Tag: International Students

American Culture

2020 is Still Our Year – Coronavirus Can’t Win

Esther Tokognon

2020 is still Our year! We can’t let COVID-19 win. Most of us had different plans for this year. In fact most of us were planning on “making it big” in various aspects of our lives. Some of us were even planning a wedding … what were we thinking?? 

2020 is still our year even if it isn’t exactly going as we planned.

I bet none of us ever thought we would be doing virtual happy hours someday. God knows that never crossed my mind before! As I wrapped up week 5 of lockdown, I realize how much this pandemic has changed the world. We are all affected in some way, but some definitely more than others.

At this exact moment, someone nearby is mourning the loss of a loved one due to this awful virus. Right now, someone we know lost their job and is struggling make ends meet. Those of us that are blessed enough to still have our jobs and extra blessed to work from home are having to multitask at its finest. So many people are currently juggling being an employee, a parent, a teacher – all at the same time.

Oh and single parents… how can one do it all? May the Lord give you all the strength to go through this tough time.

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My heart goes out to everyone. I want to thank those that are out there everyday saving lives, and those that are risking their lives to provide us with necessities such as food and groceries. Special kudos to all the delivery drivers that allow us to stay safe inside while they deliver whatever we order. Be kind to them and if you can, please tip them extra. As mentioned in one of my previous articles, tips are a big part of the American culture.  

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The beauty in this… In the midst of all this chaos, I realized that humans are very adaptable and constantly adapting. As Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” As human beings, we are constantly adapting to new things, new social and political environments, new jobs, new financial times…etc. that were often unpredictable. Although we are going through a big change in the world, let’s remind ourselves that we can do it – we have been doing it. 2020 is still our year!

One day at a time!  

Adaptability doesn’t happen overnight for most people.  

Change can happen overnight and most humans are able to adapt. However, adapting to something new doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a constant process. It’s OK for certain things to not be the way they used to be while we try to figure all this out. As we try to develop and master a new routine, let’s keep in mind that occasional frustration is ok; a decrease in productivity is ok; a few extra pounds is more than ok 😁🙃. Please remember that just because people are posting about their home projects, and you don’t have any doesn’t mean that you are behind. Take your time to master your own routine and invest time in what matters the most to you! 2020 is still our year!

Most habits don’t form overnight.  

And to all international students graduating in May, please remember to apply for your OPT as soon as possible. More information can be found here.

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American Culture

Where Is Home When You Live Abroad?

Esther Tokognon
Vacation, Home away from home, Live abroad

So where is home? ... If I had a dollar for every time I get asked that question, I would be cruising in my Tesla right now! 

It’s a logical question that most people ask to understand one’s origins – especially for us non-native English speakers. However, this question can sometimes trigger way more emotions than it’s intended. For some people, it’s a constant reminder that they are away from their families. 

Personally, I have always viewed the question as an opportunity to educate people about my country and its culture. So, the answer to that question always came very naturally to me. I was always quick and eager to answer “Benin”. Benin is my motherland – where I was born and raised, and where my family still resides. I lived there for several years before moving to the United States in 2011.  

Recently, while talking to my friend (who is also living abroad) about some of the challenges that foreigners face while living in a country different than their own, a common theme was the notion of Home. I realized that although I have become very accustomed to the United States norms, culture and traditions, my coworkers might say otherwise ;). The reality for people like us is that regardless of how great we hold on to our native culture, or how well we learn about the culture and traditions of the countries we live in, we are still foreign to both worlds. In my situation, I became too Americanized for a lot of Beninese nationals, yet not Americanized enough for my dearly loved Americans. This has been so well written by Ijeoma Umebinyuo in the Diaspora Blues 

“So, here you are 
too foreign for home 
too foreign for here. 
Never enough for both.” 
– Ijeoma Umebinyuo, Diaspora Blues 

So why I am writing about this? 

Home can have different significances for different people. I realized that home for me, was more than just where I was born or where my family resides. Don’t get me wrong, being from Benin is perhaps the most amazing things that happened to me. It shaped me into who I am today and unleashed me with the knowledge and strengths necessary to thrive!  

Home to me is where I have that sense of community, it’s where I’m the most comfortable to be myself, and where my heart is the most filled with happiness. To everyone trying to find their perfect answer to “where is home?”, I leave you with this beautiful saying of Warsan Shire –  

 “At the end of the day, it isn’t where I came from. Maybe home is somewhere I’m going and never have been before.”  

Your mind is powerful and the perfect mindset will help you make the most out of your journey and achieve greatness! 

