2024 Navigating the U.S. Job and Internship Search Panel 

UConn’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills hosted a panel discussion on Navigating the U.S. Job and Internship Search for international students. The panelists were international student alums who shared their successes and challenges faced while searching for jobs in the U.S. 

The Two Panelists 

Ketki Bhalerao received her PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry in 2024. She has been a Research Scientist – Assay Development at Quantum Diamond Technologies Inc. (QDTI) for six months. And Rebecka Nilsen received her B.S. in Marketing in 2022 and is a Marketing Manager at VISTECH. 

Ketki worked on campus as a Teaching Assistant in the Chemistry Department at UConn. While Ketki did not seek an internship, she recommended that students pursue an internship if possible. Rebecka volunteered at UConn for the Weekend of Welcome (WOW) and Student Activities. 

Networking 

Ketki explained that conferences were a great place to meet people. Additionally, UConn’s career fairs provided a platform to communicate with employers. She emphasized the importance of having a résumé ready to hand to the employers and to ensure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date before attending a career fair. Rebecka attended the Career Fair for the School of Business, and she found it a very helpful experience to talk with employers 

OPT Insights 

Ketki applied for OPT about three months before working. She suggested that it is important to be very accurate with applications so as not to lead to delays. She also mentioned that once you apply for OPT, you will not be updated on the process. 

Challenges Faced 

Ketki discussed both the application process and interviewing. She explained that it was challenging to fine-tune résumés for each job that she applied for, and she also mentioned that résumés were different in her home country. Ketki mentioned that some behavioral questions were challenging during the interview process and encouraged the event attendees to schedule appointments with the career center to have résumés reviewed and to obtain assistance preparing for interviews. 

Finding Open Jobs 

Rebecka found her job on Handshake, she tailored her résumé to each position, and she also targeted specific companies. Rebecka attended business and marketing networking nights through the School of Business. Rebecka shared her experience with job market rejection and explained that while she applied to 90 jobs, she received 50 interviews and a couple offers.

Sponsorship & H1B 

Ketki looked up companies on MyVisaJobs.com to determine if an employer has a history of sponsoring international students, so she knew in advance which employers might sponsor. She recommended that students should also check to see if companies are e-verified. Rebecka shared that in deciding about which job offer to take, it was important for her international background to feel valued and to have confidence in the employer being able to navigate sponsorship. 

Final Advice 

Final advice from both panelists was to start early and plan! Recognize that it is a long process, and not give up. Rebecka started her job search in August of her senior year, and Ketki started 6 months prior to graduation. Rebecka elaborated that each interview and rejection taught her something and it made her better prepared for the next interview.  

By Desiree Martino
Desiree Martino Career Coach | Pronouns she/her