Career Stress Hat 6

The timing of jobs and visas isn't always clear, which can cause stress in the workplace.
It's not clear how jobs and sponsorships work (CPT, OPT, STEM OPT)
A lot of students from other countries feel like they always have to find internships or jobs that work with their visas. The law can make you feel like you don't have many choices, even if you are smart and ready.
How to take care of:
As early as possible, preferably in your first term, find out the rules and due dates for CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT.
Plan ahead for each semester's job search so you don't have to scramble at the last minute.
The career office at your school can help you find companies that have hired international students in the past.

Not being sure if companies will hire people from other countries
People are often turned down just because of their visa status, even before they even go to the interview. This might make you feel down and less sure of yourself.
How to take care of:
Site like MyVisaJobs can help you find companies that will sponsor your visa ( an example ).
Talk to people who graduated from the same school as you and ask them for tips about the company.
You should apply for a lot of jobs, but be smart about it and choose jobs that value different points of view.

Being afraid of "running out of time" before your visa status changes
It's possible that the worry of the days left until graduation or the end of your OPT makes it impossible to concentrate on school or your personal life.
How to take care of:
Separate the process into weekly tasks, such as making calls to network, updating your resume, and looking for jobs. This will make it easier to do.
To make things easier, you could go back to school, get a scholarship, or work from home for a company in another country.
Stay in touch with your foreign student assistant to find out about changes to immigration rules.

How to Deal with Stress Every Day
You won't get tired of looking for work if you set aside a certain number of hours each week to work on applications.
Celebrate the little things that go well, like an interview that goes well or updating a skill on LinkedIn.
Take a step back and remember that job paths are rarely straight, and being open to new opportunities can come up out of the blue.