Pages

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Benefits of Graduating Early ( Accelerating your Coursework)

Hello Readers,

Today I will be talking about what are the benefits of graduating early. Usually the Masters course in USA is of 2 years ( 24 months ) duration.

Unlike India where there is a fixed curriculum, here in USA the coursework and duration is really flexible. So you accelerate your coursework and graduate early in 1.5 years .

The first and most important benefit of graduating early ( People who come in fall and are graduating in next December ) is you get 3 chances of H1-B . Yes , if you graduate in the month of December and your job starts before April next year then you will have 3 chances for H1-B . I am taking into consideration here that your major will be a STEM major ( Science, technology , Engineering and Mathematics) . As H1-B from past few years have been a lottery system so you would want to get maximum chances to get your H1-B approved.

The second benefit is that you save money . Let me elaborate on this so that you have a better understanding. Every semester you have to pay additional fees like Library fees , Recreational center fees, International Student fees etc. etc. which adds up to a good amount ( At least $700 to $800). So if you are graduating early then you are saving this money .Usually I have seen students taking only one course ( 3 credit hours ) in their last semester and graduating in 2 years . But even if you take one course in your last semester you are still paying additional fees mentioned above which you would have not paid if you would have graduated early.  Also you save on house rent and other expenses if you accelerate your coursework and graduate early. Also graduating early and getting a job means you would start earning early and paying of your student loans sooner.

I have heard students saying that its not a good time to graduate in December as there are less job openings as compared to if you graduate in May. This is not true. If you work hard and apply for jobs ,invest some time in applying and searching for jobs , you would definitely get one.

These are a couple of benefits of graduating early, but keep in mind that if you are graduating early then you have to take more course work in a semester . Do this only if you can handle pressure.

I hope the above information helps. If you have something to add to it , do leave a comment below. Don't forget to like our facebook page for latest updates. Also follow us on Twitter.

You would also want to look at my article : Best Money Sending Service to India- Online Money Transfers 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Monday, April 27, 2015

How to End up getting the Perfect Internship

Hello Readers,

I am back with a new post . I am writing about how to end up getting a perfect Internship!!

The most important thing to get an internship is to start early. I cannot emphasize more on the fact that starting early and searching for an internship is the most important thing.

Find-internship


Recruiters ( Usually Campus recruiters ) start recruiting for internships starting September ( for Internships starting in next  summer May - July ) .

Never miss your school's Career  Fair. Below are few things to keep in mind regarding Career fair and how you can ace through it and bag an internship :

1) Go to a job fair with a strategy in mind. Make sure you have the list of companies which are attending the job fair. Short list the companies in which you want to apply.

2) Dress formally and properly. Recruiter do look the way you have have dressed up and its important to dress up in a formal manner.

3) When you meet a recruiter , have a firm hand shake. Introduce yourself and keep a smile on your face all the time.

4) Remember you have not gone to a career fair to collect freebies. Freebies might give you some joy for a moment , but this is not what you want. It looks really odd when your hands are full with the bags of freebies and you are not even able to hand over your resume to the recruiter.

5) Research about the company . Most of the times recruiter would expect you to know about their company and the first question they will ask you is : So what do you know about us ? You don't have to know everything about them but ya a little bit of what they do would help. If you don't know about the company , just smile and say I would love to learn from you.

6) Print enough resume copies and make sure that you don't run out of them.

7 ) Usually employers in US and Career Center employees prefer that we should prepare a one page resume. One page is good but if you have things to put on your resume , don't hesitate to make it a two page resume. There is no hard and fast rule that you should have a one page resume. I myself have always used a two page resume and I believe it is just fine. Try to print a two page resume on one page ( front and back ) .

8) Smile is the key. Throughout your conversation try to keep a smile on your face. Career fair can be tiring as you would have to talk to lot of recruiters, stand in line for hours ( sometimes) and cover some distance. Try to stay hydrated .

9) You can always ask for a business card from a recruiter. This would help as after you go home from Career fair you should write him or her a follow up email stating something like :


It was really nice meeting you at the ________ University Career fair today .I am interested in the _________ position  we had a discussion about . Really looking forward to hear form you soon."

Don't be pushy . Try to follow up not more than once in two weeks.

Now coming to the part where you would want to search for internship positions online.Most companies post their internship positions online. Go to companies career page and search for internships. Apply for a lot of positions because there is a lot of competition. Don't be disheartened if you apply for 30 positions and hear back from none. I repeat there is cut throat competition out there. Don't lose hope and keep on applying. 

You would also want to look at my post : How to Search for Jobs  

I hope the above information helps. If you have something to add to it , do leave a comment below. Don't forget to like our facebook page for latest updates. Also follow us on Twitter.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Doing Masters or PHD in US - It is not a bed of Roses!!