Click here to learn more about the author 

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College Life

Don’t Highjack Your Success in America

Esther Tokognon
People holding American flag

I bet you’ve decided to study in the United States of America because of all the opportunities this country has to offer. I did too!  

If you’ve been reading my articles, you’ve probably realized that this country has a lot of rules that are present nowhere else in the world, but can be detrimental to your success. Although we each have our definition of success, I refer to it on this blog as steps you can take to make your time in America the best it can be! I started this blog because I know that adjusting in this country is hard. It’s very easy to get lost and forget the main reason why we came here.

Below are some rules and advice that may seem basic but are extremely important, especially for international students that are long ways from home. There are things that I learned throughout the years, and I would hate for you learn the hard way! Some of the advice on here are from things that I’ve seen happen to certain people that I know. 

Americans use Fahrenheit

Very few countries use Fahrenheit to measure temperature, the U.S. is one of them. You won’t need to adjust if you are from one of those countries. However, if you are like the majority of us, you will have to adjust to that. Use the weather app on your phone and always check the weather before going out. 

Taxes aren’t included in the price tag

Shopping wasn’t necessarily fun for me. Unlike the rest of the world that displays the full price of an item, Americans don’t do that. In the early days, I found myself having to return items several times cause the total came up a lot higher than I thought it was going to be 😥. There are however 5 states that have no sales tax – Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. If you live in one of those states then lucky you, but if you are like me, save yourself the embarrassment and plan for an extra 3%-10% of total price pf good purchased for state and local taxes.  

Ok, now let’s get into the most important stuff. 

Make friend with the right crowd

Bad things can happen to anyone anywhere. However, there are ways to reduce the probability of those things happening to you. We love America, and the fact that people have the freedom to do what they want. This is also why it’s important to not hang out with the wrong people and get dragged into trouble with them. You don’t want to have a criminal record because of something dumb you did. Entering the workforce in the U.S is very challenging for international students, but will be even harder if you have a criminal record. Please don’t hijack your success by making bad decisions! 

Must be 21 to drink

If you didn’t know that before, now you do! You must be 21 years old to order and drink alcohol. Please follow the rule, even if you were used to drinking alcohol back home. Don’t be tempted to get a fake ID, as you could face serious consequences if you get caught, which may include jail time. Also, even if you have an international passport that technically allows you to drive here, get your state’s driver’s license before you drive. Talk to your International Advisor if you are interested in applying for a driver’s license. Don’t highjack your success in America!

Do not apply for a credit card

Don’t get trapped into the American credit system. Again, as a newbie in America, steps you take now can positively or negatively impact your future. You have no business getting a credit card. Especially if you get them through stores. They make it sound like you will be getting a great discount by signing up for their credit card. Please refrain from doing that, as I know so many people that are now in debt and have ruined their credit score because they opened multiple credit cards with various stores. Your credit score is very important as it shows how fiscally responsible you are. In the event that you were to stay in America after you graduate, this number will be necessary if you want to buy a house, buy a car …etc. Click here to learn more about credit scores.

Please, please, please don’t make these mistakes that can highjack your success in America!

 

American Culture

Tips For Eating Out In America

Esther Tokognon

God bless America, its awesomeness and weird norms!

I wasn’t a fan of American food when I first moved here in 2011. Back then, I called American food anything that was offered at the cafeteria. Although some international and exchange students had no problem with the food, I belonged to the other part that hated it. However, I’ve learned over the years, that American food was more than the food offered at the school cafeteria. Through home-cooked meals offered by American friends and going out to eat at restaurants, I have come to love American food. My ultimate favorite: Kansas City-style barbecue.

When I started going to restaurants, I was very surprised by some of the practices. Although I knew that Americans like to do things differently from rest of the world, I never thought the restaurant etiquette will be different. Below are things that you should know before eating out in America:

Big crazy portions

Be prepared to be stuffed, unless you are going to a fine dining restaurant. American restaurant portions are enormous. However, it wasn’t always the case.  After World War II, the U.S. reformed its agricultural policies and farmers were able to grow food more cheaply. Over time, companies have increased their serving sizes to increase their profits. The below infographic from Yourweightmatters.org (YWM) shows how some American food has changed over the years.

This means you can have more food for what you are paying. I was all about that. Since the portions are very large, I could easily have 2 to 3 meals out of them.

To-go boxes for leftovers

Most restaurants have boxes that you can use to take your leftovers home, since their portions are so large. Do not be shy to ask for one! The worst you could do is to try to eat all that food even though you are full. This is especially important because American food contains a lot of fat and carbs, which means a lot more calories. 

