From the Personal to the Professional: International Student Experiences of Seeking Employment in the United States

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Global Perspectives on Leadership and Career Development: Navigating Contexts, Cultures, and Collaborations

Proposal

Introduction
To understand today's globalized world of higher education, one must examine the micro-level experiences of individuals who navigate its varied passages. Their experiences are further complicated by new, disruptive technologies that are changing the human experience of education and employment. While past work on international students in the United States has examined experiences of acculturation and stress (Jackson et al., 2019; Rai et al., 2021), COVID-19 (Aucejo et al., 2020; Ghazarian et al., 2023), and psychological well-being (Browning et al., 2021; Li et al., 2019), work remains to better understand international student experiences of economic pressures and the search for work. This study explores the lived experiences of international students in the U.S. related to their personal growth, external pressures, and search for employment. In doing so, the study contrasts the humanizing experiences of studying abroad with the economic imperatives that international students must face. This phenomenological study captures and presents the lived experiences of individuals who came to the US as international students. The study will focus on the following three research questions:
(1) How do international students describe their experiences of personal growth and change as a result of studying abroad?
(2) How do international students describe financial or economic pressures they experience?
(3) How do international students describe their experience of seeking employment in the US?
The findings provide a better understanding of how current policies around international students play out for these individuals and inform recommendations for practitioners and policymakers.

Background & Framework
The US remains the top destination for international students, in part due to the disproportionately large number of highly ranked colleges and universities located there (Bound et al., 2021). A variety of evidence demonstrates that this kind of experiential learning abroad contributes to cognitive development, behavioral change, skill development, and increased employability (DeLoach et al., 2021; Fakunle, 2021; Yang et al., 2021). In addition to these benefits, many international students pursue study in the US for their professional opportunities and advancement. Student visas, unlike work visas, are not capped, encouraging those interested in entering the U.S. labor market to do so through its higher education system (Rosenzweig, 2006; Bound et al., 2014). Employment regulations, such as OPT (Optional Practical Training) and CPT (Curricular Practical Training) in the US, have a profound impact on the experiences of international students (Chen & Li, 2023; Coffey et al., 2018; McFadden & Seedorff, 2017). These regulations play a fundamental role in shaping the employment experiences of international students who pursue an academic journey through systems of ‘edugration’ (Coustere et al., 2023), “the recruitment and retention of post-secondary international students as immigrants” (Brunner, 2021, p. 26), as part of a global competition for talent.

This study applies Fakunle’s (2021) model of international students’ rationales for studying abroad as the framework to explore and understand the competing personal motivations and professional pressures that international students must navigate. Fakunle (2021) organizes international student rationales for studying abroad into four categories: educational, aspirational, experiential, and economic rationales. Educational rationales include academic outcomes and experiences. Experiential rationales consist of intercultural exposure and novelty seeking. Aspirational rationales are comprised of perceived opportunities for personal, professional, or moral development, distinctly emphasizing the pursuit of self-actualization and professional fulfillment beyond mere economic gains or status. Economic rationales include anticipated costs and the expected returns for pursuing a degree abroad. Fakunle’s (2021) framework provides a model for interpreting international students’ rationales for study and employment seeking.

Methods
This phenomenological study presents the lived experience of international students in U.S. higher education. The researchers approach this study with a critical realist ontology (Bhaskar, 2010) and constructivist epistemology (Piaget, 1967). Both researchers have extensive experiences working with international students providing student services. This study made use of criterion sampling as a purposeful sampling technique to select participants who were current or former international students at higher education institutions in the Central New York region. Participants took part in an interview with one of the researchers and chose between an in-person or virtual interview. The semi-constructed qualitative interviews were based on an interview guide focusing on themes of personal introduction, growth and change, economic pressure, and employment seeking experiences. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content and deductive analyses (Patton, 2015) informed by Fakunle’s (2021) model. In addition to method triangulation, researcher triangulation (Patton, 2015) was used. The results are presented thematically.

Results & Discussion
Seven themes emerged from the interviews. These included: (1) Aspirational and Educational Rationale, (2) Economic Rationale, (3) Experiential Rationale, (4) Personal Change, (5) Economic Pressure, (6) Barriers to Employment, (7) Resources and Suggestions. The results from the study provide insight into experiences of personal growth, financial and economic pressures, and the employment seeking among international students in the US. The results are discussed in relation to each of the research questions before considering their meaning in terms of Fakunle’s (2021) model of international students’ rationales for studying abroad.
The results indicate that international students deal with many of the same experiences of personal growth shared with their domestic students, but with the added complication of going through those changes in a new cultural environment. Many international students are able to adapt to their new circumstances and successfully grow in their new environment. Further, the results demonstrate international students in the US are confronted with a number of different economic pressures that can impact their personal well being, academic performance, and search for employment. Some of the barriers that they confront, such as misaligned career services and a lack of information, are within the control of their host institutions to change. Ensuring clear and frequent communication about personal and professional opportunities and support could help to improve their experiences. Other barriers are beyond the ability of host institutions to control, such as employer practices and federal visa regulations. Institutions should be transparent about these barriers to international students and prepare them to make informed decisions about their employment search.

Author

• Peter G Ghazarian, SUNY Oswego