As international students, we are always focused on studying 24/7. In most cases, our cultural background influences us to follow down that path because we believe that is the ultimate way to land our dream job in the US. We are so blinded by this idea that we forget to step outside our "box" and build professional connection and relationships in our field of interest. In other words, we underestimate the power of networking.
The Graduate Student Services Office in collaboration with the Office of International Students and Scholars and the University Career Center put together an eye opening seminar about Finding Jobs in the USA for Students on Visas. A requirement to attending this seminar was reading Power Ties by Dan Beaudry. This book was written specifically for international students who are looking at obtaining a job in the US after graduation. Dan Beaudry highly encouraged everyone to start building professional relationships as early in their college/graduate life as possible. Although these "power ties" must be built through strategic outreach, they must be motivated by common interests and not money. This is the true key to networking.
Your question might be: how do I build those "power ties?" One important aspect is that you have to have a proactive approach to not only networking but also your job search. Having a presence on LinkedIn and other professional social media sites increases your visibility and your chances to reach out to others who might have the same professional interest as you. In addition, joining and getting involved with professional organizations in the industry of your interest will allow you to connect with the people who are currently working in that field and from whom you might be able to learn insightful information. However, when making these connections try to not only focus on your job search but also on more personal common interests. These connections could become your future referrals from inside the industry and "hiring based on the trusted opinion of the others is not only the oldest recruiting solution, it is still the best solution" (direct quote from Power Ties).
Sometimes taking these steps might be counter cultural to the way we were raised, but we need to understand the nature of the job search market in the US. There are many ways to find a job. You could look and apply on company websites, job search engines and so on. However, over half of the jobs out there are not posted on job sites or even on the company website. These jobs are all referral based. Thus, it is crucial to get to know the right people. However, even if you do know the right people, what do they know about you? This is when developing a niche for yourself is so important (not just technical niche, but personal as well). What will motivate the employer to hire you is your ability to solve business issue as well as your credibility, likeability, and helpfulness. Thus, you have to be able (and feel comfortable) talking about your past performances and show your “soft skills.”
From personal experience all this works! A few weeks ago, I was asked to participate in a charity pro-am and silent action event. Committing to such an event meant losing a day of studying before one of the hardest weeks of graduate school: a group project, a paper, and two exams. But taking the career advisors’ advice, I said yes. I was not only able to contribute to a great cause (cystic fibrosis) but also have the opportunity to meet and connect with a professional that is currently holding my dream job. By talking to her about our common interest (tennis, family values, international travel), I was able to establish the connection Dan Beaudry and the rest of the career advisers so strongly emphasized. In addition, she was able to offer me powerful tips that would help me in further shaping my career path. I could've chose to study that Saturday and completely missed an opportunity of a lifetime.
Hope this information will help others just as it helped me. Enjoy building your "power ties!"
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