As you may have heard most exchange students and international students gain a lot of weight after moving the U.S. Years from now, you will be glad you made the right decisions by not overeating and saving money.

Tips Tips Tips

Tipping means that you give someone – in this case the waiter/waitress a sum of money as a way of rewarding them for their services. Tips go anywhere from 10-20% of your total bill. Why do I have to pay someone to do their own job? Oh wait, Americans like to do things differently. But this is because most restaurant workers don’t get paid very much and rely on the tips to make a living wage. Why can’t restaurant workers be paid a salary like the rest of the world? Again, Americans like to do things their own way, and this isn’t up for debate. This was very shocking to me when I started going to restaurants, but since I lived here now, I had to start following their norms, and you should too! I wrote about American norms that you must here.

A less private dining experience

In the U.S. the customer is king. Companies want to make sure that their customers are satisfied, same goes for restaurants. Restaurant workers are trained to ensure that every customer is satisfied, and since tipping is so important, the waiters/waitresses try to go the extra mile to get a bigger tip. Due to that reason, they will come multiple time by your table to ensure you don’t need anything. This takes away some the privacy you may be used to in your home country, but feel free to tell them (in a nice way) if you don’t want them to come checking often.

Now that you know these few American restaurants norms, go enjoy the food! Share more tips for eating out in America in the comment section.


Professional Life

F-1 Students Employment Options: On-Campus, CPT and OPT

Esther Tokognon

Do you want to be a boss someday? Start now! In fact, it’s never too early to start thinking about the employment options you have as an international student. As a F-1 visa holder, you are allowed to work in the United States as long as you follow the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)’s guidelines. This article covers the employment options that I used when I had an F-1 visa: 

On-Campus Employment

This is the least regulated employment option of all three, as it doesn’t require USCIS approval. However, you must maintain an active F-1 status to be eligible for this employment option. Maintaining an active F-1 status means that you will need to be registered in at least 12 credit hours per semester, and be in good academic standing. The latter is as important as the first one because your number one priority in the United States is to study, so if you are failing your classes, you will not be authorized to work on campus. Most universities have their own rules as far as what they consider “good academic standing”. 

Also, most universities will not allow you to start working the first semester. Some have a one year wait time, which means that you can only be considered for on-campus employment when you are Sophomore. Furthermore, you will only be allowed to work part-time (20 hours per week or less) during the semester and over 20 hours during school breaks. Although you probably won’t start working on campus your first year, start looking at departments you are interested in and build some relationship with the those that work there.  Also, checkout one of my previous blog post   for tips on things you can do your first semester or year to ensure you easily find a job when the time comes. I recommend that you take advantage of the on-campus employment opportunity as it will help you a lot and take some load off your sponsor’s back.  

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

The USCIS defines CPT as “any alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school”. In other words, CPT must be a part of an established curriculum or academic program. CPT is an off-campus employment option and must be related with the field you are studying. You could even get academic credits for some internships. Of all employment options, this is a MUST before you graduate. I cannot emphasis enough on the importance of doing this as you get real world work experience directly related to your field, which will make it easy for you to find a job after you graduate. And for some people, their CPT will turn into their OPT, which was my case. Your school must approve you and notify USCIS before you can start working. A good place to start looking for CPT opportunities is by talking to your academic advisor and your school’s career development center.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

This is the employment option that requires the most planning and time to get approved. As an F-1 student, you may be eligible to participate in OPT in two different ways: Pre-completion OPT (before graduating from your program) and Post-completion OPT (after graduating from your program). The length of a regular OPT is 12 months but can be extended for STEM majors to 36 months total (12 months of regular OPT and 24 months for STEM extension). Please note that if you participate in pre-completion OPT, the amount of time will be deducted from your post-completion OPT authorization period. All OPT opportunities must be related to your field of study. You can find more information on the USCIS website here .

College is hard and your success is important. Reach out to your International Student Advisor to learn more about the employment options that are the most suitable for you. 

College Life

Tips to Start the Spring Semester Right

Esther Tokognon

Before you know it, the holidays season will be over and Spring semester will start at full speed.  Whether this is your first semester in College or not, there are actions you can take now to ensure you are ready to start the new semester. Below are some great tips to start the Spring semester right:

Register for your classes

Most universities or colleges will require you to go through an orientation program if the Spring semester will be your first semester in college. During this orientation session, you will meet with your advisor and register for your classes. However, if this coming semester will be your second one, you have less support. My advice is that you schedule some time to meet with your advisor as soon as possible so you can register for classes. It’s very important to do this as soon as possible because classes fill up quickly. 

