Entry-Level F-1 OPT job, advice appreaciated

/////////Skip to paragraph 3 if you don't want my background//////////////

I never thought I would be posting in this forum for advice, but I have read some pretty useful things on here so I thought I would give it a shot. So I am a recent finance graduate waiting on my EAD card that will allow me to work for a period of one year in the states. I graduated from a school in the southwest, and I have a GPA just above 3. I made some mistakes in university, all I can say is that I have learned from them and I have grown. I would love to work in equity research or portfolio management. I should also mention I have the ability to work 12 months at no cost to the company.

The reason I am posting on here is because I am really shocked by how hard it has been to find a job. I have been to career fairs recruiters are just not interested in foreign students. I understand that my GPA doesn't help, but I have spent the last few months applying for jobs, and asking for unpaid internships with no luck. The best I did was a superday interview in New York but I got rejected. Although I felt I did well on the examinations, the interview was terrible. One guy literally took his phone out as I was answering my questions. I tried too hard to prepare for the interview and I didn't answer the basics very well. Right now I am studying for the CFA level one, however I do not know if I will be taking it since its a ton of material.

I just want to ask f-1 graduates who graduated from non-ivy schools with average GPAs to share their stories. I would love to hear any advice from anyone on how someone like me can get a job in the industry; just applying and contacting people at the company is not working. I have people I could contact, but I feel super awkward and uncomfortable with the whole concept of 'networking'. It feels like you only talk to people because you want something out of it and that kind of disgusts me to be honest. "Hey I haven't talked to you in years but I want something from you now". Then again thats probably why I don't have a job. How do you ask for a job from people you don't really know well but have a weak connection with (father of someone in same highschool). How should I approach the job search, this is tough and I would appreciate any advice.

Thank you for taking the time to read my first post.

 
Best Response

Listen buddy, I am just trying to help.

I think where you come from (specifically the culture you grew up in) matters a lot because you have to do some self-introspection on why you feel awkward with networking or why you can't convert a superday interview into a 2nd round/FT job.

FWIW, I went through similar struggles like you with networking/interviewing, but I worked hard to become better at networking and interviewing. I came here as an F1 student like you did (originally from Asia - but got lucky with a GC due to family ties) and struggled with my "people" skills. There is a certain way you do these things in America, and you better adapt to them.

Let me give you an example, I work for a large Healthcare company in Corp Fin - and people in my dept genuinely believe that their work saves lives. (I don't believe that BS for one second, but I've learnt how to play the game. For example, in my interview I talked about how the company's mission of saving lives inspired me...blah blah...and they loved it and gave me the job, even though Finance has nothing to with what goes in the R&D labs.)

Again, this wishy washy emotion is an uniquely American thing. I bet Europeans who work in the Finance Depts don't talk about "saving lives." In fact, most Europeans find this American display of emotion very fake. But we gotta adjust to it buddy.

For example, when Jurgen Klinsman went back to Germany after living in the US for many years, and started his training regimen, this is what the German media has to say:

" A 2005 article in Der Spiegel dismissed Klinsmann as a glorified American cheerleader. “A strained team spirit rules,” the magazine wrote, “similar to what American supermarket employees display after attending a team-building seminar.”

Long rant. But American culture is unique, if you are an International Student, you must adapt to some American cultural norms. People "drink the kool aid" in this country.

 

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