Travel job

Tips for international students to establish a good credit score

October 12, 2017 by Chiranth Nataraj

Having good credit is incredibly important in modern U.S. society. It impacts nearly every phase of life. Would you like to purchase a car? You will need good credit. Want to apply for an apartment or rent a house? You will likely be subjected to a credit check. And If you hope to eventually buy a home, you will definitely need a good credit score.

credit score

Understanding that is easy, but building credit can be challenging, especially if you are an international student. However there is hope. Here are some tips to help international students build their credit scores.

One great first step is to get a credit card. There are many banks that will issue a credit card with a small limit (perhaps under two thousand dollars) to students. Use the card – but try not to max it out – and make your payments on time or early. Each time you pay your card, you are helping your credit score. Demonstrating that you can handle a small amount of credit responsibly will help show other creditors that you are worth lending larger amounts of money to as well.

Which one is right for you? The answer will be different for each person. You will want to learn the differences between secured and unsecured credit cards, and what terms like APR mean (and how they affect your choice of card). Applying for a credit card is certainly not something you want to do without investing some time in research first.

However the process of determining the best fit is made easier by technology. We live in an age where every product and service is reviewed online, and credit cards are no exception. You can compare different credit card offers so you can make the right choice when applying.

Something else to keep in mind is that credit history is built through reporting with the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Make sure that before you apply for a credit card, you know that it reports to those agencies. Otherwise, the payments you make will not help build your score in the way that you intend.

You will also need a social security number in order to begin building your credit score. Pretty much every major thing you will want to do in life in the United States from getting a loan to paying taxes to getting a job. It serves as an official record tying all of your activities as a citizen together for the government, banks, employers, and other groups. You can follow the steps found here to obtain one if you have not done so already.

Holding down a job while studying can be difficult, particularly if you are an international student who is also worrying about fitting into a new country and learning about a new culture. But earning money is important to building your credit score. The more income you are able to show that you reliably earn, the more likely your chances of being able to secure a loan when you need it later on in life.

You should also make certain to open a bank account. As with a credit card, one of the best ways to prove to creditors that you can handle money is to actually handle money. Opening a bank account, preferably a checking account, will give you a chance to build some financial history.

You will need to be careful in selecting a bank account, as you need to avoid accounts that charge annual fees or other charges. Having a checking account will also make it easier to make your payments on the credit card you will need (as mentioned earlier).

Finally, if you are able to rent a home or apartment while studying, you may be able to report the rent you are paying to the credit reporting agencies yourself. There are a variety of tools available for doing this. As long as you are paying on time, this can be another great way to help build your credit score as an international student.

The process of building credit is essential to starting a future in the United States, but it is not a process that can be completed overnight. But if you follow the various tips we have shared here, you can absolutely expedite the process and find yourself with a good credit score much faster than you would if you did not take steps like opening a bank account or acquiring a credit card. That will then put you on the road to being able to secure larger loans which will make milestones like purchasing your own car or buying your own home more attainable in the near future.

International Baccalaureate: Pros and Cons

February 21, 2017 by Chiranth Nataraj

Have you heard of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program? This educational program is often shortened to the IB. The International Baccalaureate is studied by students around the world and is a valuable learning resource for young people.

There are many advantages associated with the International Baccalaureate, and some disadvantages to weigh up, too. Find out more about the International Baccalaureate and whether it is a good fit for your students.

What Is An International Baccalaureate Diploma Program?

In the International Baccalaureate program, students split their work into six different courses, with three of these courses taken at the standard level and three courses taken at the higher level. Students pick a subject from each of the course groups numbered one to five, and then they choose a sixth course from group six, or from any of the groups one to five. The learning in the International Baccalaureate is arranged to be able to give students a deep knowledge and breadth of education, focusing across the different groups of study.

Group one is literature, or a language study in the mother tongue. Group two is a foreign language. Group three is a subject from the study of society and individuals, for example business management, psychology, history, or the environment. Group four is science. Group five is math or computing. Group six is the arts, including music and theatre.

The assessment and the core of the International Baccalaureate is made up of an extended essay which is chosen and researched by the student, and which numbers 4,000 words. Theory of Knowledge is a way of assessing that the student is able to pay critical attention to different forms of knowledge such as emotion, language, reason, and perception, as well as different types of knowledge like artistic, and historical. The extra-curricular activity Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) allows students to complete real tasks outside of the classroom. This helps students shape their personalities, and develop new skills within their community.

Advantages of the International Baccalaureate:

Students’ Futures

The International Baccalaureate has long been considered a sound and effective preparation for further study in the US and for working life. Students report being able to deal more effectively with study at university after following the program, as it equips them more soundly for further study than other high school programs. The International Baccalaureate often turns out students who are better rounded, more confident, and more experienced.

Studies show that students completing the International Baccalaureate attain significantly more first class degrees and upper second class degrees in the UK. International Baccalaureate students are more likely to be enrolled in the top universities. And they were more likely to be employed with graduate employers at a better rate of pay than students completing other educational programs.

