For many international students pursuing an MBA degree in the US, the appeal wasn’t just to be educated in the country but to secure employment here as well. Things have been considerably difficult, what with the regulations being topped off by a pandemic that refuses to quit when pretty much everyone else has.
Since we’re the preferred career accelerator of many MBA students looking for jobs in the US, at HiCounselor we know the best way to approach the situation. Read on to learn some tips about securing a job in America after an MBA program. To get more personalized help with your job search, get in touch with us and one of our mentors will gladly work with you!
Find out the real placement rate before you enroll for an MBA
A lot of American educational institutes put placement statistics that are “blended”. That is to say, they include those placements which happened outside the country too. So, if an international student went back home after completing their course and got a job there, that’s a successful placement statistic too. If you’re looking to work in the US after completing your MBA course, you should ask about the placement success rate within the US.
Speak to the unsuccessful candidates too
We’re so hungry to know what the right things to do are that we prefer to speak to the “winners”. Many people turn to the MBA grads who found American jobs for advice. However, it’s equally important to speak to those who didn’t find employment. This gives you a balanced outlook as well as some ideas of things that can work against you. Language barriers, familial support, complex legalese, and other such factors can easily deprive you of success.
Start your post MBA US job search early
Some students wait for the last dates before getting serious about a job search. That’s not the best way to approach things when visa laws are involved. If you manage to secure an internship that can lead to a full-time job, put your heart into it. Many employers are willing to secure an H-1B visa for dedicated employees so it’s a good idea to move fast. You might also end up getting your visa approved while you’re still in business school, which is definitely a big win.
Stay flexible
You might have ideas about how you want your post MBA American job search to progress, but it’s best not to get too attached to any fantasy. Sometimes, you may not get approved for the H-1B visa the first time around. Don’t get discouraged and throw in the towel. Your employer may let you work remotely from your home country and then retry for your visa the next year. They may even relocate you to another country where they have their offices until they can get you back to the US.
Use your campus career center
Lots of American business schools have improved their career centers to attract the best international students. You can use these centers to make your MBA job search in the US a bit easier. You’ll be able to use their training tools which are specifically designed to help international MBA students secure jobs in America. They also offer holistic career development support, which helps you come up with an informed job search plan that is likely to be more successful.
Job search efficiently
Many MBA students looking for US jobs start out with a list of companies that have been known to hire international students and offer H-1B visa assistance. This is a sound move and you can check out the top 50 companies here. You can also use our free search tool to find companies that help with visas. You can narrow down your search by location, salary, etc. and get helpful details as well! Look at all the firms that could use your knowledge and skills and apply there too. Get in touch with hiring managers directly to show what you have to offer, and you might get lucky!
We hope these tips help you better plan out your post MBA US job search! We know that the task can seem overwhelming and confusing, so if you’d like more personalized help in securing a job in the US, get in touch with us at HiCounselor and let one of our experts help shoulder the burden with you!
HiCounselor has forged technical advances to transform the hiring landscape for job seekers and recruiters alike. Our career accelerator program provides job seekers with coaching and mentorship from industry leaders employed at FAANG companies while recruiters ally with HiCounselor to empower their hiring strategy and hone in on the best candidates. Learn more about HiCounselor here and reach out to us on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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