Over the past 4 years, Grove City College has been able to welcome over 100 international students.
Some of these students went on to graduate school, some went back home, and some have had the opportunity to stay in the United States to work.
If you are a student who is hoping to get a job in the United States after college then this article is for you!
One of the great ways to get hired by a company as an international student is by having an internship record.
In 2020 I enrolled at Grove City College as an international student from Haiti. I have always wanted to work in the United States before I go back to my country, but I have faced many challenges.
As a senior, I wished I had prioritized getting an internship in my sophomore year. I would encourage students to have a rough 4-year plan before coming to Grove City College.
It makes the process easier when you have an idea of what you hope to get out of college and which direction you would want to take after you graduate.
Even as a freshman, you should make sure that you have acquired some knowledge and experience in the field in which you want to get an internship.
As a senior, these are the 4 things that I think you should consider when looking for an internship.
- Get a social security number.
- Heavily utilize Handshake and LinkedIn.
- Get insight from the Career Services Office.
- Get involved with organizations within your major department.
- Good grades matter.
- Get a Social Security Number
A social security number is crucial when working both on campus and outside of campus. The social security process takes up to weeks and even months, so consider getting a social security number as soon as you get on campus.
As a sidenote, international students are not allowed to work off-campus. You can only do so if you have some severe financial circumstances; there are special documents you will have to fill out for that.
- Utilize Handshake and LinkedIn.
I would encourage every student to get a Handshake and LinkedIn profile. A LinkedIn profile can be beneficial because it allows you to easily connect with alumni, employers, and even your classmates. A Handshake profile is even better for employer connections.
Last summer, I was able to intern at a non-profit organization; I would not have gotten that internship if it were not for having a Handshake profile.
Having a profile on Handshake would increase your internship opportunities because the college provides students with full access to the app and makes our profile visible to potential employers.
You can also filter your profile to get notifications about internships that are only open to international students. Use these tools because they will contribute to your success.
- Get insight from the Career Services Office.
Our Career Services Office has been ranked 4th nationally according to the Princeton Review. Utilizing the Career Services Office will boost your resume writing. It will help you with your job search, and even directly connect you with potential employers.
One of my friends, Phillipe Keita from Senegal, a senior Computer Science major has been able to intern at Tesla this past summer.
Thaddeus Woo, a Mechanical Engineering student from Malaysia, got an internship offer from a mechanical contractor industry.
Multiple other international students from the Education department have received teaching job offers in several states and were able to work in the United States soon after they graduate.
There are a lot of opportunities out there for international students, but you will have to make sure to grab them by being prepared and keeping an open mind. Utilizing the Career Services Office is one of the best ways to be prepared.
- Get involved with organizations within your major department.
Often when you are interviewing for an internship opportunity, the employer will ask you about your involvement in campus life so that they get to know a little bit more about you. It is always good to have something to say rather than not.
- Good grades matter.
Grove City College students are known for putting a lot of emphasis on grades.
When I say good grades matter, I hope you don’t take it the wrong way and think that having one bad grade will keep you from being successful.
It is more profitable for a company to hire United States citizens than international students because no matter what major you are, sponsoring a work visa is expensive from an employer’s point of view.
Most of the STEM companies emphasize having decent grades when considering hiring an international student. In my interview with Thaddeus Woo, he mentioned that grades have been one of the main focuses of mechanical engineering companies.
You might be able to find a few job opportunities, but the lucrative ones are hard to get into when you have a low grade.
Also, keep in mind that if you ever consider going into graduate school, you must have a decent GPA.
I have met many students who never thought they would attend graduate school but, since it was hard for them to get a job, they decided to go on that path to increase their job opportunities. Having a good GPA can be helpful.
In conclusion, Grove City College can provide you with all the tools and connections you need to get an internship as an international student. Getting an internship will eventually widen your opportunity for getting a job after you graduate.
I hope this article was helpful. If you want to know more about life as an international student at Grove City College, click on this link.
