THE INTERNATIONAL MBA STUDENT’S GUIDE TO THE U.S. JOB SEARCH ★ 3 r d ED I T I O N
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NAVIGATING THE VISA APPLICATION PROCESS HOW TO FIND A COMPANY TO SPONSOR YOUR VISA BEHIND THE SCENES: THE RECRUITING PROCESS TIPS FOR THE U.S. JOB INTERVIEW
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Guide The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
3rd EDITION
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search 3rd Edition ISBN: 978-1-58207-837-3
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Copyright 2008 WetFeet, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. No copying in any form is permitted. It may not be reproduced, distributed, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, in part or in whole, without the express written permission of WetFeet, Inc. The publisher, author, and any other party involved in creation, production, delivery, or sale of this WetFeet Insider Guide make no warranty, express or implied, about the accuracy or reliability of the information found herein. To the degree you use this guide or other materials referenced herein, you do so at your own risk. The materials contained herein are general in nature and may not apply to particular factual or legal circumstances. Under no circumstances shall the publisher, author, or any other party involved in creation, production or delivery of this guide be liable to you or any other person for damages of any kind arising from access to, or use of, its content. All illustrations by mckibillo
CHAPTER
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
1 234 1 Introduction
5 At Business School
6 What’s Expected of You 7 What to Do First
13 Challenges to Getting a Job in the U.S.
11 Finding Job Search and Career Resources
28 What Is Networking?
14 Green Cards 15 Curricular Practical Training
8 Your Job Search 10 Create an Individual Marketing Plan
27 Networking
16 Optional Practical Training
28 Why You Must Network 30 Networking for Internationals
17 Temporary Nonimmigrant Visas 22 Negotiating the Visa Application Process 23 Why Some U.S. Companies Don’t Want to Hire International MBAs 25 Why Some U.S. Companies Do Want to Hire International MBAs
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5678 37 Resumes and Cover Letters
51 Interviewing
52 U.S. Job Interviews 38 Formatting Basics 39 Cover Letters 40 Resumes
53 Interview Preparation 59 Discussing Your Visa Status
44 From CV to Resume 60 In the Interview 48 Email Tips
63 Finding the Right Job
89 Additional Resources
64 Researching Potential Employers
90 Glossary of U.S. HR Terms
64 What to Watch Out For
94 Job Search and Career Resources
67 Companies Likely to Sponsor a Visa
97 Online Visa and Immigration Resources
68 Who’s Hiring 97 Career Fair Tips 81 Negotiating Your Job Offer 83 The U.S. Workplace
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100 Checklist for International MBA Students
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
Introduction
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking
Introduction Business school and the job search are both serious challenges. First, you have to move into and decorate your dorm room or apartment, learn your way around campus, and buy textbooks. Then there’s an ever-growing stack of academic work that you need to address— textbooks to read, study groups and classes to attend, and papers and tests to complete. There’s also university bureaucracy to negotiate—registering for classes, dealing with student loan paperwork, and so on. Meanwhile, job search pressure begins almost as soon as you step on campus. “The job search must be part of your daily plan from your first day here, on top of being immersed in a new culture and language, and having a rigorous academic program,” says an insider at a top U.S. business school. “You can’t wait until the end to start looking for work.” You have to go to company presentations and cocktail hours. You have to decide which on-campus interviews
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you want. You’ll attend career center meetings and conduct pre-interview research and practice interviews. You’ll join clubs and attend parties and other social events so you can have fun while building relationships with classmates and professors. It can all be overwhelming. It’s all tougher for international students, who often are not as familiar with the U.S. way of doing things, and may face the additional handicap of being less than confident in their ability to read, write, and speak English. They face the additional pressure of visa and immigration paperwork and processes. They encounter further obstacles if they want to stay and work full-time in the U.S. after completing their MBA. That’s why this WetFeet Insider Guide is helpful. We’ve assembled advice for international MBAs who want to work in the U.S. In this book, you’ll find information to help you deal with time management, visa issues, the job search, networking, interviewing, writing your resume and cover letters, negotiating job offers, and more. Good luck in your U.S. job search!
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What’s Expected of You.....................6 What to Do First...............................7 Your Job Search.................................8 Create an Individual Marketing Plan...............................10 Finding Job Search and Career Resources......................11
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Congratulations! You’ve gotten into business school. You’re on the fast track to a career in business management. Once you have your degree, you’ll be instantly more attractive to employers, and command greater responsibility and a higher salary. But if you think the hard part is behind you, or that you won’t have to scramble to find the job you want once you’ve graduated, you’re in for a big surprise.
What’s Expected of You Going to business school is like learning to swim
in the deep end of a pool. It’s going to take all the energy you have to keep your head above water. Below are some of the things you’ll juggle while you’re in school.
