The US Job Search: A Numbers Game

LAST month, a new friend told me something I should have realized many months before. In many ways, a US job search is a numbers game. The more applications you send out, the more chances for a phone interview, an on-site interview and eventually a job offer. I began my job search in May 2006 before my last semester in school. Since then I have lodged 80 applications, have had 10 phone interviews, three on-site interviews and one job offer (which I turned down, but that is another story).

I should consult C.--our resident statistician--how many applications I should send to have at least 5 job offers. I am guessing I need to multiply 80 by 5. So...400 applications? There you have it. If you don't have luck by your side, the only real route is to use brute force. And so that has been my path for the last three months. Took me long enough to realize this. But I'm glad it dawned on me now as I begin the seventh month of my job search. I'll be honest. It hasn't been easy. But hey, I'm convinced I'll come out of this with more character, strength and stamina than I already possessed.

This is primarily what I am going to write about in this blog because it would be a pity if other international students did not learn from my experience. I will also write about the search for good Asian food in the US, sightings of other international student communities, what I miss about the Philippines and general observations on behavioral and social norms in the United States.

Often, I will be reflecting or replying to C.'s and W.'s posts. You are welcome to share your anecdotes and experiences. We'd like to hear from other international students too or other geographically adventurous souls!