• Interpreter: Interpreters work in a variety of different fields, ranging from education and insurance to health care and legal industries. Interpreters support communication from one language to another, sometimes nonverbal communication as well. Typically, you need a Bachelor’s degree in a specific language or in American Sign Language.
• Immigration Services Officer: Immigration officers work for the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and generally require a Bachelor’s degree, with some exceptions based on prior governmental experience. For more advanced roles, at least one year of graduate studies is often required. Immigration services officers work in researching and analyzing petitions, applications, and supporting documentation. They can also work with the Federal Immigration agencies and lawyers.
• Immigration Case Manager: Typically, you need a Bachelor’s degree in the field. It can be useful to have prior experience as an interpreter. An immigration case manager provides services and advocacy to immigrants. Depending on the group you represent, that changes the course work you will need. Some case managers present orientation on legal services to undocumented immigrants who have been detained, while others help documented immigrants with planning work visas, citizenship tests, conducting home and work visits, and gaining access to social services.

Student Organizations

• Amnesty International
  • “Amnesty is a global movement of millions of people working toward justice for all. We demand human rights for all people, no matter who they are. Amnesty is the largest grassroots human rights organizations and won the Nobel Peace Prize for their life-saving work. Our work will focus on the individual — people whose human rights have been abused and people who can change the world. All people have fundamental human rights. But those rights are abused or denied every single day. When that happens, Amnesty International finds the facts, exposes what’s happening, and rallies people together to force governments and others to respect everyone’s human rights.”
• University of Iowa Students for Human Rights
  • “Students for Human Rights is dedicated to advancing the principles and ideals of Human Rights and providing students with a framework to directly engage in advocacy efforts. We often focus on creating larger events and often include collaboration with faculty, staff, and students. While we have a humanitarian theme, we strive to approach our events with a diverse approach and welcome students with a variety of backgrounds including the humanities, art, business, science and more.”
• Iowa Students for Refugees
  • “Iowa Students for Refugees is a student organization dedicated to improving the well-being of refugees in Iowa City and the state of Iowa. We strive to create an inclusive community that is informed about the challenges that refugee populations face, as well as promote community development projects to combat these challenges. We provide leadership and volunteer opportunities for students who are passionate about bettering their communities and becoming more culturally competent.”

Areas of Study

• International Studies
• Global Health Studies
• Social Justice
• Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies 

Courses

• Global Perspectives
• World Cultures and Societies
• Global Business and Communication
• Global Crises and Human Rights
• Global Migration
• Diversity and Power in the U.S.
• Translation and Global Society
• Introduction to International Studies
• Introduction to International Relations
• Service Learning: International Studies

Certificates

• International Business
• Human Rights
• Non-profit
• Critical Cultural Competence  

Job Search Engines

Job search engines are a great tool to connect you to job opportunities all around the globe. Making use of multiple platforms increases your chance of securing a career you are passionate about.

• LinkedIn
  • Create a LinkedIn profile complete with a professional headshot, bio, and past experiences
  • Follow all refugee and immigrant associations you are interested in. This will show on your “interests” tab on your page and show potential employers you have an interest in refugee and immigrant work.
  • Occasionally comment on posts of these associations. This will show in your activity tab, and again, show employers you are actively interested.
  • Check out who works at these associations/companies and request to connect with them. An informational interview can get your foot in the door with a company and broaden your network with those in your career field.
  • Here we have linked a student’s profile as an example.
• Indeed
  • Indeed has lower upfront costs for employers to list jobs. Therefore, many careers in the nonprofit sector are listed on Indeed.
  • Make a strong profile, equipped with your resume, skills, etc., and stay active on Indeed.
• Idealist
  • This job search engine is intended to connect idealists—people who want to “do good,” with opportunities for action all over the world.
  • This website contains many careers in the nonprofit refugee and immigrant sector

Resumes

• When applying for careers in a position in the refugee and immigrant sector, it is important for your resume to highlight past experience with this community.
• Include all relevant collegiate activities, job experiences, or volunteer opportunities.
• Use “power verbs” to describe your experiences.
• Limit your resume to one page. If a job experience is not relevant to a career in which you are applying, do not be afraid to delete it to make space for other experiences. 
• Career Guide tips (Pages 10-25)

Cover Letters

• It is important your cover letter complements your resume. Reiterate your strengths through experiences.
• Do not limit yourself to your work experience! If you find a class project, volunteer opportunity, etc. that better displays your skills, use this experience instead!
• For careers in this field, cultural competence is important. Try to display this skill in your cover letter

Interview Etiquette and Tips

• Be confident!
• Dress to impress!
• Make good eye contact with the person you are in the interview with to show interest.
• Make sure you are aware of your body language.
• Show up with good questions to ask.
• Follow up after a few business days to inquire about the position.
• Don’t go into the interview thinking that you are underqualified!