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. 

 
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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.

 

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?

 

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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