interEDGE curates Q&A to address questions from international students about job search, networking, American hiring practice and workplace culture. The following questions are from participants of our recent webinar.
Author: Di Hu
Co-founder and principal coach at interEDGE.org, an initiative of DrEducation, to offer online training solutions to institutions to support academic and career success of international students. Follow her on @CoachDiHu
Three Simple Steps of Networking
Networking stands on the top of the priority list for many international students. Its importance is evident from conversations with professors, career advice from career counselors and the alumni panels on campus. Many come to interEDGE, not with the question “should I spend time in networking or not?” but “how can I build my network?” Here are three simple steps of networking.
Deadline to Apply for STEM OPT 24-Months Extension: 8/8/2016
If you are an international student on an existing 17-month STEM OPT employment authorization document (EAD) and plan to stay to the full 24-month extension, make sure you apply for an additional seven months of OPT by August 8th, 2016.
Discuss International Student Career Success at NAFSA Region X
In the last five years, the number of international students in the American institutions has increased by 40 percent to reach one million. Career opportunities are one of the determining factors in student’s decisions to study abroad. Many institutions encounter challenges in effectively supporting international student career success. Di Hu, Co-founder of interEDGE, chaired a session at NAFSA Region X in which she discussed causes of the challenges and invited two seasoned career services directors to share best practices.
6 Things Your Heart Can Do to Shape Your International Student Experience
Doubtlessly, you have a long list of doings that are important to you that could include studying hard, trying to make new friends, managing expenses, building a good relationship with professors, etc. We want to remind you of six things your heart can do that will have a profound and lasting impact on your journey as an international student.
DeVry partners with interEDGE to Support International Students through Online Training
interEDGE will provide online live workshop series “OPTmizing Your Career Success with Cross-Cultural Skills” for DeVry international students on multiple campuses in the United States.
6 Things to Do for a Career-Driven Summer
There аrе thousands of international ѕtudеntѕ with the ѕаmе gоаl as you: ѕсоrіng a grеаt jоb upon graduation. This summer may make a difference in your career success. I encourage you to tаkе tіmе during the next couple of months tо build уоur professional nеtwоrk, devote to a vоluntееr cause, create your own project, and attend a workshop. You never know where you may land from these experiences.
interEDGE Supports Graduating Class with OPT Success
interEDGE co-founders were invited by Wasserman Career Center of New York University to conduct the workshops on “Optimize Your Options with Cross-cultural Skills” for international students at NYU. The first workshop focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors and the other on non-STEM majors.
Campus Collaboration to Better Serve International Students
The Center for Student Professional Development recently launched a broad initiative urging campus partners collaborate more to better support international students. As part of the initiative, interEDGE co-founders, Di Hu and Rahul Choudaha, delivered the training on “Maximizing International Student Success”, with several learning objectives.
interEDGE Conducted Impression Management Workshop at Teachers College, Columbia University
Future China Initiative (FCI)*, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) st Teachers College, Columbia University, invited interEDGE to conduct a workshop on networking in the American culture to international students from China.
The Story behind International Enrollment Growth Numbers in the U.S.
American graduate schools are increasingly dependent on international students for meeting their enrollment goals. Supporting international student success across their education lifecycle must rise on the agenda of institutional priorities.
Three Waves of Chinese Students since 1999
With more than 304,040 Chinese students enrolled in the US in 2014/15, China is by far the leading source of international students at American universities and colleges. In the last 15 years, there have been three primary waves of growth in Chinese students in the US.
Navigate the Cross-cultural Map: Feedback
The ways people provide feedback differ in various cultures. Two simple and spot-on tips can help you accurately understand the feedback from your American manager and successfully solicit the constructive criticism.
Research: Social Barriers Faced by Female Chinese International Students
The number of international students studying in American private high schools has skyrocketed over the past decade. Among these are Chinese females, a vulnerable population under-represented in the literature. This qualitative study looked at the social barriers these students face when transitioning into private American high schools and considered how such schools can better support them.
Will New STEM OPT Extension Rule Create a Win-Win Solution?
The new OPT Extension rule will make America more attractive to global talent. International students will be able to gain more experience and recover part of their investment before returning to home country or planning to stay. Employers will benefit in terms of finding technical skills and adding diversity on their teams without worrying about visa sponsorship.
Going Beyond “Heavy Recruitment of Chinese Students”
The recent WSJ article “Heavy Recruitment of Chinese Students Sows Discord on U.S. Campus” has stirred up a heated discussion about the integration challenge of Chinese students on American campus. The author shares a few reflections on practical solutions.
Navigate the Cross-cultural Map: Communication
The articles applies the first models from “the Culture Map” to highlight a few cross-culture communication mistakes and make recommendations to international students on how to improve their communication skills.
Join “Succeed with OPT” Exclusive Webinar
Register for an exclusive interEDGE.org webinar on April 2nd or 7th with a special offer of 40% discount code (OPT2016). Discount code expires on at 6:00PM EDT on Wednesday, March 16th. .EDU email address is required for registration.
What do Kung Fu Panda 3 and Stanford Research have in Common?
International students must develop the mindset for success. The article introduces a few tips: remind yourself of your past achievements; reflect on your mistakes; watch out your saboteur voices; break your vision into small actionable steps; celebrate your small milestones; and hire a coach.
International Students are Paying More for Education; are Universities Doing Enough?
International students are paying more for their education. A widening mismatch in their expectations and experiences would create negative word-of-mouth and hurt future enrollment. Institutions must do more to engage and support international students for the benefit of all students and the larger campus community.
Breaking the “Funnel Effect” in International Student Job Search
Given the constraints of limited career support, the outcome is that career options for many international students are pigeon-holed as typical IT, quantitative or research roles. It takes planning and effort to break the “funnel effect” in your job search and align it to your career path.
Matching Skill Gaps: an Opportunity for International Students
Matching skill gaps requires intentional training, practice, guidance, and mentorship. Be aware of the embedded cross-cultural barriers in the learning process.
Cultural Intelligence: a must-have trait for future leaders
While focusing on academic studies is expected of international students, it is equally important that they sharpen their intercultural competence. Cultural intelligence can be acquired most effectively through experiential learning.
International Student Academic and Career Success: Integration and Support with Cross-cultural Skills 