How do you get a job in business or finance while you're on F1 (OPT)? How do you transition to H-1B once you get a job?

Applied to few jobs already but they're not interested in interviewing because they want U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Any tips, suggestions, success/experience stories would be very helpful!

The applicant:
- Received BBA in Nepal and has some work experience (about 2 years) in Nepal
- Finishing up MBA from a US university but has no relevant work experience in the US
- Currently on F-1 visa, waiting for OPT authorization from USCIS

Thanks!

Hi there,

Good luck on your job hunt. It is pretty fierce out there, especially for internationals. Been there, done that.

I am not sure how many you mean by few but in my job hunting days, I had applied to about 230 jobs and heard back from maybe 20.

Research the companies and see if they offer sponsorship. Network network network. Always be the one to go talk to corporate representatives. Suit up, polish your personality, make a kick ass resume and keep grinding. Remember that interviewers don't really look for someone who can work like a computer, but someone who can perform and mesh well with their TEAM (most important word in the corporate world).

As far as transitioning to H1b, its the company's work, USCIS website has everything that you need on this.

I feel like interview is a joke. Interviewers subconsciously pick the candidate which they like subconsciously. It's like you walk on to the room and interviewers will exactly make up their mind right away whether they like you or not and start validating or dis-validating their intuition. If interviewers don't like the candidate, it doesn't matter how polished the resume is, they will not hire you.

I am a business major as well. It is tough out there! I wish you all the best.

Thank you both!
@pyackman: did you end up getting a job at one of those ~20 places that got back to you? I've seen a lot of Nepali masters graduates (including MBA) go to IT consultancies hoping they'd help get a job. Is that the norm? Do you really need to help of an IT consultancy to get a job?

@bakwaas_kura: Interviewed with all of them, got a few offers, chose the one that offered more opportunity to grow. I mean if there is no hope to get a job at all then yes, those consultancies work too I guess. I didn't have to do it. Have had the opportunity to move jobs a few times as well. Always look for growth, money will follow.

bakwaas kura-

1. where are you hunting for job? - NY,NJ,MD,DC, CA, GA, TX (Major hub for business job)
2. what is your major in business(marketing, accounting) and experience.
3. Make your resume 2 page max. Don't try to make

This is my experience:
it is really difficult to find the job and H1B in business major but not possible.
if you really know how to bullshit then there is a jobs in market. I think if you are business major you know about marketing strategy: at a right place at a right time to a right customer?

Route1:
visit local recruiter. and bullshit them they will send your resume to companies and if you are lucky enough you will find one job interview but temp job. When you approach to interview which is face to face ask why this job is open and is it contract to permanent? if not just leave that company you won't be hired in one year when you OPT is about to expire.

Suggestion: Just give them a lower price hourly rate (eg $ 20/hr ) cheap :( i know but just saying for the job you will be selected easily and they will send the resume to companies easy way to enter and after entering if they want to file H1B you will be happy right?

route2:
Find someone who can refer you in the company for the job. if lucky will hire you directly and file H1B in company if they are willing to get you onboard.

route3:
Traditional way, send 1000 resume and get response from 1 employer and they will bull shit you saying you don't have experience that we are looking for but don't loose your hope you will find other employer too

By the way, I am not recruiter. but if you want me to introduce to someone in Baltimore, MD state fell free to PM and I can introduce a recruiter for you. (who recruited me and sucked me for 2 year before i got a permanent position but still struggling to file H1B) might help you out and i will get referral bonus if recruiter can hook you up for 90 days :) I think that is what they told on my last day with that company another bull shit even in last day :( :( now leave me alone with a smile and middle finger raised at back of his face.

Feel free to PM me if you are really eager to find something before 1 yr.

Best of Luck Bro.

This is what I am talking about. Please read.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20180806-how-hidden-bias-can-stop-you-getting-a-job

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions.
The applicant is actually my wife.
@sailahari: We're in Houston. Undergrad major (obviously) was business administration, and MBA is with Finance concentration. Like I mentioned in my OP, she has some experience but that was in Nepal. No relevant job experience in the U.S. If you have any contacts here, please let me know.
@ujl - pretty accurate article. but in our case i think the bias is very explicit because companies don't want to continue talking as soon as they hear that my wife is not a permanent resident/U.S. citizen