We will begin with the assumption that you are a non-US-citizen (we will refer to you as a foreign MBA student or international MBA student) who is in the middle of an MBA (or about to begin, or even considering it). You are (will be) in the US under an F-1 or J-1 nonimmigrant visa issued for the sole purpose of getting your academic degree.

More likely than not, you are originally from a country with a different language, and definitely a different culture.

During the following months, besides being very busy with your new academic and social life, you will be quite concerned with the career decisions ahead of you. Among your available choices, you are strongly considering the possibility of staying to work in the US, either permanently or temporarily.

If the previous paragraphs describe you, read-on – the guide is designed for you. Used in conjunction with the resources available at your school’s placement office and The Foreign MBA Page, it can significantly enhance your chances of getting the job you want, or at least a good one.

For many international students, finding a job, even under these circumstances, comes naturally. We have witnessed how many of them have landed top I-banking or consulting positions with minimal effort. For them, this guide is unnecessary. For the remaining 90% of international MBAs, the process requires a lot of extra work and extra preparation. For them, this guide is a must. The problem is it is very hard to tell who falls within the privileged 10% before the recruiting season is well under way, so you better get as much preparation as possible regardless of who you are and what your goals are.