Supporting Huskies from All Backgrounds

The Career Center and St. Cloud State University is committed to supporting students and alumni from all backgrounds. We are here to assist you in finding opportunities to explore majors and careers, develop professional skills necessary to be successful in the workforce and connect with professionals.

This page provides resources and services to meet the career development and job search needs of the university's diverse student and alumni populations. Skip ahead to the bottom of the page to see resources for international students.

To take full advantage of our services, make an appointment to meet with one of our career counselors.

International Student Resources

Information on Optional Practical Training, Curricular Practical Training and the STEM Optional Practical Training Extension, is available through the Center for International Studies.

• Council on International Education Exchange
• Cultural Vistas
• Embassy
• International Student Job Search
• LatPro
• My VISA Jobs
• TOP Bilingual Japanese Job Site
• United OPT

More detailed job searching information can be found on our Jobs page under International Students.

Tips for Interviewing with American Employers

Before the Interview:

First Impressions are extremely important. Aspects like your consideration of time, personal appearance, and quality of conversation are things that are culturally significant in an interviewer/interviewee relationship.

• Respect of Time (promptness and punctuality) is very important in American culture. Arrive for your interview 10-15 minutes early, however be prepared to wait! Arriving early means you can start exactly on time, this shows consideration and respect for the interviewer’s schedule.
• Eliminate distractions: Keeping cell phones away and silenced is a small gesture of respect to your interviewer. This is a nonverbal way of showing that you are respecting their time and are focused on them and this interview.
• Personal Appearance: Shake hands firmly, greet with a friendly smile, and dress professionally with combed hair, brushed teeth, and free of any body odor. These are things that U.S. employers typically relate to confidence and competence, which are important values in American culture.
• Quality of Conversation: Small talk is another great way to have a successful first impression! Allow an adequate window for small talk while you get settled into the interview space, then proceed with the interview
  • Listen first to the interviewer, they may start the small talk for you!
  • Show that you are listening through eye contact, nonverbal cues, and your responses.
  • Be respectful of boundaries and choose pleasant, general topics. Avoid personal matters, politics, religion, age, or nationality.
  • Small talk is a great opportunity to build, but be mindful of the interviewer’s time

While small talk is a great way to start the interview process, remember that keeping to the schedule and being mindful of the interviewer’s time is another cultural value here in the U.S.

Here are a few good examples of small talk:

• “How has your day been?” or “How are you?”
• Utilizing information gathered from around their office: Do they have a nice piece of art on the wall? Do you see a pet photo? It is appropriate to make a comment, “Oh your dog is so cute! I have one too! What is their name?”
• Location or layout of the office- “Wow! I love the view from your office!” or “I love the location here! After this I might have to ask you for restaurant recommendations”

During the Interview:

It is important to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities through examples while showing that you are relaxed and confident. The goal of this would be to emphasize the value you would bring to the team as well as how you would contribute to the organization as a whole.

• Draw on past experiences. When responding to questions in the interview, utilize your past experiences to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities. Utilize the job description to know what skills or experiences they are looking for in a candidate so you can prepare accordingly.
• Time: Be sure that you respond to the questions in a short but thorough manner. Some responses may need to be longer than others, but just be sure you are giving relevant information.
• Attitude: Confidence, competence, assertiveness, being at ease, and pleasant are all attitudes that are seen as important for interviewing.
• Ask Questions! Once the interview begins to wrap up, the interviewer typically asks if you have any questions. This is a great opportunity to showcase your listening skills as well as asking any questions that the interviewer didn't answer during the interview.
  • Do’s: Ask specific questions about the potential role, ask about the interviewer’s experience with the company, ask one or two thoughtful questions that show you are trying to learn more about the company and how you would fit in best.
  • Don'ts: Ask questions that you could learn with a bit of research, ask questions for clearly self-serving reasons, ask too many questions (be mindful of their time).

After the Interview:

• Send a prompt thank you card. This shows that you were appreciative of their time and look forward to being invited back for a second interview or to hearing from them about the next steps in the hiring process. These should be done quickly after an interview (within a few days) and should be polite and gracious.

Additionally: Know your rights as an international student!

In the U.S., it is illegal for interviewers to ask questions on immigration status, age, nationality, or marital status. It is ok for them to ask if you are authorized to work in the U.S. and if you will need visa sponsorship now or in the future. Be sure to be knowledgeable about your work authorization and be prepared to explain the process of authorizing work and to be clear about the employer’s responsibilities in the process. If employers ask illegal interview questions, stay pleasant and keep your answers general!

Here are a few samples of illegal interview questions:

• Illegal Job Interview Questions: 50 Questions You Can't Ask in 2025
• Illegal Interview Questions an Employer Cannot Ask

Illegal Questions:

• Are you a U.S. citizen?
• Where were you born?
• What’s your ethnic background?
• Can you send your birth certificate?
• How did you learn Spanish?
• Are your parents from the US?

Legal Questions:

• Are you legally allowed to work in the US?
• Can you read, write, and speak in English?
• Do you have any other names?
• If we hire you, can you show proof of citizenship?
• What education do you have?
• What experience qualifies you for this job?
• Do you have licenses and certifications for this job?