International students who made it
What's your secret sauce to making it?????? I've networked, fixed my resume 20 times, and applied to a bunch of openings. I feel like I'm giving it my all yet only end up getting auto dinged bc of needing a visa. Even had one interview that ended in 30 seconds because of this problem. Really burned out from all of this.
Bamboozled by how adcoms are still telling uninformed 16 year olds about how easy it is to find work/internships as an international student
Definitely cast your net wide and don't be afraid of starting at smaller firms if your ultimate goal is to establish a long-term career in the US. Also try to pick majors with OPT extension so you have two more years to enter the lottery for H1B.
Smaller firms are even more unwilling to sponsor or are not afford to sponsor. So many people knock at their doors and they can easily find a substitute.
might just come back for an MBA down the line and find an American husband in bschool lmao
Just pay a US citizen under the table now. Get married, get your papers, then get divorced. I know at least 10-15 people that have done this and they’re doing just fine.
Same here. International students with master degree. Really disappointed.
things are looking rough, what are your backup plans?
I think you have to be really intentional about everything that you do. you really have to show them why you should be picked over a similar American candidate. I think the best thing to do is to be the best candidate from your school since your peers will be the first one you are compared to. Never bring up sponsorship until you are asked about it, and apply to all the positions but make sure you are prioritizing the bigger ones since those are the ones most open to sponsoring. Also try to get internships at companies back home that are recognizable to Americans so they can trust it. also, if there are any things you could connect with in terms of interests, that is always helpful (i had American football, and almost every interview I was asked about it which led to a conversation). Finally, something that I had struggled with initially was being too fixed in my responses. I used to answer to the point and not make any small talk or comments, and my answers came across as too serious I think. What helped, later on, was relaxing a bit and answering with some ease.
I know it's rough out there. Was kicked out of multiple processes because of the visa sponsorship requirement but you have to keep your head up and keep hitting the hammer on the nail till you land something.
I think this was a very underrated aspect of interviewing. Let me know if there are any other questions I can answer.
For background: international non-diversity student from a non-target who signed an offer with a top group. took me about 7-8 months to get the offer so don't give up easily.
I've never brought the sponsorship problem up but I feel like it always gets asked towards the end which results in an auto ding. I was also in a sorority and speak English with no foreign accent and go to tons of parties (pre-covid of course), so I don't think culture fit is an issue
if you are a girl, diversity would have been your best bet as an international student.
Thank you for the tips and congrats on the offer!! I am a non diversity international as well, tho I go to HYPSW -- in your experience, which banks were most open to sponsoring international students?
Banks that I have seen sponsor without discrimination would be BofA, GS, CS, DB, and Jefferies, as well as most of the EBs except PWP. None of the MMs other than Jefferies sponsor and most of the no-name boutiques don't either.
bump
to any international student reading this try to do a CS major so you have internship shots in banking AND tech + opt 3-year stem extension. Received offers from both FAANG and BB's.
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