How to present yourself as an international student
International students have problem getting internship in the United States simply due to competition of the American a nationals who speak the desirable language and have the familiar cultural attitude. For example, an American company will want to hire an intern that knows the local culture because interaction with customers is essential. Foreign students need to be different to get the attention of prestigious American companies. Let’s be quite honest you can neither speak native American English nor are you familiar with the culture. You need to compensate where you can through manners and showing a little bit of will to assimilate. If there are issues, always get online assistance with the internship application. Make acceptable applications with good written English because broken English I’ll never get accepted.
Have your immigration papers in order
- With the current debate about illegal immigrants, you will need to have your immigration papers in order as well as your visa. If you are a new United States citizen, the you will have no problem on this aspect. Employers will always avoid foreign looking and speaking people just because they are unfamiliar with the culture. You need to be convincing with legal papers. Authorization from the university or any other college in America is key. You need to show that you are a current or a former student of a school and in genuine need of an internship.
- Don’t hesitate about what you want. If you approach a company, say a technology company, and you are not sure where you want to work in the company, you are likely to be denied internship. As an attaché, you should know what you want to learn from the organization. This is the objective of internship anyway. For instance, if you say you want to work at the assembly line at a ford factory, it makes sense, and even if that position isn’t available, you will be offered an alternative
- Be presentable and less casual. When it is time for personal appearance before the human resource department, dress in official American clothes despite how you feel about it. If you are an Arab girl, don’t appear before HR covered from head to toe in a black garment. Just don black loose fitting but smooth crease-free trousers and a fitting tuxedo and flat shoes. You will appear moderate. Just like you are unlikely to be hired by anyone in Saudi Arabia while in a bikini, you will not be hired in loud religious attire in the US. No one wants to deal with extreme people no matter what side or religion they are. For the men, be equally western presentable.
- Speak respectfully and like you really want the internship before the HR. do not behave like you have a whole lot of options.
- Good luck the international student! and check the calculator below!
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