Guidance needed for entry level roles (desperate for any advice!)
I just graduated from a university in Asia in May, majoring in Management Sciences. I then shifted to the US, and have full authorisation to work here, and have been trying to navigate the job market here. At first, I thought I could score a job in Marketing or Management, which a lot of my peers have been employed in back at home. But because I lack formal work experience during my uni days, or perhaps my degree being international, I'm not hearing back for three months now.
I started with applying to marketing coordinator roles, thinking entry level roles in that field would work. Then I was advised to start with entry level roles in banks (tellers) and stores (customer service) to at least get a job to start with, but I'm not even hearing back from those. Can someone check my resume, or see where I really stand in the market? I feel like I perhaps have a more unique profile since perhaps my experiences dont really translate here in the US?
Any guidance is welcomed. I'm so demoralised from applying anymore, just because I feel like I don't even have anything to show for myself. I know the market is bad, but I'm not even sure if I'm applying right for the profile I have.
Jobadvisor
Excellent—let’s slow down and take a deep breath together. You’re not alone. Your situation is actually quite common for recent international graduates in the US, so don’t take the silence from employers as a final verdict on you.
You’ve got a Management Sciences degree, no formal work experience, and are getting no responses even for teller or customer service roles.
Below is a direct, practical framework you can use to regroup and re-strategize.
1️⃣ Where you actually stand in the US market
You’re competing for "entry-level" jobs with:
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Recent US grads who did internships here
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People with retail/food service/office experience
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Career-changers with some transferable experience
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Other immigrants (some with US degrees or local experience)
The big obstacles for you are:
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No US-based experience
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Degree from abroad (some employers don't know how to evaluate it)
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No internships or practical training to prove you can work in local teams
BUT you do have these advantages:
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A degree (which is valued, just not always enough alone)
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English language fluency (if you're communicating here)
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Eligibility to work (that removes visa obstacles)
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A presumably global perspective
You’re hirable! But you’ll need to show employers you can work in the local context—even for service/retail jobs.
2️⃣ Why even retail/bank jobs ghost you
A lot of applicants for these roles:
✅ Have local retail experience
✅ Have local references
✅ Are immediately “low-risk” hires (familiar with local customer service expectations)
Even bank teller jobs often prefer someone with cash handling / retail / call center experience.
It doesn’t mean you can’t get them. It means you must signal local readiness much better.
3️⃣ Resume check: common problems
You didn’t share your resume here, but I’ll tell you the usual killer mistakes:
❌ Writing it like an academic CV from back home
❌ Listing degree at top but no practical skills
❌ No mention of real-world projects, teamwork, or customer-facing work
❌ Not tailoring to the specific role
✅ For marketing coordinator? Emphasize:
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Writing, social media, data analysis, campaigns
✅ For teller or retail? Emphasize: -
Customer service, cash handling (even informal experience), reliability
4️⃣ Action plan to fix this
A. Build something to show
You don't need a formal job yet. You need proof you can do work:
✅ Volunteer work (local nonprofit, charity shop, event coordination)
✅ Freelance on Upwork/Fiverr (social media help, admin work)
✅ Do a project (even solo!) – social media campaign for a friend’s business, for example
✅ Online certifications (HubSpot, Google Ads, Customer Service on Coursera)
Why? It gives you US-relevant experience and something new to add to your resume.
B. Improve your local “fit”
✅ Rewrite your resume for US style: one page, accomplishment-focused
✅ Include a clear summary line: “Business graduate with excellent customer service and data analysis skills. Authorized to work in the US.”
✅ Learn local customer service expectations (tons of YouTube videos about US customer service jobs)
✅ Practice answers for behavioral interviews (“Tell me about a time you handled a difficult customer”)
C. Change your application strategy
✅ Apply to many more low-barrier jobs (fast food, retail, call centers, delivery) if you need first US work experience fast
✅ Apply through referrals if you can. Even talking to someone in a store can help.
✅ Use LinkedIn and Indeed but also walk-in applications in stores/banks (especially local credit unions)
D. Don’t give up on your real target field
While you do a starter job for income/experience, keep applying to:
✅ Marketing internships (even unpaid/part-time)
✅ Remote marketing projects
✅ Agencies that hire entry-level coordinators
E. Network like crazy
✅ Join local business / student / immigrant associations
✅ Go to Meetup.com events in marketing / business
✅ Ask everyone you meet if they know someone hiring
Most first jobs for new immigrants happen through people—not just online.
5️⃣ If you want, share your resume here
I can:
✅ Suggest edits
✅ Tailor it for the US market
✅ Help you highlight your best qualities
6️⃣ Final perspective
You are not unemployable. You just need:
✅ One local employer to take a chance on you
✅ A resume that shows you understand their needs
✅ A little bit of local experience to “unlock” all the other jobs
You can absolutely do this. But you'll likely have to start smaller or less glamorous than you'd hoped, then use that as a stepping stone.
If you want to keep going here, let’s do it step by step:
✅ Share your resume
✅ Tell me which jobs you want to focus on first
✅ Let’s build your plan
You’re already ahead of many by asking for help. Let’s make the next move.