Frequently Asked Questions
About Our Service
Work Authorization & Sponsorship
Qualifications
Submitting Your Resume
How does iStudentCity's Career Placement Service work?
- First, you need to submit your resume and related information to iStudentCity.
- iStudentCity, in partnership with recruiting agencies, will match your qualifications with existing job openings.
- If we find a good match, we will arrange for a preliminary interview. Once that interview is completed, our staff will arrange an interview between
you and each potential employer.
- After each interview, we will inform you promptly of the employer's decision.
- Our staff will also work with you to improve your interview skills and your knowledge of immigration issues and U.S. business practices.
- If the compensation has not been agreed on, we will also help you negotiate your salary and, if possible, H1-B sponsorship.
Why should I work with iStudentCity?
Sponsorship: We are the only company focused on career placement services for international students. We work with employers who are
more friendly to international students and more willing to sponsor them for H1-B visas or, in some cases, Green Cards.
Immigration Attorney: We work closely with an immigration attorney who can answer employers' questions about immigration-related issues. We also provide one-stop-shopping if your employers want to process your H1-B visa immediately upon hiring you.
Understanding: We understand that international students have unique needs in terms of language, culture, and expectations. We are willing
to guide them through obstacles. For example, we will try to find jobs that require less English proficiency, and we will try to identify companies that promote cultural diversity. We are willing to familiarize you with aspects of American business culture that you may not be aware of.
What kinds of jobs does iStudentCity normally place students in?
We have three main types of job openings - Information Technology, Engineering, and Business. At this time, most of our job openings are in IT and Engineering,
and our business job openings are mostly in IT companies, because of our partners' relationships with companies in the IT industry. We do not provide job placement
services for students in the social sciences and humanities, or in academia.
Will this service cost me anything to use?
Signing up for this service is free for iStudentCitizens.
(Not a member? Join here.)
A small fee ($300) will apply - but ONLY if you are placed in a job that you agree to work in. (i.e., if we found you a job, but you don't want it, you don't need to pay.)
I already got an H1-B job.
Can I use your service to look for another job?
Absolutely! In fact, a new law recently signed by President Clinton
allows you to switch employers right away, without waiting for INS
approval.
Can I use your service to look for an internship?
We do run across interesting internship positions from time to time, so while
it may take longer to find an internship, there is no harm in trying.
If I submit my resume today, when can I expect to be interviewed and placed?
This depends on your qualifications and on available job openings. You might be
contacted by us within a week or, in some cases, it might take as long as a few months. Even if we can't find a job that matches your qualifications
immediately, we will continue to keep your resume in our database.
Can I work with other recruiters?
Certainly. Don't put all your eggs in one basket! In fact, we encourage you
to submit your resume to other job sites, and to join recruiting
programs organized by your college's career center. However, iStudentCity's
service is the only service that specializes in helping international students to get a job. We work with employers who are more likely to hire foreign employees, and
even sponsor them for H1-B visas.
How do I submit my resume?
We provide detailed instructions for submitting your resume
here.
I already submitted my resume. Can I submit again?
Absolutely, yes. We encourage you to resubmit your resume every time you update it. Employers often look for candidates with very specific skills or experience. An additional item on your resume could change an employment decision from "no" to "yes."
I don't have a work authorization from the INS yet.
Can I submit my resume?
Yes, you can. However, to legally work in the U.S., you will need a
work authorization from the INS.
Most international students are qualified to work through two options:
optional practical training (OPT)
and curricular practical training (CPT).
If your degree program allows CPT,
you can apply through your foreign student advisor.
The process ususally takes less than a week. However, if you plan to use
OPT,
we highly recommend that you apply for it
2-3 months before you expect to look for a job. Why? First, because it usually takes at least 2 months to get an authorization from the INS. Second, because you don't need
to have a job when applying for OPT.
So, you can even start the application process while you are in school.
Will employers be willing to sponsor me for an H1-B or a Green Card?
You will have good chance of H1-B sponsorship, because most of the employers that we
work with are familiar with H1-B issues. In addition, iStudentCity will try its best
to communicate your concerns and needs about immigration to employers. However,
obtaining sponsorship still depends on several factors, including how open your employer
is, and how well you perform in the company.
As for getting a Green Card, this depends mainly on your relationship with the company,
because the Green Card application is usually submitted after at least 2-3 years of employment.
What if I don't have any work experience in the U.S.?
This is one of the most difficult obstacles international students face when looking for a job. More and more, employers now provide less training and prefer their employees
to start working right after they are hired, so experience has become more important as
a recruitment criterion. Work experience back home does help, so try to
present your past
work experience as professionally as possible. Even you don't have any work experience,
school projects or student activities may help. If you developed a functional web site or
a consulting project for school, try to emphasize it in your resume and interviews.
Do I need to have a Master's degree to use your service?
No. Our service serves international students at all levels of education.
Of course, Master's degree students may have a higher chance of getting some jobs because of their higher qualifications.
What if I don't speak or write English well?
The importance of your English skills depends on your field. If your job is in a
technical area such as bookkeeping, database administration,
or engineering, employers don't expect you to have perfect communication skills.
English will probably have more influence in fields requiring good
communication skills, such as management, marketing, and customer service.
I'm not a computer science or IT major. Can I use your service?
Yes. Our service includes jobs in engineering and business.
How can I improve my resume?
First, take a look at our Resume Advice page.
We highly recommend that you make your resume look completely professional
before submitting it to us. Your best resource is the career center at your campus. They
will generally have an experienced staff who can help you edit your resume. They will
also have sample resumes and cover letters, and other useful materials.
In addition, here are some online resources you may find helpful:
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