international students who struck out in the US

Went through SA recruiting and now FT recruiting, struck out the first time and now feel like I'm striking out again due to the H1B visa problem. Received feedback saying I have good experience but its the visa issue that's holding them back from extending an offer. Are there any other international students experiencing (or have experienced) the same? What did y'all do after?

On one hand, I know I can recruit back home. On the other hand, I feel like I'm going to regret not giving the US a shot a few years down the line if I decide to go home. I'm so lost. At my wits end right now.

21 Comments
 

If you’re dead set on IB, then it depends on what your home country is in. If you’re from India, there’s not really much IB there and whatever there is, it’s mostly filled by IIM MBAs and it’s much more nepotism than in the US. It might be worth grinding it out in the US. If you’re not dead set on IB, you’ll be fine in India. You’re ROI on American tuition is going to be horrible if existent, but at least you won’t have to deal with the H1B/Green card backlog bullshit. As for other coutures, I’m not really sure.

 

I am an international student in US from India and I agree. Luckily, I am here on a full ride, so I am very fine with going back. I am recruiting for SA opps in US rn. If I don't get it, I am aiming for IIMs through GMAT/CAT. Also, I have some connections in the finance industry in India and thus should be a good chance to get IB in India with a IIM + Connections point of view.

 

International student here too. Had a hard time recruiting, but don’t think it’s largely due to visa issues considering many BBs and most EBs do sponsor. not saying you are wrong to blame visa cuz it does suck and does close certain doors (auto-rejection, cancelled superdays, etc.), but id really refrain from attributing the lack of traction to that since there’s almost definitively some other internal factors at play here

 

I have a company kick me out of a superday, another company not give me a superday, and many firms not interviewing me in the first place itself. It definitely sucks, but then I am looking at it is, the US is going through a phase where they are very anti-immigration. Immigration phases, in my opinion, are very cyclical (look at England for example, they used to be really easy, then became difficult, and they are easing back now (partly because of Brexit)). My plan is to go back home to India if I don't get a job here, try for IIMs, or just any finance job, and then get an MBA from US down the line and recruit for an associate's position.

 
Most Helpful

In my experience needing the H1B has been a non-factor if a firm sponsors. Simply put, don't allow yourself to use that as an excuse. I understand that it's discouraging that many firms don't sponsor but target the ones that do, network your a** off, be better than other candidates in interviews, and you should be fine. (Background: secured SA and FT in the past year coming from a semi-target).

 

Let's be real. For recruiters, hiring someone who has 60% chance of losing the H1B lottery and leave after 8-10 months on the job is a huge waste of time and money. Here's a realistic action plan for you. Postpone your graduation and do a minor in some relatively easy STEM field like business analytics, management science, etc. and get that STEM OPT. If you're dead set on getting a job in the U.S., this will be the best investment you'll ever make. Recruiters will be far more willing to extend you an offer once they know you can work at least 3 years. 

 

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