Hello Readers,

Here is my new post in which I will talk about how if you have decided to do Master's or PHD in US, then before coming here make sure you have the right picture in your mind.

So you have decided to do pursue an advanced degree like Master's or PHD and come here as to what we call it as "the land of opportunities". But before you come here, don't have a wrong perception in your mind that USA is a bed of roses. It is not !!

First thing first . You have to do everything yourself . Yes Everything. From making food to doing utensils , house hold chores and what not .

Suppose you come here in fall/spring , first you would want to get adapted to the education system , which is a lot different from India. Here you cannot just wait till the last moment to study for tests or complete an assignment . You have to be well prepared and submit all your work within the deadline. You would learn that deadline is important. It is really important and you just cannot miss it.

Then you would have assignments. quizzes , projects , tests all at the same time and you would have to cope up with the pressure. Also not to forget you have to come back and cook your own food( you can eat outside but initially you would convert every dollar you spend to rupees and you would then decide to eat at home ) , buy groceries , call your parents/girlfriend and all kind of other stuff.





Also if you are doing masters and thinking of graduating early ( in 18 months and not the normal duration which is 24 months ) then you would have to take more course work each semester , which means you have more quizzes, more tests and projects. But there are definitely benefits of graduating early . ( You save money , save time , graduate early , If you come in fall and graduate in next December , then you get three chances of H1- B and some more advantages ) but yes accelerate your coursework only if you can handle pressure.

There will always be tension in your mind to get good grades and at the same time from your first semester itself you would start searching for internships. You would realize that each application would take 10 -15 minutes and even after completing 20 applications you have not heard back from even a single employer. You would still apply more and go to career fair to make sure you get an internship which is really important because usually employers in US converts interns into full time positions.

Also if you are graduating in 1.5 years , that means graduating early and if you get an internship in summer ( which you want ) then that would imply that you are not going to visit home ( India) till you graduate which will make you home sick .

You would work really hard during your internship trying to impress your boss so that he gives you an offer letter for a full time position . But if you don't get one than that means you would have to search for full time jobs in your last semester which is really time consuming.

From day one till the last day you will have to do everything yourself. Keep in mind if you are not used to doing stuff like cooking food , doing household chores etc , there is no alternative  and YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

But I don't want to discourage you , as there is a bright future if you work hard and end up getting a good job here.

But also make sure of the current H1-B process. The current quota for H1-B is 85,000. This year USCIS received 233,000 petitions so that means 150,000 will be rejected . And every year the number of petition is increasing . If you are a STEM major then you will get 1 year of OPT and then 17 more months but if your H1-B does not get selected then you would have to go back. Also one more thing to keep in mind is that not all employers sponsors your H1-B visa .

So if you are thinking of studying abroad then do also keep in mind places like Australia, Germany and Ireland.

At the end I just want to say that US is not a bed of roses , come prepared that you have to work hard from day one and there is no alternative to it.



I hope the above information helps. If you have something to add to it , do leave a comment below. Don't forget to like our facebook page for latest updates. Also follow us on Twitter.


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Save Jobs USA filed a lawsuit against DHS H4 EAD rules

Save Jobs filed a law suit today against the DHS H4 EAD rules alleging that the agency has acted capriciously in allowing the H4 visa holders to be able to apply for work permit . This is a bad news for a lot of people who were looking forward to this work permit.

Here is the Law Suit : http://immigrationlegalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/SJUSA-complaint.pdf

This article is shared by Peerally Law group . For more information please refer this link  http://www.peerallylaw.com/


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

How to Search for Jobs


I have had first hand experience myself in searching for jobs and I would  like to share my experience with you.

As a international student here in USA you are always concerned with the fact that whether the company would sponsor your H1-B visa or not . You don't want to spend much time in applying for jobs where the companies don't sponsor your H1-B.

how-to-search-for-jobs

First of all its important to understand how to start applying for jobs. As I was applying for jobs myself I was confused where to start from. The first thing I wanted was a list of companies so that at least I know myself which companies are here in USA and then I can shortlist a few of them and start applying .

The best thing to find a list of companies is to search : Fortune 500 Companies. ( https://fortune.com/fortune500/) . This has the list of top 500 companies.

There are a few ways to apply for jobs :

1) There are websites like SimplyHired , indeed where you can search for jobs directly .

2) Also what you can do is search for a company name , go to its website and usually on the bottom right corner you have careers option . Go there and search for open positions and apply directly .

3) LinkedIn

I would always suggest to start early . Say , if you are graduating in December start your Job search from July - August  . All big companies start recruiting for next year starting August .

Try to set a aim for the day , like I will at least apply 30 Jobs today . Applying for jobs is a time consuming process. One application might take around 15 - 20 minutes.

