When to start applying for jobs/internships?

[MiniKoala 13]

I have a 'final round interview' for an internship on Monday and I'm a little nervous, for several reasons. One of them being that I do not have my EAD yet

I sent off my AOS + EAD + AP application in late February. The internship would start in mid-June, so technically I should have my EAD by then (I volunteered that information to the interviewer during the first phone interview). But you never know with USCIS...

The thing is, I graduated from University in my home country last summer. My original plan was to do an internship in the US after that, but I had no luck getting one. So I came to the US for 3 months on ESTA instead and during that time my now-husband proposed and we decided to do the whole K-1 thing. So when I went back to my home country I didn't even try to get an internship there (I still had my part-time job that I had been doing during my time as a student, which has nothing to do with my field of studies; and of course the whole Visa thing took up so much time and energy that finding an internship was not a priority at all).

I have hardly any work-experience in what I eventually want to do and I know it's extremely hard in the US for new graduates to find a job, so doing an internship first definitely seems like the way to go for me. And all the summer internships are posted now. So if I didn't apply for them now, I would probably have to wait for another few months after receiving my EAD to start one, and I don't really want that

Anyone else been in a similar situation? Is it OK to already apply for internships now or should one definitely wait until having the EAD in hand?

What would I need to do if I got the internship but don't have my EAD by the time the internship starts?

[Morningmist 76]

Really depends on the company and your field of study. No harm in applying for internships now. Some company's will wait until you get a legal document. some wont. Usually that comes into play AFTER you get the offer.

I would apply and be up front about your situation when asked.

In my experience though, most companies do wait for your legal papers to go through esp for internships.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Morningmist

[MiniKoala 13]

Thank you for your answer!

I've been enjoying looking up jobs, companies I'd like to work for, etc. but don't want to waste anyone's time by applying for a job if my uncertain situation could end up being a problem. I'm glad you think there's no harm in already applying.

I was hoping I would get a status update on my EAD before the weekend, but nothing so far.

Anyways, thank you for your help and enjoy the weekend.

[aussie_jason 195]

They seem to be processing EAD's right around the 60 day mark for simple cases so I wouldn't expect anything for a few weeks yet. You are free to look for work as much as you like and I think you can even accept offers (grey area) but you absolutely can not start work until you have your EAD in hand.

[MiniKoala 13]

Got it, thank you

The interview on Monday went well but I ended up not getting the internship. I thought it was awkward that the first interviewer I talked to on the phone a while ago asked me why I moved to the US and then the other interviewer on Monday asked me the same question. I answered honestly and said that I came here as a fiancée of a USC and that I was also excited about the new challenges that are awaiting me here career-wise. But I still felt weird having to mention my husband during a job interview, I think that is none of their business Have other people been asked this question during interviews? What is a good response to it?

[Morningmist 76]

Just say for personal reasons and leave it at that. They can't legally dive too deep into your personal life. They can't use it to not give you a job for example. They might want to know if you can legally work. When HR screens you, just let them know you are expecting your EAD/GC soon (by the summer) and it should be fine.