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Download printable PDF of the Career Action Menu for International Students

The Career Planning and Development Center (CPDC) is available to assist international students with exploring and defining their personal career goals while developing the skills and confidence necessary to succeed. CPDC advisors assist with identifying sources of experience while studying in the United States, preparing a U.S. style resume, internship and job search strategies, and practice interviewing.

Career Action Combinations

Your career development is personal. The actions you should take each semester are determined by your background and goals. Identify which combination of steps is appropriate for you. The options below are combinations of career-related actions that enhance knowledge, skills, and confidence. Use these as a starting point. You may choose to customize your actions and/or take additional steps aligned with your career and academic goals. Meet with a career advisor for support and guidance.

Career Combination 1: New to Webster

Appropriate for students who are new to ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ.

• Get involved in an on-campus club related to your interests or area of study; attend the Student Involvement Fair and workshop on Gaining Experience in the U.S.
• Create or update your U.S. Style Resume
• Learn about legal options for employment in the U.S. by visit the International Recruitment and International Services website and/or attending a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) workshop (for F-1 visa holders)
• Meet with a career advisor to discuss how your area of study connects to careers

Career Combination 2: The Career Explorer

Appropriate for students who are exploring and defining career goal(s) and planning to begin an internship or job search within the next six months.

• Get involved in an on-campus club related to your interests or area of study
• Meet with a career advisor to discuss your personal career goal(s)
• Update your U.S. Style Resume to include all current experiences
• Create a list of employers of interest and learn how to identify open internships/jobs
• Learn about your legal options for employment in the U.S. by attending a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and/or Optional Practical Training (OPT) workshop (for F-1 visa holders)

Career Combination 3: Seeking Experience

Appropriate for students with a current resume, defined career goal(s), and actively applying to openings.

• Meet with a career advisor to discuss your internship or job search plan
• Learn about your legal options for employment in the U.S. by attending a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and/or Optional Practical Training (OPT) workshop (for F-1 visa holders)
• Submit internship/job applications using customized application materials
• Develop interviewing skills through a workshop or in-person advising appointment

Download printable PDF of the Internship and CPT Checklist for F-1 Visa Students

If you have determined you would like to search for an internship and utilize Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for temporary work authorization to gain experience in the U.S., follow the steps outlined below. Learn more about eligibility and processes for CPT on the International Recruitment and International Services website.

Am I Eligible for an Internship Through CPT?

• Email International Recruitment and Services at intlservices@webster.edu to ask if and when you are eligible for CPT. Make note of the response provided.
• In general, students must have been enrolled full-time (12 credits per semester for undergraduates, 6 credits per nine-week term for graduates) for at least one full academic year or nine months to be eligible.
• More details on eligibility can be found on the International Recruitment and International Services website.

Are you eligible for an internship through CPT? Yes No

If yes, what is the eligibility date provided? ________________

Earning academic credit for an internship is a required part of CPT. Review information on earning academic credit for internships by speaking with a faculty internship coordinator in your school/college, who can help you determine eligibility and processes for obtaining academic credit for internships. Click the school/college of your academic major below to learn about eligibility and processes.

• Walker School of Business & Technology
• School of Communications
• College of Science and Health
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences

How Do I Find an Internship?

• You do not need to wait until you are eligible for CPT to search for an internship, but you should know the date you will become CPT-eligible. Learn about internship searching using resources available through the Career Planning and Development Center (CPDC). Schedule an appointment with a CPDC career advisor to discuss internship search strategies and resources. Appointments can be scheduled by phone, in-person or through .
• ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ to and interview for internships related to your degree program. Upon acceptance of an internship offer, request from the employer a detailed offer letter.

Make It Official

• Follow the directions of the faculty internship coordinator in your school or college for completing an application to earn academic credit for your internship and enroll in your internship course. The Application for Academic Credit must be signed and returned to the appropriate departmental Faculty Internship Coordinator (St. Louis region).
• Complete the CPT Request Form and submit to intlservices@webster.edu. International Recruitment and International Services will issue a new I-20 within 5-7 business days of submission.

Note: You may begin working only after receiving and signing a new CPT I-20. 

The Importance of Formatting

Employers form first impressions of your resume within a matter of seconds. Having a consistent and clear format is critical to engaging employers. Employers should be able to quickly skim your resume, note critical qualifications, and be interested in reading your resume more in depth. If your resume is hard to read or contains errors, employers will likely struggle to find relevant information and simply move on to the next resume in the application pool.