Academics Doing well academically is important for anyone in business school, but especially for international students. After all, if there’s a suitable U.S. MBA grad to fill a position, most employers won’t put in the extra effort to hire an international student who needs visa sponsorship. So international students would do well to select courses that give them specialized knowledge that can help them stand out from other MBAs when it comes to getting a job. In particular, international students must learn that, while some cultures discourage students from speaking up in class, in U.S. schools students are expected to be vocal. Not only will many professors expect you to speak up, they may in fact ask for your input. Don’t be shy!
INSIDER SCOOP “Academics are of great importance for international MBA students; they really have to excel in everything to make up for their hiring handicap. Specialization really helps.”
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Job Search The reason to go to business school is to advance your career in business. The job search begins at the outset of each year. You’ll search for a summer internship in your first year and a full-time job in your second year. You’ll have to put in many hours working on your job search. Just deciding which employers to target in your job search takes quite a bit of research. There are a lot of qualified young professionals in U.S. business schools, so you’ll need to make yourself stand out. This includes going to companies’ campus presentations, and using your school’s career center resources, including practice or mock interviews.
INSIDER SCOOP “International students can’t afford to miss career preparation events offered by their schools.”
Networking Networking may be a foreign concept for some international students, but it’s a critical aspect of U.S. professional life. Plan to master this skill while you’re at business school. The concept of the network is simple: A network begins with all the people you know, even casually. These are your contacts. By meeting people your contacts know, and then other people that those people know, and so on, you gradually expand your contacts. That’s networking. Networking begins with getting to know your classmates. You should definitely go to parties, sporting events, and other social activities involving your fellow students. But it doesn’t stop there. You should spend time at your school’s career services office and meet the staff there. You should also network with your professors. Don’t miss student/faculty events. It would be smart to get to know your professors outside the classroom, not to mention school alumni. They can give you insight into professions in which you’re interested. Meet international alumni who have succeeded in finding a job and cultivating a career in the U.S. They’ve
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What to Do First International students should arrive at
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business school before registration for classes begins. Give yourself time to learn your way around campus, to choose your classes intelligently, to get moved into your new residence, and to take care of things like getting your driver’s license and buying a cell phone. Once school starts, you’ll hardly have time to sleep, much less take care of such chores. You should also go out of your way to meet people. Introduce yourself to your fellow students, and to professors whose classes you’re taking or thinking
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You may also find it helpful to seek out clubs for international students. It can be reassuring to be able to share experiences and advice with others in a similar situation.
Academics, the job search, networking, extracurricular activities—that’s a lot for anyone to manage. To deal with the pressure, try to remain calm (after all, you’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed). Turn to friends, family, professors, and school career counselors for support. Arrange your priorities intelligently. There’s no way you’re going to be able to accomplish everything you’d like to while you’re at business school. The academic program alone can be staggering. “The workload is impossible,” one insider says. But with good advice from others, and planning, you’ll be able to get enough of your schoolwork done while building your network of contacts, having a social life, getting used to the U.S. way of doing things, and searching for an internship or job.
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“Extracurricular and leadership activities are highly recommended for international students, to prove to potential employers they’ve adjusted and are productive in a U.S. environment.”
Putting It All Together
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INSIDER SCOOP
Don’t associate only with people who speak your language and share your cultural background. Learn how to fit in with U.S. culture—this is critical to your education, especially if you want to work in the U.S. after you graduate.
Networking
Taking part in clubs and other extracurricular activities in your professional area of interest is part of the business school experience. One recruiter from a top investment banking firm says involvement in student clubs is one of the things his firm looks for in international MBA candidates: “Professional clubs for banking or for different areas of our industry will help them gain sophistication in U.S. companies, and involvement in social clubs will help them acculturate and become more comfortable interacting with Americans and students from other countries.”
> TIP
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Extracurricular Activities
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faced the same problems you will: overcoming cultural differences and landing a visa. You’ll also be networking every time you go to a company’s campus presentation. Good networkers will use their family and friends and other resources to get connected to people who aren’t associated with their business school but who might help them achieve their career goals. Networking can be challenging for some international students who aren’t used to going out and introducing themselves to more established professionals, or to selling their talents once they do meet new people. But networking is absolutely essential to landing a good job and building a solid career in the U.S. Networking is discussed in detail in a later chapter.
Intro At Business school Challenges
of taking. Go to parties and other social events. Be especially proactive in getting to know other international students, who may be experiencing culture shock similar to yours. The more friendly faces you have around you, the more comfortable you’ll be in this new situation, and the more support you’ll have once school starts. Many schools have an international student services office whose primary purpose it is to help you navigate the particular challenges non-U.S. students face. If your school does, that should be one of your first destinations. The staff there can provide information about visa issues; address legal, academic, and personal adjustment concerns; and much more. Typically, international student services offices also host workshops, networking opportunities, and other programs just for international students.
