In Seminar #5 you will discover how to meet the challenges of job searching with the creation and execution of S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

2. International Students Job Search
Seminar
By: Julia Montier-Ball, MEd, CI/IDT, MGR. International Student Services, Adjunct Instructor 2017-2018
A l t e r n a t i v e
J o b S e a r c h S t r a t e g i e s
Create a High Potential
Target List of Employers
Start Early
Make Each Step Count!
Alternative
Strategies and Resources
Take Charge of Your
Job Search
Job Search Planogram –
Get Organized

3. AGENDA In Seminar #5 you will discover how to meet the challenges of job
searching with the creation and execution of S.M.A.R.T. Goals.
Create a High Potential Target List of Employers
Start Early – Make Each Step Count!
Alternative Strategies and Resources
Take Charge of Your Job Search
Job Search Planogram – Tips from Retail Experts

4. COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Q. How can International
students create SPECIFIC
job search goals?
A. By researching a variety
of company’s hiring
history.

5. Strategy 1. Goals:
Identify specific High Potential Companies (HPC):
Don’t waste time applying to US companies with low international candidate hiring
histories
• HPC = high % of h1b hires
(h1b applications submitted and approved)
• Look on external websites
 www.glassdoor.com
 www.goinglobal.com/h1b-plus
 www.immihelp.com - h1b companies
 www.myvisajobs.com
Look for coops
& internships at
companies with
good h1b hiring
histories. Search
for similar
opportunities in
GoinGlobal’s job
database.

6. Goals:
Confirm open jobs at high potential employers
(Tip: Don’t overlook small companies that may have more flexible hiring policies,
more motivated recruiters and shorter hiring timeframes.)
Look for jobs at local companies with an “open mind”
• Top Workplaces: The best 55 small companies in the
Cincinnati region
• Top Workplaces: The 40 best midsize companies in the
Cincinnati region
Engineering is
one of the rare
professions where
you really
can
work
anywhere,
in many
different
industries.

7. Goals:
Confirm required skills/experience with yours
(Tip: Don’t miss open positions because you are unfamiliar with the job titles. READ
the job description and ‘connect the dots’.)
Practice reading job descriptions and notice words in job
titles that indicate “entry level” such as “support”.
• Controls Support Engineer - Conveyor job
• Microsoft Support Engineer
• Customer Support Engineer
• See hiring “international” on www.hireowl.com

8. COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Q. How can International
students MEASURE the
success of their job
search process?
A. By following through
on each step of the job
search process, seeking
feedback and tracking
results.

9. Strategy 2. Goals
Make each step count!
(Tip: Attend all IS Prep-TALK Job Search Seminars, review Modules and access
the related International student resources in the Blackboard organization.)
Use 7 P’s of Job Search Success - to track your progress:
 PARTICIPATE: Take part in seminar related activities.
 PREPARE: Research industry trends and network.
 PRACTICE: Record your self-introduction
 PERSEVERE: Attend career fairs on and off campus.
 PURSUE: Seek target employer contacts on LinkedIn.
 PREVIEW: Read as lots of job descriptions and compare them.
 PLAN: Put dates for actions in your job search plan.

10. Goals: Start with the end date
Create a Coop Job Search Plan early. (Tip: Prioritize your US job search, it can take much longer
than the typical 3-6 months – begin at least 6 months prior to required reporting deadlines for coop.)
Your Class Major Semester to Begin Coop
Job Search
Coop Job Reporting
Deadlines
Freshman CECH IT Fall thru Spring of Freshman year
Freshman Engineering Summer after Freshman year
Sophomore Engineering Spring of Freshman year
Pre-Junior Engineering Spring of Sophomore year
Junior Engineering Spring of Pre-Junior year
Timeline table: Fill in required job reporting deadlines for your major and coop section.

11. Goals: Start with the end date
Plan to Search for Internships and Full-time Jobs early. (Tip: Prioritize your US job
search, as it can take 6 months to a year! Keep in mind CPT or OPT deadlines.)
Your Class Major Semester to Begin
Internship or Full-time
Job Search
Intern/CPT Full-time /OPT or
OPT Extension
M-ENG Engineering Fall of 1st grad school year
Grad Masters All majors Spring before last year
Post-Grad All majors Summer before last year
Graduate timetable: Fill in required job reporting deadlines for your internship,
graduation or OPT dates.
Job Reporting Deadlines:

12. Goals: Job Search Checklist

Date
Due
Getting Started:
“I am going to…”
Job Search Action Plan Items:
“I can achieve this by…”
Priority #
Become familiar with CURRENT immigration regulations and
confirm your visa status – Know the Complexities and
misunderstandings concerning visas
Learning to explain to employers their options,
answer concerns about me staying on, ZERO 3yr.
hiring costs and employer responsibilities
Improve English writing and speaking proficiency, participate
in student groups, visit the Writing Center
Join CABO, UC ESL Conversation group, be a SOL
or Peer Leader, work at a front desk on campus
Get resume critiqued, make revisions, upload to PAL;
Improve cover letters and follow-up emails
Upload to multiple sites, customizing it with key
words, adding examples to my cover letters
Improve LinkedIn profile: Your title, summary, skills, photo,
connection requests, outreach, video resume?
Uploading work samples, asking for
recommendations, and feedback
Start networking: add dates of events on your job search
timeline, make business cards, clean-up Facebook,
Talking to start-up co’s., doing informational
interviews, get active in the community
Search jobs on non-engineering websites, in your home
country, US & abroad – international internships & coops?
Looking at Retail, Healthcare, Education, Social
Agencies, Hospitality, Food Industry

13. Job Search Lab:
Assignment: Write out…
• Your pecific job search goal(s)
• Your easurable timeframe for each goal
• Your ttainable connection goals & alternative strategies
• Your ealistic assessment of your Top 3 skills
• Your imely Job Search Planogram steps to achieve goals

14. COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Q. How can International
students reach job
search goals that are
ATTAINABLE?
A. By utilizing the many
alternative strategies
and resources avaliable
Those who
fail to plan,
plan to fail.