Resume Standards

There are some consistent resume standards that most resumes should follow. Other aspects of resume writing are down to the preferences of individuals. Different industries may have subtle differences in resume style so it is always advisable to gather information about your preferred industry. At the end of the day, it is your resume and should reflect your skills and experiences.

Resumes do differ by country and the information discussed in this guide pertains to US style resumes. For instance, you would never include a photo on a US style resume unless you were auditioning for say an acting role and they require a headshot. It is common in some other countries to include a photo though.

Consider how your resume will appear both digitally and in print. A resume design that looks great on a computer screen might be hard to read when printed on a black and white printer.

Resume Design Elements

Consistency

Consistency is key. Inconsistencies in your formatting may distract employers from your content or give the appearance that you did not take the time to proof-read your document. Consider all elements on your resume whether the size of your font, bullet point shape, spacing, use of abbreviations, etc.

Emphasis

Use different forms of  such as bolding, italicizing, underlining and all caps to help important information stand out. When you overuse a form of emphasis it no longer helps readers to identify key content. If you like the look of lines under your headers, use the for easy editing.

Consider the images below and how easy it is to quickly identify the most relevant information.

Bolding used as the main source of emphasis

 

Using multiple forms of emphasis to distinguish between different types of information

 

Relevance

Your most important and relevant sections should be listed first. For instance, a new graduate would include their education section first as that is their strongest qualification while someone mid-career would include their work experience before their education.

Focus on your skills and experiences that are most relevant for the position you are applying to as you tailor your resume.

Reverse Chronological Order

Within each section, your experiences should be listed from most recent to oldest. Employers are most interested in knowing what you have been doing professionally in the recent history.

Page Length

Resumes are typically one page. Two page resumes are acceptable especially if you have more relevant experience or advanced degrees. You should not exceed two pages for your resume. Employers are likely to not read past that point. Resumes are not an autobiography and should be tailored to showcase your most relevant experience, skills, and qualifications for a specific position.

If the application calls for a or a, more information needs to be included so there is greater flexibility with page length for those.

If you have more than one page, add your same header as the first page or insert your name and page number on the subsequent page  This prevents any confusion when your resume is printed.

Margins

The standard size for margins is 1 inch on all sizes. This creates visual balance for your document. Margins can be adjusted slightly if needed. When margins are less than .5 inch it is likely that information will be cut off while printing. Too small margins can also make a document appear overwhelming to read and may be less engaging to employers. Find instructions for 

Compare the look and readability of the two sample resumes below.

https://express.adobe.com/page/ykFoFIq9ybYeE/

Download printable PDF of the Writing a U.S.-Style Resume Activity Sheet

Writing a resume is a new skill for many students. Use this activity sheet to brainstorm and organize content to include on your resume.

Contact Information/Header

Name, phone number (including area code), e-mail address

Education Information

Name of the college or university and its location (city and state), Degree and major, expected graduation month and year

For multiple degrees, list in reverse chronological order, with your most recent degree first.

Experience

Identify experiences that highlight your skills and qualifications for your intended reader.

Sources of experience include:

• Study abroad experience
• Volunteer positions
• Co-curricular activities
• Major class projects
• Academic service
• Student clubs and organizations
• On-Campus student employment (Webster Groves, Missouri)
• Internships (CPT)

List each experience with the following identifying information:

• Name of the Employer/Volunteer Site/Campus Club, etc.
• City and State (St. Louis, MO; Orlando, FL; Irvine, CA)
• Duration of the experience (Month Year - Present/Month Year)
• 3-5 bulleted task descriptions to tell your reader more about the skills and responsibilities you had in each position

Printable PDF of the International Talent Employers List

The information below is organized by industry, employer name, and position titles. Note, this list is a starting point to explore employers who have previously hired international talent. Students are encouraged to speak with a Career Advisor in the Career Planning and Development Center to develop a list of employers tailored to their academic and career interests.

Students interested in Curricular Practical Training and/or Optional Practical Training should speak first with a representative from International Recruitment and International Services before starting a job or internship search process.

International Talent Employers in the St. Louis Metro

Listed employers have been identified through GoinGlobal’s H-1B Plus database. All students can access GoinGlobal through Handshake