Step 1: Develop Key Skills
Begin gathering experience/internships to build up your resume/skills starting in your first year. Key skills employers want include:
- AI Mastery (Know the best sites and prompts to use.)
- Communication (writing)
- Customer Relationship Management
- Initiative
- Interpersonal skills
- Leadership (Get involved, volunteer at events and get leadership experience.)
- Managing uncertainty
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
- Technical Skills
Step 2: Job Hunt With Confidence
- Be strategic. Look for companies that hire international students.
- Customize your cover letter to the skills requested in the job listing.
- Finetune your resume to emphasize skills for the type of job you are seeking.
- Create a couple variations of your resume to match the types of jobs you are pursuing. For example, if you are looking for a marketing job and are applying to marketing jobs in two different fields, such as healthcare and higher ed., you might consider creating a healthcare and an education version of your resume.
- Apply to jobs as soon as possible as early resumes are reviewed by humans rather than AI.
- Search for jobs that require more than one language if you speak a second language. Consider your second language an asset.
- Stay optimistic. Realize that you need to apply for many jobs to get an interview.
- Check out Campus Philly and International House Philadelphia for career-related events.
- Attend career events from Temple’s Office of International Student Affairs. And reach out to Career Services at Temple.
- Share Employer Resources | IHP, which includes the info employers need to hire international students, with interested employers.
- Take good care of yourself. Job hunting can be stressful so make sure to eat and sleep well and exercise.
Step 3: Network, Network, Network
- Reach out to people who may be able to help. Don’t be shy. People often like to help and someday you can help others.
- Leverage LinkedIn as a networking tool. Post frequently so people are aware of your interests and create job alerts. Also, look both for people you know who are connected to jobs you are applying for and reach out.
- Attend events where you can connect with alumni and connect with people who work at companies that interest you.
Step 4: Interview Successfully
- Research the company interviewing you before your interview. Use AI to assist you.
- Promote yourself and your key skills openly in the interview. Don’t be shy about pointing out the strength of your skills.
- If you have an accent, leverage it as a strength to promote your bilingualism.
- Follow up with individualized thank you notes to all the people who interviewed you.
Tips gathered from the Alumni Career Event sponsored by Temple’s Office of International Student Affairs on March 31, 2025.
By Lisa Z. Meritz, Director of Communications & Marketing, Global Engagement