UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kartik Khurana’s journey from an undergraduate student in India to a graduate student at Penn State has culminated in the ultimate goal: a full-time job offer. After he graduates in December with a master’s degree in cybersecurity from the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), he will begin his career at NVIDIA, a multinational technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, that specializes in artificial intelligence (AI) computing.

Khurana's job search experience — from completing multiple internships to developing an active presence on LinkedIn — demonstrates how leveraging available resources can pay off in the job market. 

“Kartik has a story to tell about being very proactive in his job search as an international student — and his story has a happy ending” said Carleen Maitland, professor and associate dean for research and graduate affairs in the College of IST. “We think it's important to share his success to inspire other students to explore their options and make the most of their academic journey.”

From India to Penn State

In 2022, Khurana received his bachelor of technology degree in computer science from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in Delhi, India. As an undergraduate student, he learned the importance of internships. His final student internship as an information security analyst at Health Catalyst — a health care data analytics company based in the United States — led to full-time employment with the company following graduation.

Khurana spent one year in that position before coming to the U.S. to obtain a master’s degree. He selected Penn State for its “reputation and extensive alumni network, which includes professionals in leading tech companies and promised both a strong support system and potential career connections within cybersecurity.”

Leveraging internships

At Penn State, every undergraduate student in the College of IST is required to complete at least one internship. Khurana’s status as a graduate student did not include that requirement, but — having completed five internships as a student in India — he understood the value an internship can provide. He applied to more than 900 internship positions, received 25 interview invitations and landed summer internship offers from Microsoft, Tesla, two startups and NVIDIA, which he ultimately selected.

“Along the way, I connected with over 2,000 professionals on LinkedIn for guidance and tips, ranging from industry interns and full-time employee to managers and even C-suite executives,” Khurana said. “Although the process of getting an internship or full-time role can be rigorous, my strategy was straightforward and thorough.”

Khurana’s summer internship with NVIDIA provided the opportunity for him to demonstrate what he could do for the company as a full-time employee and resulted in a job offer. He will begin his career with NVIDIA following graduation.

Tips for success

Khurana created a checklist of strategies that worked for him and could be helpful for current and future international students at Penn State:

• Use University resources. “Take advantage of the career services, mentoring programs and job databases that Penn State and the College of IST offer." These resources provide resume reviews, mock interviews and access to alumni who can offer guidance and job leads.”
• Network proactively. “Build a strong LinkedIn presence and aim to connect with as many professionals in your field as possible. Actively engage with your network and initiate meaningful conversations with new contacts every week.”
• Implement a contact management system. “Use this system to organize and keep track of your networking efforts. Record key points from conversations, set reminders for follow-ups and treat each connection as a valuable opportunity.”
• Prepare rigorously for interview. “Research companies thoroughly and use resources like YouTube to prepare for technical and behavioral questions. Develop STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories to showcase your skills, and practice with mock interviews to build confidence.”
• Approach job searching like you’re making a sale. “Treat each opportunity as part of a pipeline, with consistent follow-ups and strategic planning to maximize your chances of securing an offer.”

Khurana said his strategies kept him focused and motivated.

“I hope they inspire others to approach their journey with confidence and determination,” he said.