SUMANA B. NORTHOVERNORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

EDU: 6050 EDUCATION AS AN ADVANCED FIELD OF STUDY

1/29/2014

Meeting Career Support Challenges of Our

International Students

Objectives

IntroductionWhy is this Important?Student ConcernsCounselor ChallengesBest Practices in Serving the StudentImplications of Best PracticesAdditional ResearchReferences

Introduction

Fact:In the 2012-2013 academic year, the US

welcomed thelargest number of international students,

819,644.

Institute of International Education, 2013, retrieved from http://http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304868404579190062164404756

Why is it Important?

Question: Why should we serve our international

students?

Answer:Important source of revenue for higher

education institutionsGlobalize learning for our domestic studentsIt’s the right thing to do

Student Perspective: Concerns

The primary concern for international students is: Career support services generally cater to the domestic

student Language and cultural barriers

Adjusting to their host country Unfamiliarity with INS rules and regulations

Part-time/Full-time Trouble navigating employment sector in US

Job search process Interview techniques Remaining competitive with domestic students Varying communication styles

More specialized graduate support

Counselor Perspective: Challenges

The primary challenges of serving this population are: Career development

Utilizing the service Unfamiliarity with the service Don’t think it will help

Will they stay or will they return? Job prospects, family ties, commitment to local

community, etc. Career placement, American companies reluctant or

unable to take on the risk. Immigration policies and work authorization restrictions Lack of practical training

Best Practices in Serving the Student (1)

What can we do to connect with and serve thispopulation?

Targeted outreach Early and often Print and online and in-person

Job preparation workshops Resume prep Mock Interviews Job search strategies

Best Practices in Serving the Student (2)

Close collaboration with faculty, departments, and student organizations Centralize and coordinate the process

More internship opportunities International alumni support

Best advocate to aid in placement or mentorship Education around INS policies and procedures

How to navigate the system Guide in the administrative process

Implications of Best Practices

By better preparing international students to enter the

American job market: Fulfill institutional missions and student objectives of

serving all of our students to the best of our ability Improve institution reputation both at home and

abroad We relieve employer anxiety around the hiring process

and lessen perceived risk of employee investment

Additional Research

Some suggestions for further research include: More peer reviewed research in general Quantitative studies which measure:

International student placement with regards to gender, major, ethnic population, type of institution, intent to stay or return home.

References

Porter, C., & Belkin, D. (2013, November 11). Record number of foreign studentsflocking to u.s. Retrieved from WSJ.Com website:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles SB10001424052702304868404579190062164404756

Shen, Y.-, & Herr, E. L. (2004). Career placement concerns of international graduate students: A qualitative study. Journal of Career Development, 31(1), 15-29

Spencer-Rodgers, J. (1998). An assessment of the career development needs of international students. Journal of College Student Development, 39(5), 509-513.

Trice, A. G. (2005). Navigating in a multinational learning community: Academic departments' response to graduate international students. Journal of Studies in International Education, 9(62), 509-513. Retrieved from http://jsi.sagepub.com/content/9/1/62