International Business Student Career Resources

Make the most of your U.S. college experience.

Get involved outside the classroom. U.S.-based employers put a lot of emphasis on real-world experience.

Achieve professional-level proficiency in English. If English is not your first language, immerse yourself in English-based skill-building activities. Some of the opportunities available at the University of Oregon include:

UO Toastmasters, a supportive public speaking club.
International Student Association coffee hour events.
The Friendship Foundation for International Students Conversation Friend program.

Learn about U.S. business and hiring culture.

Tell your professional story.

Create resumes, cover letters, and a LinkedIn profile that communicate:

How you are going to help an organization achieve their goals and solve their problems;
The skills you have that make you a good candidate; and
How you identify with and can contribute to the organization's missions and values.

Discover skillsets you may not realize you have. As an international student, you have distinct skills that your domestic competition may not have:

Language: Which languages do you speak besides English? Think creatively about roles, industries, and companies in which your language skills could be put to use.
Bicultural identity: By living and studying in the U.S., you're learning a second set of cultural attitudes and customs. Bicultural individuals can evaluation problems and creatively identify opportunities from different perspectives. Think creatively about roles, industries, and companies in which your bicultural skills could be put to use. Use Uniworld to identify U.S.-based companies that conduct business in your home country—and vice versa—in which your bicultural ability will be an asset.
Global mindset: You are open and aware of the diversity of cultures and markets internationally, and most likely to think about business on a global scale.

Explore job and internship search strategies.

Learn about the two main strategies for job and internship searches in the U.S.:

The proactive search through networking: In the U.S., it’s common for someone to get hired because they know a person working in the company who advocates for them—this is called an "internal referral." The goal of networking is to meet new people, learn from them, build a professional relationship, and potentially receive an internal referral.
The reactive search through job postings: This is done by using job search sites such as Indeed.com, Internships.com, Monster.com, or LinkedIn to find job postings and apply for jobs online.

Ultimately, you should use both proactive and reactive techniques. But keep in mind that only 25% of your time should be focused on applying (reactive), while 75% of your time should be focused on networking (proactive).

Consider companies that have sponsored H1B visas. Check out the following resources to identify whether a company has sponsored in the past:

Explore employment types available to students studying with an F-1 visa:

On-campus employment: International students may work up to 20 hours per week on campus while taking classes. Many jobs do not require previous experience. Some positions require a work-study scholarship award.
- Learn more about work-study through the Career Center’s work-study FAQ and the International Student and Scholar Services scholarships page.
- Find out if you have work-study through your financial aid award on DuckWeb.
- Log on to Handshake to start browsing campus jobs.
Off-campus employment: International students may work off-campus in specific situations and only with prior approval from the International Student and Scholar Services. It takes time to find a job or internship. We encourage you to start building experience and your network while in the U.S. Students may need to explain their student visa work authorization and employment options to employers as not all U.S. employers are experienced in hiring international candidates.