Study in the United States: Foreign MBAs find it difficult to gain a foothold in the U.S. job market

According to a report by the American Overseas Chinese News Network on July 27, when the graduation and job search season comes, international students who have traveled across the ocean to study in American business schools will face a severe situation. However, schools often neglect to provide necessary training to international students. According to reports, it is difficult for foreign Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates to gain a foothold in the U.S. job market due to factors such as difficulty in obtaining work visas and cultural differences. The Institute of International Education reported that in the 2012-2013 academic year, business and management majors became the most popular choice for international students, with 22% of international students choosing this major. Among them, students from China, India and South Korea account for the largest proportion of international students.

It is worth noting that among all the international students studying in American business schools, 87% of them hope to get a job in the United States after obtaining an MBA degree, but the results have disappointed them. Foreign MBA graduates are the largest group applying for H-1B visas (work visas issued by the United States to foreign employees with professional skills employed by American companies). Data from the Immigration Service (CIS) show that half of them have applied for H-1B in 2014. People whose visas were refused.

Before applying for a visa, these MBA graduates must first meet the employment requirements of their employer. This means graduates must understand the vagaries of the U.S. job market. In the U.S. job market, job seekers’ personality is valued more by employers than collectivism. At the same time, it is more important to adapt to the "American-style" interview.

Career consultant Judy Shen-Filerman said that for American employers, job seekers who are accustomed to formal professional environments may be considered robots. She said: "In Asian countries, an individual's career is always inevitably linked to his or her academic performance, but in the United States, if you want your transcript to speak for you, then you probably won't impress the employer." ?Fierman mentioned that many international students must be accustomed to showing their achievements when looking for jobs, which is not easy for international students from China, South Korea and other countries. Firman is helping students develop their personal strengths, reminding them of what they need to let employers know: I am great, reliable and special.

Sloan School of Management at MIT, Merage School of Business at UC Irvine, and Emory Schools such as Emory University's Goizueta Business School have begun providing week-long counseling to international students to bridge cultural differences.

However, in order to be prepared, J.P. Matychak, associate dean for employment affairs at Boston University’s School of Management, reminds international students that they should be prepared for both the United States and Home countries pay attention to employment opportunities. In addition, when looking for a job in the United States, employers are unwilling to provide visas and take risks, making it even more difficult for international students to find employment in the United States.