CareerConnect: Work Placement Support
Our team helps connect you with US employers for CPT and OPT roles. We give you the coaching, preparation, and employer connections that help you use your CPT or OPT eligibility to build paid experience in your field
Built specifically for international students running a US job search.
Free intake meeting · No commitment required
Your work authorization is only half the job
Finding a job as an international student is harder than it should be. Employers hesitate at visa questions, resumes formatted for home-country markets get filtered out, and most students have never run a US-style job search before. CareerConnect exists to close that gap. We give you the coaching, preparation, and employer connections that help you use your CPT or OPT eligibility to build paid experience in your field. To help you secure the right placement, the CareerConnect coaching team offers career services built specifically for international students, from the first draft of your resume to a signed offer.
Resume tailoring for the US market
We review and refine your resume so it works with applicant tracking systems and reads the way US employers expect, reducing the chances of being filtered out for formatting.
Job search strategy
A clear plan for exactly which roles and companies to target, so you spend your effort where a CPT or OPT offer is realistic instead of applying blind.
Employer introductions
Where our employer relationships fit your field, we make the introduction, plus coaching on networking and outreach so you can open doors on your own too.
Work authorization support
Interview preparation plus guidance that keeps your CPT or OPT role compliant with every requirement, coordinated with your DSO so the paperwork is done right.
What practical training means
Practical training is built into your academic program and gives you hands-on experience directly related to your field of study. Through a CPT-eligible placement you apply classroom learning in a real work setting while you continue your education, and the role itself counts as part of your curriculum.
That structure is what makes working from your first term possible, and it is why the placement has to genuinely connect to what you study. CareerConnect makes sure the roles we help you target and the offer you accept fit that requirement, so your work authorization stays clean from day one.
From first conversation to signed offer
We work one-on-one with you through the whole hiring process. Here is exactly how the CPT job support works, stage by stage.
Career and program intake
We start with a placement screening meeting to understand your career interests. During this conversation we review your background and discuss target industries, positions, and locations, so your job search is aligned with your goals before it begins.
Resume and job search preparation
Next, we get you ready for the US job market. This includes resume review and tailoring, coaching on job search strategy to identify positions and companies you can confidently apply to, and guidance on using networking and employer outreach effectively.
Applications and interviews
With your materials and strategy in place, you begin applying to roles and connecting with employers. Our team supports you throughout: we share relevant opportunities, make introductions where our employer relationships fit, and prepare you for interviews through coaching and practice. This stage is collaborative and usually involves multiple applications and interview rounds.
Offer, CPT/OPT paperwork, and ongoing support
When you receive an offer, we help you coordinate next steps with the university and the employer. We guide you through the paperwork, work with your DSO to make sure the authorization is done properly, and stay available for questions about work authorization and compliance after you start.
When CareerConnect runs, and what to expect
When the program runs
CareerConnect runs in two dedicated cohorts before each academic term begins. To join a cohort, you first complete your career and program intake meeting. After that meeting you receive the registration link for the group that best matches your timeline.
To join a cohort
Complete your intake → get matched to a group → receive your registration link.
How it works in practice
CareerConnect combines short, focused online webinars with personalized coaching. Over four days you attend bite-sized sessions on tailoring your resume for the US market, interview preparation, networking, and job search strategy.
Ongoing support
Between and after the sessions, you stay in touch with a dedicated CareerConnect coach over WhatsApp and email for feedback and support.
Frequently asked questions
What is Curricular Practical Training (CPT)?
CPT is work authorization for F-1 students when the employment is an integral part of the curriculum, such as an internship, a co-op, or a required practical training component. Most students become eligible after one full academic year, though some graduate programs that require practical training from the start are exempt from the one-year wait. Your DSO must authorize the specific role in SEVIS and issue an updated I-20 before you begin working.
What is Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
OPT is work authorization that lets F-1 students work in their field of study, most commonly for 12 months after completing a degree, with a 24-month extension available for eligible STEM graduates. Unlike CPT, OPT is not tied to a specific course, and it requires an application to USCIS and an approved Employment Authorization Document before you can start work.
What is the difference between part-time and full-time CPT?
Part-time CPT is 20 hours per week or less, and full-time is anything above that. The distinction matters beyond your schedule: 12 months or more of full-time CPT at a degree level removes your eligibility for OPT at that same level, while part-time CPT never counts toward that limit. Decide how to balance the two with your DSO before your first authorization.
When does the CareerConnect program run?
CareerConnect runs in two dedicated cohorts before each academic term begins. To join a cohort, you first complete your career and program intake meeting. After that meeting you receive the registration link for the group that best matches your timeline.
How does the CareerConnect program work in practice?
CareerConnect combines short, focused online webinars with personalized coaching. Over four days you attend bite-sized sessions on tailoring your resume for the US market, interview preparation, networking, and job search strategy. Between and after the sessions, you stay in touch with a dedicated CareerConnect coach over WhatsApp and email for ongoing feedback and support.
Ready to start working in your field?
Book your intake meeting and get matched to the next CareerConnect cohort. It is the first step toward a Day 1 CPT or OPT role that builds your professional profile in the US.