Meeting with your advisor early on increases your chances of registering for the courses your major requires. If you do not register on time and all the classes required for your major fill up, your advisor will have no other option but to put you in classes that are available in order to help you maintain your F-1 visa status. Those courses may not be related to your major. 

Buy or rent your books:

Once you’ve registered for classes, look on your university’s website so you can get the list of the required textbook for the classes you register for. Once you have the list, do some research online. Unless the book you need is specific to your school, I do not recommend buying books from the school bookstore. I have spent hundreds of dollars on books I bought from the school bookstore whereas I could’ve spent way less by renting or buying online. These are the 2 websites that I often used throughout my college years that helped save me tons of money: Amazon and knetbooks. Valorebooks is also a great place to use when looking to rent or buy books online. Most of these websites offer free shipping and free return.  

Buy school supplies

Now that you have your books, make sure you buy general school supplies like pens, pencils, sharpies, notebooks…etc. or any school supplies you might need. Amazon and Walmart usually have the cheapest school supplies. By the way, if you are a regular reader of my articles, you will know how much I love Amazon. Amazon has made my life so much easier and that of many people around the world. 

Now that you have your books, make sure you buy general school supplies like pens, pencils, sharpies, notebooks, eraser…etc. or any school supplies you might need. Amazon and Walmart usually have the cheapest school supplies. By the way, if you are a regular reader of my articles, you will know how much I love Amazon. Amazon has made my life so much easier and that of many people around the world. 

Get ready for winter

I hope that you are by now ready for winter! However, if you’ve just arrived to the United States, I recommend you read my article about how to get ready for winter. It contains helpful tips to survive American winter. Like I recommended in that article, get a small heater if you will be living on campus and will have roommates or suite-mates, . This will save you so much trouble or roommates issues.

Plagiarism: The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines plagiarism as “the act to steal and pass off the ideas or words of someone else as one’s own or to use an article without crediting the source”. American universities are very strict about plagiarism and punish it when it occurs. In most universities, plagiarism will automatically result in you failing that class. Some universities will even spell you. Although some teachers will quickly go over it with you when classes start, I recommend you take some time to research about plagiarism before school starts. 

American Culture

Black Friday

Esther Tokognon

I’m sure you have already heard of this totally CRAZY, yet super AWESOME American holiday – Black Friday! But for those of you who haven’t, Black Friday is observed every year the day after Thanksgiving – a national holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. Click here to read my article on the history and present-day significance of Thanksgiving.

Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season as it it the day after the last major holiday. Over the years, Black Friday has become very popular and is loved by consumers as many stores run deals and promotions to attract them. Last year, U.S. retailers earned over $7.9 billion that day, an increase of approximately 18% from the previous year

So why should you care about this holiday and how to get the best Black Friday deals?

As a student with a small budget, you need all the discounts you can get. In order to ensure that you are getting the best deals, I suggest you first decide on the item(s) you really would like to buy in advance then check what store has them. It’s important that you do your research, and compare prices before deciding to buy something.

Use pricegrabber – an online price comparison shopping tool to compare product prices. . Check the price progression over a certain period of time to ensure that you are truly getting a good deal. Some retailers increase the price of an article before Black Friday, then drop it back to its initial price on Black Friday. I have experienced this myself. However this doesn’t mean that there aren’t true Black Friday deals. The average Black Friday discount has been around 45% in recent years. Another reason why you should care about this holiday is that it’s become an American tradition that everyone should experience at least once.

Where to find Black Friday deals?

Almost every big store will have some sort of Black Friday deal. Use this website to check out the Black Friday deals available from local and online retailers. You can also directly go to the stores’ websites to view their holiday deals. I personally find Amazon and Kohl’s to have some of the best deals. Most Black Friday items will be available to purchase online and in-store. If you decide to shop in-store, be prepared for the chaos!

Have fun shopping!

American Culture

Tips to Prevent Homesickness during the Holidays

Esther Tokognon

You’re a long way from home. The holidays are coming up. Flights are too expensive for you to go back home. It’s totally normal to feel homesick. My first holiday away from home felt the same. It was the hardest part of living abroad. However, as the years went by and I’ve adjusted more to this country, I’ve developed some strategies to cope with my homesickness. Below are some tips that helped me over the years that I think might help. Follow these tips to prevent homesickness during the holidays.