International Focus

As the name suggests, the International Baccalaureate is designed to be taken by students across the world. This makes it particularly suitable for students who may move countries during their studies, as the IB is recognized by many educational institutions globally. Students get a better, broader view of the world through the program as they are taught about working and living in a global economy.

Transferable Skills

Completing the International Baccalaureate gives students a number of transferable skills which are looked on favorably by employers. These are skills like time management, problem solving, communication, and independent working.

The International Baccalaureate is a rigorous program that gives students many skills in learning to deal with a full workload, which will automatically serve them well when they go to college.

Greater Scope

Children are given the opportunity to develop skills over a broad range of subjects that are otherwise dropped when continuing with another educational program. They continue to get exposure to all parts of the academic stream, and can develop skills in foreign languages while focusing on other areas. The inclusion of the extra input of the creativity, activity, service (CAS) component also ensures that students benefit from a holistic education.

Disadvantages of the International Baccalaureate:

Cost

The International Baccalaureate program is not cheap to run, which means that few schools and institutions run it. It is most often included as an option at paid private schools, which may put it outside the reach of many families.

Access

The fact that there is less choice in schools where the IB program is offered also means that parents may not find a school close to them that allows their students to study the International Baccalaureate. Many of the International Baccalaureate schools are not centrally located or are only located within major cities.

Restaurant Jobs Offer Great Professional Options to Travel Program Participants

January 17, 2017 by Chiranth Nataraj

Professional options may sometimes be limited for travel program participants who are visiting the United States. If you find yourself in a situation like this, you may want to consider working in a restaurant as a way to easily gain a flexible employment option. Restaurants employ over 14 million employees in the United States and may not share some of the same concerns other employers have about hiring international visitors.

Chef

Why might it be challenging to find an employment opportunity? Some employers may hesitate to hire someone they think may not be in the country for a long period of time. Others may worry about a lack of work experience in the United States. And still others could be concerned about factors like language barriers.

Fortunately, restaurants often look past these sorts of concerns when hiring employees. Turnover at restaurants is often high. In fact, research has shown the turnover rates in restaurants reached a high of 72% in 2015. So the fact that an international visitor may only be in the United States for a shorter period of time might not be concerning to a restaurant as they are accustomed to most employees having a short tenure with them. In fact, because there is some seasonality in the restaurant business, meaning that certain restaurants are busier in certain times of the year than others, it may be beneficial to have short term help for a specific season. In this case a temporary visitor to the U.S would probably be welcomed.

In terms of work experience in the U.S., this will often be less important to a restaurant than other types of businesses. While restaurant work is no doubt challenging, it is in many ways easier to pick up and learn than other positions which may have more stringent experience requirements.

The language barrier may not be as much of a concern for a restaurant as it is for other types of businesses either. There are many restaurant jobs that take place away from customers, so you do not need to be able to communicate perfectly.

Another reason to consider restaurant work is that restaurant jobs are often very plentiful. With over 624,000 restaurants in the United States, there’s sure to be several near the part of the country you are staying in. And because restaurants hire for many different types of roles, and the aforementioned turnover rate is so high, there’s usually at least a few positions open at each location.

Now that you understand working at a restaurant may be a great option for someone on an international travel program, you may be wondering what to expect. The experience will vary somewhat from restaurant to restaurant, but for the most part there are some common threads:

Hours – While some restaurants are only open for 1-2 meals per day, others are open all day. But the peak hours for most restaurants tend to be early in the morning, catering to the breakfast crowd, or in the evening or night for dinner. Since those times of day are the busiest, they are also generally the best for earning money, so be prepared to work those types of hours if you are seeking a job at a restaurant.
Difficulty of Work – Although restaurant work may not be as mentally demanding as some other types of work, there is no doubt that it is difficult in its own way. It’s fast-paced work, with customers constantly coming in and a real sense of urgency to getting their food to them on time. You may be multi-tasking and managing several different responsibilities at once, and the physical nature of the job can make it tiring.
Physical Exertion – Most restaurant workers spend their entire shift on their feet. Whether you are a server or busser running back and forth between tables and the kitchen, or a cook or dishwasher stationed in the kitchen itself, you’re going to be expected to spend your day or evening standing or walking. There may also be requirements to lift anything from trays of food to bus tubs to packages of food.
Pay – Pay will vary based on the type of role you have within the restaurant. Servers will typically make a very small hourly rate that is then supplemented by earning tips. So putting your best foot forward with each and every customer is imperative! Glassdoor.com suggests the average salary for a server is $18,800 per year. Cooks and dishwashers will tend to earn more in the way of an hourly rate, but don’t get the benefits of tips to augment their earnings. Keep in mind that unless you are a manager, you’ll be paid hourly at a restaurant, so the more hours you are willing to work the more money you will be able to make.
Environment – At a restaurant, you’ll be working with a lot of other people, as there’s a lot that goes into making everything work as it should. So if you enjoy social interaction, this could be a great option for you. Kitchens tend to be noisy, and a bit messy, so if a quiet desk job is what you have in mind, look elsewhere.

As a travel program participant, you may find your work options somewhat limited. However, restaurants can offer a variety of different types of jobs, steady income, flexible hours, and less barriers to entry than other employers, making them worth your consideration.