15. Strategy 3. Out and Connect Get engaged,
update your
profile and stay
connected.
90% of people
at events have
LinkedIn, use the
mobile app to add
them ASAP!
LinkedIn connections are Attainable. Don’t wait for a career fair!

16. Strategy 4. Resources
Some resources for you to network & grow in your industry...
A. American Council of Engineering Companies
The ACEC Young Professional of the Year award program
B. American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Student Design Competition at ASME’s global E-Fests
C. 6 Fresh Engineering Design Competitions for College Students
D. IEEEXtreme 24-Hour Student Programming Competition
E. BDPA Annual Technology Conference/Career Fair ITDiversityCareers

17. If. . .
Plan A
doesn’t
work out,
what’s your
Plan B or
Plan C?
Strategy 5. Plan B & C

18. Job Search Lab:
Assignment:
Research Woldwide Alternatives:
1. Spring 2018 Intern - CNN International Special Features
• Read the fine print
• Check pay, location, housing, transportation
2. INDIA CAREERS Check Opportunities in other countries
• What are their product areas?
Rolls-Royce.com INTERNS & GRADUATES
4. Graduate Engineer Internships 5. Can students who are foreign nationals apply?
• What does specific department
do?

19. COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Q. REALISTICALLY, what should
International students be
doing to take charge of their
US job search?
A. By starting early with a
“Can-Do” attitude.

20. Strategy 6. A Approach
Read their Diversity Statement:
• “At Google, we …are committed to equal
employment opportunity regardless of race, color,
ancestry, religion, sex, national origin…
Be Confident
• Know what you bring to the table
• Be marketable – in person and online
• Make a strong case – WHY they should hire you
Let’s say you dream of working for Google…
• Network with influential industry people
• Search in LinkedIn to find Alumni
• Find a Google supplier
Be willing to go where the job isDo your homework.

21. Strategy 7. Do companies
Watch out for misleading job ads! Filter for major-related F1 student resources
Search student
coop/internship
full-time jobs

22. Strategy 9. List your
Engineer Skills Listed By Job
Mechanical Engineer Skills
Software Engineer Skills
Software Quality Assurance
Engineer
Technical Support Engineer
Employment Skills Listed by Job
Lists of Skills for Resumes
Competitiveness
Specific Soft Skills
Specific Technical Skills
Specific Skills by Job

23. Strategy 8. Skills
Identify the Skills Employers Seek that are
Most Required for Your Field

24. Job Search Lab:
Assignment:
Identify 3 Skills that as an international candidate, you can demonstrate on a job
• Most confident about?
• Specific (value) competencies?
Example: Globalism
“the characteristics of a global-centric business…”

25. COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Q. How can International
students organize and
execute a TIMELY – and
productive - job search?
A. With a simple
planogram. Can be
used to find coop and
fulltime jobs or
internships

26. Strategy 10. Create a With a Schedule
5. Match your skills 8. Apply for positions2. Research HPC’s
4. Search for positions
9. Follow-up3. Create a target list
2-6 weeks 2-3 months 6-12 months
6. Tailor your resume
7. Write cover letters1. Identify your skills
Network Schedule meet-ups Network
Update your LinkedIn Update your Facebook Update your Contacts
Work on Plan B & C / Volunteer in the Community / Seek Coaching

27. S.M.A.R.T US & Global Job Search Lab
Lab work requires a laptop, tablet or smart phone
Where are your Employability Skills Identified?
• On your Resume in the Skills Section?
• In Work Experience descriptions?
• In your Elevator Speech?
• On you LinkedIn Profile?

28. S.M.A.R.T US & Global Job Search Lab
Lab work requires a laptop, tablet or smart phone
What are some additional resources?
For students on F1 visa hunting for jobs, is Trump's America 'closing the door'?
Coop Alternatives & EEP Opportunities for International Students
Who DOES Hire International Students? How MUCH do they focus on Soft Skills?
• http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/industry360/overview.html?industryId=1085
• https://www.firstpost.com/world/for-students-on-f1-visas-trumps-america-first-
agenda-is-drying-up-job-interviews-4363257.html
• https://www.themuse.com/jobs/stantec/civil-engineer-in-training-water-4106f8 ,
https://www.themuse.com/jobs/wayfair/senior-industrial-engineer-e31e25 ,
• https://www.themuse.com/jobs/wayfair/industrial-engineer-84f656

29. Job Search Lab:
Assignment:
1. Identify several High-Potential Companies (HPC)
• Hireowl.com
• myvisajobs.com
2. List HPC & find a detailed job description
• Companies with RECENT hiring histories of International candidates in your field
3. Match key Skills required in a Job description
• Highlight the key skills that you have = HPC for you.
• immihelp.com
• Glassdoor.com
• PAL
• Glassdoor.com