Adopt a positive attitude

If you are here reading about how to cope with homesickness during the holidays, it means that you want to feel better and actually enjoy the holidays. Congrats, you are one step closer to making this a great holiday! Having a positive attitude starts by accepting your current reality; the fact that you are far away from home and you will miss several family events. Although no one tells us, this is what we signed-up for when we decided to move to a different country. You can also build a positive attitude by thinking about your goals and the reasons why you decided to study in America. Adopting a positive attitude is essential.

Celebrate with your host family

If you have host family, spend the holidays with them whether it’s Thanksgiving or other American holidays. One of the main benefit of having a host family is to help you adjust in the country and experience something different. They want you to feel at home. Accepting that you now have a new family is very important. Spending the holidays with a host family is a great way to learn more about American culture and new traditions. If you currently do not have a host family and would like to have one, reach out to your International Student Advisor.

Surround yourself with people

If you do not have a host family and do not want to be alone during the holidays, find people with whom you can celebrate these festivities. These could be friends and their families, significant others, roommates, neighbors, co-workers, people you know from church…etc. It’s also perfectly understandable to want to surround yourself with people with similar culture as you. If you find yourself in this situation, then coming together to celebrate by cooking traditional meals and performing traditional holiday rituals might be a good option.

Make time to talk with your own family

Technology makes reaching out to people very easy. Use either Skype, Whatsapp or any video call tool that is available in your home country to video chat with your family. I recommend you call them first before starting any festivities with your friends or host family as I found that I didn’t enjoy the celebrations until I talked to my family. I automatically felt better after talking to them, as I was no longer asking myself what they were up to. Get that out of the way first, then have fun.

Find ways to stay busy

Whether it’s traveling to places you have never being before or trying to master a hobby that you just picked up, finding ways to keep yourself busy will distract you from being sad. I have happily spent several holidays by myself without feeling all the sadness and loneliness that use to come with it.

Follow these tips to prevent homesickness and enjoy the holidays!

College Life

How to Learn English Fast (Outside the Classroom)

Esther Tokognon

Learning English as a second let alone a third language is hard. Trust me I know! English was the fifth language I learned, and now, it’s the language I feel the most comfortable with! But that definitely wasn’t always the case.

When I first came to the United States, I barely spoke any English. Enough to go through customs, which was heavily reinforced by hand signals. After taking the English placement test to see what level of English class I needed to enroll in, I did surprisingly well. I only had to take 6 credits of ESL courses – dedicated to International students. At the same time, I was enrolled in a Public Speaking class and a Math class. Here are some of the steps I took outside the classroom to become more comfortable with English.

Limited my interaction with people that spoke my native language: This doesn’t mean that you need to stop talking to them, but the less time you spend speaking your native language, the better. When I first arrived to my dorm, I did not have a roommate, but I was blessed to have two Togolese students as suitemates. Togo is about 3 hours drive from Benin – my native country. Both countries share similar culture, and speak some of the same languages.  Being 6,175 miles away from family, it was nice having people with a similar cultural background. The only problem was that we were always speaking French. We also didn’t like the cafeteria food and would rather cook for ourselves and eat together, which limited the level of interaction we had we native English speakers. My priority was to succeed in America and I needed to speak proper English to do that. How can I do that if I am always in my room speaking French and not getting out of my comfort zone?

Got an American roommate: At the end of my first semester, I told the residence director I wanted an American roommate. That way, I would be forced to speak English. The key to learning English fast is total immersion into an English-speaking environment. The next semester, my roommate was American. And the two Togolese students were still my suitemates. Perfect balance!

Didn’t limit my interaction to just my American roommate: Practice with any native speaker as often as possible. This will also help you learn slang and colloquialisms, which are important if you want to fully immerse into this environment. Also, one of the problems that international students face the most when learning American English is being able to listen and understand. In general, Americans speak very fast. But not every American speaks at the same speed or has the same accent. Practicing with a variety of native English speakers will expose you to different accents, speed and ways of speaking.

Joined clubs and organizations: This is a great a way to meet people, make friends, and practice your English at the same time. If you would like to learn more about all the clubs available at your campus, talk to your International Student Advisor. When it comes to clubs off campus, I really like https://www.meetup.com. You can join a group and meet people near you who share similar interests. If you love to volunteer, try https://www.volunteermatch.org to find volunteering opportunities in your area.

