We at InterExchange know that a J-1 internship in the U.S. is both valuable and memorable, but there’s nothing like hearing it confirmed directly from our alumni! Last month, we had the chance to sit down with five of our recent participants to get their take on finding an internship, getting the visa, and adjusting to life in the U.S. Our alumni were:
- Jorge (Paraguay) – Marketing Trainee, Illinois
- Lavinia (Italy) – Theater Arts Management Intern, New York
- Sebastian (France) – Engineering Trainee, New Hampshire
- Julia (Ghana) – Urban Planning Intern, South Carolina
- Noah (Germany) – Industrial Engineering Intern, Michigan
Read on to hear their insights.
Why the U.S.?
When asked why they chose to do an internship in the U.S., the alumni hoped to both further their career and experience a new culture.
Julia: “I was looking for an opportunity that would have a big impact on me in terms of my professional career. So that’s one of the reasons why the opportunity I found in the U.S. was very attractive to me. Also in my field of study….there’s some very distinct differences between Europe and the U.S. So studying in Europe, I wanted to have an opportunity in the U.S. so that now I have a better world view.”
Lavinia: “I’m an intern right now at New York City Ballet in [the] development and fundraising area…I was really motivated to do this internship here…since ballet is my passion, and also fundraising, it’s a really huge sector here in the U.S. and this opportunity has given me a great knowledge and expertise in this field.”
Sebastian: “What motivated me to do a training program in the U.S. [was] because I was looking to leave my comfort zone. I was looking to learn English, to speak English very fluently. And I chose the U.S. because it’s an English speaking country. The working culture can be very tough. So I like to be challenged. And…also there is a strong entrepreneurship culture. And I was interested, maybe I could build my company later. So this was [what] motivated me to do that.”
Noah: “I was also very curious about the country and the culture itself. So I think…the U.S. has [a] very diverse climate and landscape, so if you want to go skiing you can go to [the] Rocky Mountains, but you can also enjoy days at the beach in Florida…Maybe also events like the Super Bowl, so very traditional events, which are kind of like a big thing here, which when you’re from Europe, for example, [you] just hear about, you have the chance to participate in those events and it’s just super cool to do that firsthand.”
What resources did you use to find your internship?
Our alumni’s experiences show the importance of leveraging your network as you begin your internship search.
Jorge: “For my case, I think…it was a bit more different than for other participants or prospective participants because I was already in the industry that I wanted to work for as a trainee so that’s how I found out about InterExchange, and then I applied within the company, and it went from there.”
Julia: “Previously I started with the websites and all the other resources that I’m sure most of you know. So LinkedIn. In my school, we do have career fairs as well. So we have a website called Job Teaser, and it’s similar to LinkedIn, but for the school and for the parts of France I’m in. And I had been doing a lot of applications on these websites. But what finally worked for me was a link that was established through a friend and classmates. So something my friends and I do is that we share opportunities with each other. So we try and find out what kind of opportunities we’re looking for. And then when we find something that’s interesting to another person, we share it. So it was in that same vein that this friend shared this opportunity with me that she had done a previous internship in that company. So she linked me with people I needed to contact in that company. And that’s how I had my interview and then I got the internship.”
Noah: “I would say I also didn’t use traditional platforms actually. So, I was last year in Asia doing an internship and there it happened that I worked together with a colleague or employer of my current host company and I was just telling him I really want to live in the U.S. for a while and have experience there. And so he connected me to the team in the U.S. and this is how the whole connection got established. So, and in the end, yeah, it turned out that I got the internship. So I would really highly recommend proactively ask[ing] around, professors even, maybe on social media looking up some former interns at the companies you’re interested in, and just try to get some kind of connection so that you have a foot in the door in a way. And that’s really helpful because there are a lot of opportunities out there which are not officially posted.”
What was the J-1 Visa application process like?
As with most visa applications around the world, applying for the J-1 Visa can be complicated at times, but our alumni felt confident with InterExchange supporting them throughout the process!
Jorge: “It’s very simple to apply [to] this one, actually, because the company that I work for in the U.S. already did the program with InterExchange before, so they knew what to do. But also from the InterExchange side, I have to say you guys [made] everything look so easy, which is not, but you definitely simplify the whole process…something that I am always so thankful to InterExchange is that you’re not talking to a robot. You’re not talking to AI, you’re talking to an actual person that is very responsive, always. And also your website is very self-explanatory. I feel bad sometimes because I came to you with a question that was like in the home page of your website, but anyways, you still reply within, I wanna say minutes or just a few couple hours, sharing the link and adding some additional information to whatever I ask. So definitely…a lot of paperwork, a very complex process to apply [for] a visa for the U.S. That’s complex anywhere in the world. But you definitely made it look very easy, easier than usual, I have to say.”
Noah: “In terms of the training plans, I think I was a little bit lucky that my company did that already with former interns….But it was super helpful because we had a very close exchange with InterExchange because there are some little things you need to be careful about….And in the end, we got like a very polished training plan. So the support was pretty good. And in terms of the J1 visa, I found the videos on the website of InterExchange pretty helpful. So they really lead you through the process. And if you just focus and don’t make any typos, then actually it’s pretty straightforward. It’s just a lot of filling out documents.”
Lavinia: “The process is really easy. Thank you. Because you really are able to explain everything really clearly, each step you are really responsive…not just by mail but also by call. I remember once I was really stressed out for some information…and you just were able to…calm me down. It was really great, helpful for me. And so, I mean, it’s not really an easy process, but with you, everything seems really…easy to do.”
What’s it like interning in the U.S.?
We asked our alumni if they experienced any challenges adapting to the U.S. workplace. Their advice? Keep an open mind and any would-be-challenges are easily overcome.
Lavinia: “What I can say [is] that of course, [it] is a new experience, [it] is a really huge experience that we are doing, so of course in a way challenges always can come. My advice is always to be really open-minded and adaptable for everything that can happen because it’s true Americans are really open-minded too. In my experience…I have met a lot of people that helped me in so many ways. So if you keep…an open mind…and an adaptable mindset, I think it’s the best way to overcome any challenges.”
Julia: “For me, I don’t think I had any challenges in the workspace. Everyone was always willing to help me and teach me, because as an intern there is a lot to learn before you can work effectively, so everyone was always willing to help me. And people were genuinely interested in me as a person and also in my development. So I would always have [people] wanting to know what I did during the weekend, stuff like that, so it just makes you feel more welcome in that new space.”
Noah: “Not really challenges, but I mean, something which is kind of funny actually as a German…we are cutting [to] the chase pretty fast…we don’t do a lot of small talk, and here it’s completely different. So it’s kind of a sandwich. You start off with small talk, then you come to the real point, and then you finish off with a small talk a little bit. And that was definitely different to what I was used to, but I wouldn’t say it’s a challenge. You just get used to it, and then you adapt your behavior also. So it’s in the end enriching.”
We are so grateful to our alumni for sharing their advice and experiences. You can watch the entire interview below, and when you’re ready to get started on your own U.S. adventure, visit us at Career Training USA!
