International Student Career Resources
Welcome to a team that values your journey and is committed to your success
WashU’s Center for Career Engagement is committed to supporting the unique experiences and success of our international students. We understand that many international students face additional obstacles when approaching processes related to exploring different careers, searching for internships/jobs and applying to advanced-degree programs. Our goal is to provide the guidance and resources you need to thrive.
As a member of the WashU community, you have access to an array of services designed to help you navigate your academic and career paths effectively:
- Personalized Career Coaching and Planning: Tailored support to help you identify your strengths, explore career options, and plan your future. Make an Appointment with a Career Coach
- Career Assessment: Career coaches offer in-depth assessments and discussion that can help you understand yourself and explore possibilities. Make an Appointment with a Career Coach or get started on your own with Focus2 Career Assessment.
- Skills Training: Seek tools and training to enhance your career readiness, professionalism and skill set. Chat with a coach or create a learning plan using LinkedIn Learning. Click here to sign up for your free LinkedIn Learning account (only available to current students, faculty, and staff).
- Networking Opportunities: Connections to a global community of leaders, recruiters, influencer networks, and WashU alumni. Check our events and view potential mentors in WashUCNX.
Explore our comprehensive Career Resources and Tools, join career communities for targeted support, and engage with our dedicated coaches to make the most of your WashU experience.
The International Advantage
Learn how to speak about your unique international advantage. As an international student getting your degree in a second language, you are accomplishing something most Americans could never do! It demonstrates that you are extremely smart, brave, and dedicated to your career to navigate an entirely new culture to pursue your goals. It also shows that you are adaptable and can adjust to change and challenges – adaptability and the ability to learn new things quickly is a highly valued skill and quality by employers. You also bring a global mindset and perspective that is unique to your colleagues – in a world that is becoming increasingly global this is a unique advantage of an international talent!
Career Resources
for International Students
- GoinGlobal – US and Global jobs, internships, and career guides
- Frog Hire.ai – an internet extension that tells the job seeker if the company has sponsored H1B in the past, designed specifically for international students seeking US employment. FrogHire.ai extension integrates with LinkedIn, Indeed, Handshake, Glassdoor, and Google Jobs to filter H-1B friendly and E-verify employers, analyze position’s sponsorship availability, and more.
- MyVisaJobs – research if a company has sponsored for H1B in the past, and get insightful salary information.
- Resume trends vary country to country – GoinGlobal has resume guides for lots of different countries
- List of 2024 STEM Majors for Optional Practical Training (OPT) via the DHS list of approved CIP codes
- How to Network Like an American – Judy Shen-Filerman (workbook for international students hoping to break into the U.S. job market)
- Filtering for OPT/CPT in Handshake
- Advice for international students from Vault
- OISS: Office for International Students & Scholars – The Office for International Students and Scholars is here to empower our international community with the knowledge and resources needed to navigate U.S. immigration compliance with care and compassion. Have a question about your visa or work authorization? Contact your OISS advisor!
- OISE: Office for International Student Engagement – OISE is here to support international students during their time at Washington University in St. Louis by providing a welcoming environment through programming, advocacy and cultural enrichment. Meet other international students on their fun social outings and explore St. Louis together!
- WUGO: visit WUGO for a list of student groups and clubs you can get involved with, based on your hobbies and interests.
- The Writing Center and The Speaking Studio at Washington University in St. Louis provide free, one-on-one tutoring to all WashU undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff for any writing or public speaking project.
- Grammarly – Work with an AI writing partner that helps you find the words you need—to write that tricky email, to get your point across, to keep your work moving, and to keep your grammar free of errors.
Watch a Linkedin expert, former recruiter, and career-world guru explain how to maximize your Linkedin to attract recruiters. This session helps attendees clearly understand how to network with alumni, even if that’s a brand-new experience for you.
From this session you will learn to:
1. Understand the US hiring process – from how recruiters search for talent to how referrals can increase your chances ten-fold
2. Discover sponsorship opportunities – by following the data trail left on LinkedIn and other job sites
3. Develop your networking skills – by getting practice with reaching out to alumni, using the right AI supports to build instant rapport
4. Learn about the bilingual advantage of getting to have TWO Linkedin profiles, one in each language.