Watched movies in English: If you are a beginner, leave the subtitles in your native language then switch to English subtitles as you progress and finally remove all subtitles. This was the first strategy I used when I was still in Benin and was preparing to come to the United States. Take your time and make sure you understand what you are watching. I found this website that has a list of 10 modern American classics movies for learning English. It also has some tips on how to learn English through movies and films.

Finally, a strategy that I never used but that I’ve heard is very helpful:

Play video games in English: This is the only advice on this list that I didn’t follow myself as I am not a gamer. However, I have so many friends that found this very useful. If playing video games is something you are really passionate about and that you spend a lot of time doing, learning English while playing will be beneficial.  

Improving your English is all about practice!


Professional Life

Career Tips for College Students

Esther Tokognon

Deciding to go to college was a great decision for me. My time at college really put me on the path to economic success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics college graduates with a bachelor’s degree earn on average  up to 65% more per year than those with a high school diploma. College graduates are likely to have better living situations and are more likely to positively influence the people around them than non-college graduates.

But it takes more than just showing up to class everyday. There is so much more to college than just textbooks and tests. Learning how to take advantage of all the resources available to you is essential to putting yourself on the road to success.

We all know college is extremely expensive, especially in the United States. Here are 7 career tips for college students that will allow you to make the fastest return on your investment.

Start thinking about your future career NOW!

It’s never too soon to start thinking about your career. In my experience, most college students don’t seriously start thinking about their career until they are close to graduating or even until after they’ve graduated!

Trust me, this will make it very difficult to find a job. Employers are looking to hire people with experience, and college is a great place to gain that experience. Having a career path in mind from the beginning will allow you to be on the lookout for opportunities to gain experience in your field. For example, a lot of science majors are able to work in real science labs alongside actual scientists!

Don’t worry, if you find yourself on a career path that isn’t right for you, or you just aren’t enjoying the courses as much as you thought you would, you can always change your major. You don’t have to commit to anything, so you decide on a career path early and start getting all of the experience you can!

Pick a major based on your interests and strengths

Some students apply to college knowing the field they want to study, others are undecided. As you are going to college, it is important to find choose a major that aligns with your interests and strengths. When choosing a major, you should look at all the courses that are included in that program, the jobs you could get after, and their respective projected career earnings. 

Most schools offer all the courses required for that major on their website. Reading through the courses in a major is a great way to get an idea of what that major will be like. 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a website produced by the US government. It shows the average salary someone can make in many different professional fields.

For those that need more help deciding what major to study, take this Major Quiz to view a list of majors that could be a good fit.

Take advantage of the Career Development Center

Your college’s Career Development Center should be one of the places you visit the most. It has a ton of resources that can help you succeed. They can help you write a resume (also known as curriculum vitae or CV). It’s really important to always have an up-to-date resume available, you never know when it might come in handy. Getting assistance with your resume is especially helpful if English isn’t your first language. A well-written resume is essential to finding a job after college!

Another advantage of using the career development center is that they are in contact with many companies and can assist you with finding job openings and internship opportunities. For students who aren’t sure which major will fit them best, the Career Development Center can help with that too.

Get involved:

Getting involved by joining a club or organization on campus or off campus is a great a way to meet people with similar interests. Participating in a club or organization will help you develop skills and qualities that will help you land your first job. This is a great way doe international students to get out of their comfort zone and interact with peoples. This is especially helpful if English isn’t your first language! Employers are always looking to hire people with strong communication skills. People To People International, Rotaract Club, Model Union are a few good clubs that you can consider joining. Volunteer work is also a great way to help your community, and many employers expect to see volunteer work on your resume. Your university will have a list of all the clubs and organizations available.

Network

Getting involved, whether on-campus or off-campus, opens the door for networking. Start meeting people in your field of study and build relationships and connections. Find a mentor who will share their knowledge with you. Often times, students find out about job openings through their professional connections. These people will also be able to write letters of recommendation for you.

Create a LinkedIn account

Use LinkedIn to grow your network and keep up with your connections. Create a LinkedIn account as soon as you start college and add all of your achievements as you go. Classmates and professors can also write on your page to endorse you. I wish that I would’ve joined LinkedIn as a freshman. Don’t wait, sign up now!

Internship, part-time job or work-study

Use your LinkedIn’s Job search engine to look for internship or part-time jobs.Other websites like Indeed and Monster are also great job search tools. Having some work experience through internship or work-study is very important. For international students, reach out to your International Advisor before starting a job search as there are some visa restrictions. The last thing you want is to find yourself in the situation of illegal employment. International students should read this article to learn more about the various employments options they have such as work study, OPT, CPT …etc.

Follow these career tips! Good Luck!