As an international student, it is essential to understand the expectations hiring managers have for U.S. résumés, as each country has its own individual recommendations. Developing an effective document that not only highlights your education and experiences but also meets the guidelines of what American employers expect is instrumental in competing in today’s job market.
Hiring managers are impressed with a job candidate who has a global perspective – you will add value to their workforce. It’s beneficial to emphasize your assets of a diverse background.
Highlight Strengths as a Global Student
Use your international perspective to your advantage. Employers find immersion in multiple cultures appealing. Accentuate that you are bilingual or multilingual and that you have experience in a cross-cultural work environment. In the skills section, be sure to add your native language: “Fluent: Mandarin.” This shows that you are linguistically diverse.
Incorporate how you have used your written and communication skills effectively in an academic or professional setting. For example:
- “Led a team of four UConn classmates during a class project on….”
- “Presented workshop to 100 students for UConn’s Foundations of Biology class”
Draw attention to the fact that you have traveled and lived in multiple countries. This demonstrates versatility and a mindset of inclusivity, showing your awareness of and engagement with other cultures.
Tips for Providing an International Frame of Reference
When describing work or internship experiences from outside the U.S., consider providing a frame of reference, such as “fastest-growing marketing firm in England” or “third largest technology company in India.”
When referencing a GPA outside of the U.S., translate it to a standard grade point average scale used in the U.S. For instance: “GPA 7/10, equivalent to U.S. GPA 3.84/4.00”.
What to Omit
To protect against discrimination in the review of your application, you should not include the following:
- Race/ethnicity
- Photograph
- Marital status
- Religion
- Gender Identity
- Age
- Immigration status
Furthermore, it is not a common practice to include test scores on a résumé so that you can exclude SAT & TOEFL results.
You can omit English as a language skill. As an international student attending a university in the U.S., employers presume that you speak and understand English.
What to Include
One-page résumés are standard practice for undergraduate students, and one to two pages are sufficient for graduate students. Résumés have sections that focus on academic credentials, experiences, relevant accomplishments, and transferable skills to showcase an individual’s qualifications for a tailored position. Within the U.S., a Curriculum Vitae (CV) is most commonly used when applying for academic or research-related positions and typically consists of multiple pages.
Here are additional resources for U.S. Résumés and U.S. CVs.
- For specifics of writing a proper résumé, consult the Résumé & Cover Letter Guide – UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills
- For specifics of writing a proper U.S. CV, review Writing Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) – UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills
To learn more about résumé writing or to make an appointment to have your résumé critiqued, visit career.uconn.edu or stop by UConn’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills.
