashions, no fads
• Ties: conservative, small print, stripes, or
paisley
• Shoes: Oxfords, tassel loafers, or wing-tips
• Belt: Same color as shoes
• Jewelry: Minimal--no earrings
• Socks: Solid, same color as pants, mid-calf
length

12. What to Wear
• Women: Stay with classic fashions, no fads
• Shoes: classic pumps with closed toes,
heel height of 11/2 to 2 inches
• Hose: neutral colored
• Jewelry: minimal, no dangle earrings;
nothing showy or distracting

13. What to Wear
• Women (cont'd.)
• Hair: short and neat, or pulled back/
pinned up
• Nail polish: clear or light color
• Nails: no more than medium length
• Perfume: none (careful of scented lotion
or body spray as well)

14. What To Wear

15. Interview Tips
• Be on time!
• Check out location of the building,
parking and elevators ahead of time
• Allow time for mishaps (traffic, getting
lost, a flat tire)
• Add an hour to the time you think it will
take to get there

16. More Tips
• Greet the interviewer by name
• Make eye contact
• Offer a firm but gentle handshake
• Take a seat after the interviewer does or
when invited
• Don't exaggerate responses
• Ask questions of the employer
*** But do not ask about whether they hire
lnt'l. Students, sponsorship or
salary/compensation
• Ask for clarification if you don't understand a
question

17. More Tips
• It's okay to take notes after the interview
ends to keep an accurate record of the
conversation for possible future
reference
• End the interview with a smile, a firm
handshake and a 'thank you'
• Send a thank you note within 24 - 48
hours after the interview; it can be either
hand written, emailed or both

18. Good Ways to Prepare
• Role play with a friend who is a fluent
English speaker
• Practice your answers to commonly
asked interview questions (check out
the MCS list of IMC potential interview
questions)
• Sign up for a Mock Interview with a
professional(check MEDILLINK for dates
and times and to register) to conduct a “live”
videotaped interview

19. Research
 Learn about potential employers
 Use WetFeet, Career Search, Vault – all are
found on the UCS University Career Services
website
 Use your LinkedIn connections whenever
possible
 GoinGlobal.com – may list employers who hire
international students/graduates. Also
myvisajobs.com can be a good resource.
 Talk with faculty and staff members
 Consult employer’s web site
 Contact alumni who work for the employer

20. Know the Employer
• Address & Phone Number
• Human Resource Director's Name, if
possible
• Job Description
• Geographic locations
• History/age
• Growth pattern
• Reputation
• Number of employees
• Sales for the past five years
• Assets/Earnings
• New products or projects

21. Know the Employer
Still more ...
• Newspaper/magazine articles
• Lexis-Nexis Articles - use the NU library
website to access this resource
• Northwestern University Library -
Company Overviews
• Foreign operations, consider using
UNIWORLD found on the UCS
Resources pages
• Competitors

22. Your Personal Brand
• Price Waterhouse Coopers – Great tips on
developing your personal brand in all its facets.
Interview Review Information:
• Maintain appropriate eye contact
• Arrive on time
• Be friendly and courteous to everyone
• Dress appropriately
• Have a firm handshake
• Practice the difficult questions – use the S.T.A.R.
technique often

23. Job Search & Interviewing
Etiquette in the U.S.
 First impressions are very important in all personal
interactions!
 Be friendly and courteous to everyone
 Tone of voice – should connote confidence
 Appropriate and Illegal Questions – it’s not appropriate
and can be illegal to discuss the topics of age, race,
politics, sexual orientation, religion, marital status in the
U.S.
 Practice “Selling Yourself” – this means marketing your
strengths to the employer and explaining them with good
specific examples
 Know your Immigration Status – be able to educate the
employer about your status if OPT or H1-B comes up

24. OPT – What Employers Should
Know!
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) – Allows international student in F-1
status a period of employment authorization for 12-months after completion
of an academic program. Getting permission for international students to
work in the U.S. is not as difficult as you may think. Most international
students are in the U.S. on non-immigrant student visas (F-1 and J-1), and
these international students are eligible to accept employment under
certain conditions
• OPT must be authorized by the Citizenship and Immigration
Services (CIS) based on a recommendation from the designated
school official (DSO) at the admission to that institution. The term
"optional" means that students can opt to use all or part of their total
practical training allotment of a maximum of 12 months
• OPT can be authorized by the CIS: (1) during vacation when school
is not in session, full-time employment is allowed; (2) for part-time
work, a maximum of 20 hours a week, when school is in session;
(3) after completing all course requirements for the degree; or (4)
full-time after completion of the course of study

25. OPT – Employer Knowledge –
Cont.
 Students who have received OPT permission will be issued an
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) by the CIS. Their
name, photo and valid dates of employment are printed on the EAD.
Employers should note that the average processing time for CIS to
issue the EAD is 2-3 months, and students may begin employment
only after they receive the EAD which will indicate the starting and
ending dates of employment.
 Minimal paperwork for the employer
There is actually very little paperwork for an employer who hires F-1
or J-1 students. All paperwork is handled by the students, the
school, and USCIS. For curricular practical training, the school will
make a notation on the students' copy of the I-20 form indicating
that curricular practical training has been authorized, and specifying
the duration and place of employment. Students authorized for
optional practical training are required to apply to CIS (through the
school) for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

26. OPT – Employer Knowledge –
Cont.
 Continuing employment after the practical/academic training
period
Federal regulations require that employment terminate at the
conclusion of the authorized practical or academic training.
However, students on an F-1 visa, or students on a J-1 visa who are
not subject to a 2-year home residency requirement, may continue
to be employed, if they receive approval for a change in visa
category - usually to H-1B.
 What about taxes?
Unless exempted by a tax treaty, F-1 and J-1 students earning
income under practical training are subject to applicable federal,
state, and local income taxes. Information on tax treaties may be
found on the Internal Revenue Service website. Generally, F-1 and
J-1 students are exempted from social security and Medicare tax
requirements.

27. H1-B work status
 Summary of details for employers on H1-b
visas
 Information for employers (Sponsors)

28. After All This....
• Relax and be yourself!