Another great way of applying Jobs is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a very powerful tool . Make sure if you are in the job market and looking out for jobs then do make a profile on LinkedIn.

Also its important to understand that just making a profile and joining LinkedIn does not help you in getting a job. For that you have to add recruiters. Once they accept your invitation send them a personal message which includes a short summary of your profile and asking them about any open positions or any positions you applied to which were posted by them. Again this is a very time consuming process, so being patient is the key for success.

Also don't hesitate in sending request to a recruiter. They are there to recruit people and they would be happy to connect . Also take advantage of one month free premium account which LinkedIn offers. It is a great way to explore more in your LinkedIn profile ans see all the statistics which help you get your dream job . Here is the link ( https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/72/~/try-a-premium-account-for-free)

Let me know what you guys think about my article. I would also love to answer any questions you have regarding Job Search.

You would also want to look at my post about LinkedIn.

I hope the above information helps. If you have something to add to it , do leave a comment below. Don't forget to like our facebook page for latest updates. Also follow us on Twitter.




Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

H1-B 2017 Visa Prediction

UPDATE *9/2/2015* - In this update I will talk about H1B visa 2017 season. 

If you are planning to apply for H1B visa 2017 or you were one of the unlucky ones who were not selected in H1b Visa 2016 season then here are a few things you need to know. So those of who will be selected in the H1B lottery their H1b visa would start from October 1st 2017.


What will be H1B Visa 2017 Start Date?

April 1st 2016 . USCIS will start accepting the petitions for fiscal year 2017 from April 1st 2016. 

What will be H1B 2017 Cap?

The quota numbers as of now when I am writing this article remains the same as of last year i.e. 65,000 for Regular and 20,000 in advanced quota. There have been lot of speculations and talks about the H1B regular quota cap being increased to 110,000 and H1B masters quota cap being increased to 25,000. But as of now the cap remains the same old as last year. I will update the article if the numbers change.  

What is the prediction for H1B visa 2017 ?

Looking at the past trends I am sure that there will be a lottery again for H1b visa season 2017. I hope the quota is increased from the current quota of 85,000 but if not then certainly there will be more number of petitions compared to last year ( Last year there were 233,000 petitions ) . I am making this predictions based on the past trends.

It is never to late to start for preparation of H1b Visa 2017. So make sure you get all your documents ready before March of 2016.

Also Read : Best Money Sending Service to India- Online Money Transfers    
 
Also a lot of users specially ask me this question about " How do I find a H1B visa sponsor

If you did your masters or bachelors in USA then when you apply for jobs you can read my article here which tells you How to find if a company Sponsor's H1b Visa or not?
If you are coming from outside USA then the path is not very easy. If you are working for an MNC like TCS, Infosys etc. then your company can apply for your H1B.   

This is regarding H1-B Visa , particularly about H1-B for 2016.

So on April 13th 2015 USCIS  conducted the lottery for H1-B 2016. Because it received more petitions than the quota which is 85000 ( 20000 for Advanced Degree Cap and 65000 for general) so the fate of any foreign workers will be decided via a lottery.

On April 14th , USCIS updated that the H1-B Cap premium processing will began no later than April 27. I have been seeing the trends from past few years and every year the number of candidates have increased significantly.

I believe those people who have applied for AD/PP/VT and AD/PP/CSC should have got the results by now. If not , then there is a slim chance till next week . ( This is my assumption )

( AD- Advanced Cap , PP- Premium Processing , CSC - California Service Center )

Regular processing has also started and I have seen that many people have started receiving their receipts. Regular processing candidates should hear by next three weeks.

From previous years there has been a significant increase in the number of applicants. In 2014, USCIS received  172,500 applications .  In 2014 it received nearly 124,000 petitions. As you can see there has been significant increase over the past years and the quota is still the same 85,000.

h1b-visa-2017

My prediction for next year will be around 350,000 applications.I believe that the quota would increase next year but still there will be a lottery. There are a couple of  reasons which I want to mention here which made me to predict such a high number ( 350,000 ) :

1) This time approximately 150,000 petitions will not be selected in lottery ( Received = 233,000, Quota = 85,000  Denied = 233,000 - 85000 = 153,000 ) . I believe at least 120,000 people would reapply out of 153,000 not selected this year.

2) As I have seen myself , there was a significant number of increase in the students who came to US from India/China in fall 2014 as compare to Fall 2013 for their Masters/PHD  . Therefore there will be more number of H1-B's filed next year

I hope the above information helps. If you have something to add to it , do leave a comment below. Don't forget to like our facebook page for latest updates. Also follow us on Twitter.


You would also want to look at my article : Best Money Sending Service to India- Online Money Transfers   
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...