Top Job Resources to Use as a U.S. International Student

For U.S. international students, exploring the U.S. job market is a different challenge that can seem overwhelming. Visa restrictions, employer hesitancy around sponsorship, and unfamiliarity with the local job search landscape often add extra layers of complexity.

The good news: there are a number of excellent online resources specifically tailored to international students which can help you find internships, part-time work, or full-time jobs that are visa-friendly or globally oriented. Below is a guide to the best online resources to find jobs as an international student, with information on how you can utilize them.

Top Online Job Resources for International Students

Handshake

Handshake is widely used by U.S. universities to connect students with internships, part-time jobs, and full-time entry-level positions. For international students, a major benefit is its advanced filters — you can filter for employers who “Will sponsor or don’t require U.S. work visa” or “Accepts OPT/CPT.”

If your university is on Handshake, create or activate your account early. Regularly check for job/internship postings, employer events, and networking opportunities through on-campus career fairs.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the go-to social media platform for professionals in the U.S. to post career-relevant content and network with individuals in your area of expertise. It also provides you the opportunity to build personal brand, showcase your skills/experience and find job opportunities all in one platform.

Key LinkedIn features for international students:

• LinkedIn has a job board with the option to filter to only see relevant opportunities. You can narrow roles by location, experience level, industry, and company
• Ability to see whether a company has hired international students before (via employee profiles and past sponsorship insights shared on employer pages)
• Easy tools for finding alumni from your university using the LinkedIn Alumni search, which is one of the strongest ways to network into companies
• Access to LinkedIn Learning courses to strengthen skills, certificates, and resume credibility

Interstride

Interstride is built for international students and globally-minded jobseekers. It allows you to search for jobs/internships in the U.S. and filter by work authorization/visa requirements. It also offers career-advice resources and insights into living/working internationally (e.g., housing, work permits, relocation guidance).

Interstride is a more global platform, making it useful to explore both U.S. opportunities (with visa sponsorship) and jobs back home or in other countries.

MyVisaJobs.com

If obtaining a visa or sponsorship is a concern, MyVisaJobs.com is one of the most valuable resources: it aggregates data on U.S. companies that have previously filed for H-1B visas, allowing you to identify firms that are historically open to hiring non-U.S. citizens.

You can search by industry, company name, or job title to find potential employers with a record of sponsoring visas. Use this to build a target list of companies to apply to.

GoinGlobal

GoinGlobal is a global job/internship platform with country-specific career guides, visa/work-permit information, employer directories, and CV/resume templates tailored to local norms. It supports job searches across dozens of countries, not just the U.S.

If you’re open to working outside your study country, GoinGlobal helps you find culturally appropriate opportunities and gives essential logistical guidance (visa, permits, norms, etc.).

Other Key Info for Job Searching in the U.S.

• Network aggressively: Open job listings can often get super competitive. Networking with alumni, professors, or other professionals is one of the most important things to discover unknown opportunities and make you stand out from the crowd. Start networking early – and try to meet as many current and former international students as you can.
• Learn your work authorization rules (CPT, OPT, STEM OPT, and employer sponsorship): Be ready to explain your timeline and eligibility clearly — employers appreciate candidates who understand the process and can outline what they need.
• Use your university’s resources strategically: Attend career fairs, employer info sessions, and workshops designed for international students to build in-person connections and access recruiters who understand visa rules.
• Refine your résumé and cover letter to U.S. standards: Focus on measurable achievements, action verbs, and concise formatting. Avoid personal details like age, photo, or marital status, which are not customary in the U.S.
• Practice U.S.-style interviewing: Be prepared for behavioral interview questions (“Tell me about a time when…”) and practice structured answers like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

We hope the resources provided above serve as a helpful overview to guide your job search in the U.S. moving forward. Above all else – starting early and setting the foundation is the best thing you can do to ensure you have success into the future.

During your time in the U.S., getting a reliable health insurance plan is essential. If you’re looking for an insurance option that can cover you through your studies on F1 and during your employment on F1 OPT, check out ISO Student Health Insurance – plans as low as $31/month.