In the last five years, the number of international students in the American institutions has increased by 40 percent to reach one million. Career opportunities are one of the determining factors in student’s decisions to study abroad. Many institutions encounter challenges in effectively supporting international student career success. Di Hu, Co-founder of interEDGE, chaired a session at NAFSA Region X in which she discussed causes of the challenges and invited two seasoned career services directors to share best practices.

1. International Student Career Success:
What Works? What Doesn’t Work?
June 16th, 2016| 12-1 PM
NAFSA Region X NJ/NY Downstate Conference
! Di Hu
Co-founder & Principal Coach
interEDGE.org
di@interEDGE.org
! Barbara Church-Kattan
Director, Zarb Graduate Business Career Services
Frank G. Zarb School of Business
Hofstra University
Barbara.j.church-kattan@hofstra.edu
! Surabhi Lal
Director, Career Services
Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service
New York University
Surabhi.lal@nyu.edu
1
CoachDiHu

2. International Student Career Success:
What Works? What Doesn’t Work?
Di Hu
Co-founder & Principal Coach | DrEducation, LLC & interEDGE.org
di@interEDGE.org
@CoachDiHu
#NAFSA #intlstudents

3. 3
a training solutions provider specializing
in inclusion and success of international
students

4. Strategies institutions have used to
mitigate shifts in demographics
! Made efforts to increase international student
enrollment
! Public: 71% (#1)
! Private: 64% (#2)
5Source: Navigating the New Admissions Landscape (2015), The Chronicle of Higher Education

5. 6
Plan to work in the US after graduation80%
• Resources for Partnering With International Students, National Career Development Association
Report lack of access to jobs or
internships as the top reason for
dissatisfaction#1
• Bridging the Gap Recruitment and Retention to Improve International Student Experiences, NAFSA: Association of
International Educators
Rely on themselves or their family/relatives
for career plans75%
• Resources for Partnering With International Students, National Career Development Association
International Students…
All Rights Reserved (c) DrEducation, LLC

6. interEDGE: While enrollments have
expanded, H1-B work visa quota has
remained the same.
7
2014 ~974,000
2007 ~623,000
Number of
international
students enrolled
in the US
Source: IIE
56%
Financial
contributions of
international
students
Source: NAFSA
96%
$30.5 b.
$15.5 b.
Number of H1-B
work visas. Only
20,000 for those
earning advanced
degree from the US
0%
85,000
85,000
All Rights Reserved (c) DrEducation, LLC

7. NACE: While enrollments have
expanded, job outlook for international
students is stagnant
8Source: Job Outlook 2016, National Association of Colleges and Employers

8. Mismatch: Expectations vs. Reality
9
Institutions: What are the top two challenges related to international
students career services/advising?
Source: Career Services for International Students: Fulfilling High Expectations, World Education Services
0% 20% 40% 60%

9. Mismatch: Expectations vs. Reality
10
Int’l Students: How familiar were you with career services in the US?
Source: Resources for Partnering With International Students, National Career Development Association

10. Mismatch: Expectations vs. Reality
11
Int’l Students: Have you ever visited career services in the US?
Source: Resources for Partnering With International Students, National Career Development Association

11. Underestimating Cross-cultural Skills
12
Employers: What skills make int’l students more of a competitive
candidate?
Source: Resources for Partnering With International Students, National Career Development Association

12. Underestimating Cross-cultural Skills
13
Int’l Students: What do US employers value most in candidates?
Source: Resources for Partnering With International Students, National Career Development Association

13. What is the solution?
14

14. Barbara Church-Kattan
Director, Zarb Graduate Business Career Services
Barbara.j.church-kattan@hofstra.edu
What works
and what
doesn’t
at Frank G. Zarb
School of Business,
Hofstra University?

15. Surabhi Lal
Director, Career Services
Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service
New York University
Surabhi.lal@nyu.edu
What works
and what
doesn’t
at Robert F. Wagner
School of Public
Service , NYU?