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> TIP Do your research to find out which skills your target employers need. Then, structure your courses and the internship you do between your first and second years of business school to support your development of those skills.
It’s also wise to familiarize yourself with your school’s career center. Learn about the center’s job hunting and career research resources. Get to know the people who work there. Sign up for practice interviews, company presentations, and career workshops. Doing so now will eliminate stress once you begin searching for an internship or job. If necessary, practice your English language skills. Sign up for English courses, watch U.S. TV and movies, read U.S. newspapers and magazines, and so on. Enjoy this slow time. Once school starts and the job search begins, things will change—drastically.
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> TIP Use personality and selfassessment tests for guidance. Check with your school’s career center for self-assessment resources, such as the MyersBriggs Type Indicator, a test that assists in identifying significant personality traits. Also seek out selfassessment books and Internetbased resources.
Your Job Search When it’s time to find a job, you’re in the candidate pool with everyone else. You’re all competing for the same job. To stand out, you need to have something the other candidates don’t, and you’ll have to work even harder than your U.S. counterparts to find the right job in the U.S. Your approach should be disciplined and focused. Consider the following process. Assess Yourself As a first step, do some serious self-assessment. To get an understanding of what kind of career is right for you, you need a clear idea of who you are—your strengths, weaknesses, lifestyle, financial goals, and priorities. For example, you might be willing to take a lower-paying job initially if it offers more room for building particular skills, if it matches your personal values (for example, you might not want to work for a tobacco company or an alcoholic-beverage manufacturer), or if it gives meaning to your life. If you prefer being close to nature, you might be interested in working for companies that specialize in services or goods for outdoor pursuits.
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π Plan Your Search enable you to bid your interview points (if that’s the system your school uses) with full confidence you’ll be interviewing with target employers that will be interested in you. Your list will likely include some companies that aren’t recruiting on campus. This is where your networking efforts will really pay off: Use your contacts to initiate conversations with target employers. You can also try to initiate contact with these companies through career fairs and employment agencies, and by reaching out to them directly.
Networking Resumes and cover letters
Once you’ve narrowed your list of career and employer options, it’s time to create Plan A for your job search. Target two or three industries and ten or twenty potential employers, plus another ten or so employers you can research if you have to go to Plan B. Now determine the timing of your search. Find out if and when your target companies are recruiting on campus. Prepare to network with representatives from those companies, and if possible interview with them. Taking the time now to plan your job search will
Challenges interviewing
Once you have a clear idea of who you are, it’s time to figure out where you’d best fit in the business world. It can be emotionally difficult to work in project management at a big semiconductor manufacturer when you would rather be in business development at a startup movie production company. Do your soul-searching now to avoid that kind of mistake. As time passes and responsibilities like house payments and raising a family become more important—and you get deeper into a career—it becomes more difficult to change directions. So now’s the time to explore industries, employers, and jobs, and determine which ones will be fulfilling. Your school’s career services office is an excellent place to start—you’re likely to find excellent advice and resources there. As you do your research, build a list of the industries, companies, and jobs that seem most appealing. Now it’s time for a reality check. Compare what you learned from your self-assessment with your list of potential careers. Consider whether you’d fit into the jobs, companies, and industries. For instance, the glamour and big money of Wall Street may lead you to investment banking. But if you value work/life balance and a low-stress career, I-banking’s long hours and travel requirements might not be right for you.
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Create an Individual Marketing Plan Now it’s time to sell yourself. If that concept
makes you uncomfortable, do whatever it takes to overcome the discomfort. Selling yourself not only is acceptable in the U.S. job search, it’s essential! Think of the traditional “Five P’s” of marketing: product, price, promotion, place, and positioning. Doing so will help you shape your message about yourself, decide what jobs to pursue, and how, where, and when to approach employers.
Product The product is you. What core skills and attributes do you have to offer?
Price How does the market value your skills and experience? Do you have specialized knowledge or abilities that are in high demand? If so, you’ll attract lots of employers and command a sizable compensation package. Or will you need to discount your services to get started in the career you really want? Some MBA grads accept a lower salary and level of responsibility than they had anticipated to start their career.
Promotion Your promotion is your marketing message. What’s your so-called elevator pitch, the two-minute presentation (discussed elsewhere in this guide) describing why you’re the best person for a target job? How are you going to handle various types of interview questions? Remember: Mock interviews are especially important for international students who may not be comfortable with U.S. interviewing styles. Other aspects of personal 10
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promotion include your resume(s), cover letters, and contact with people who can help your job search.
Mock interviews are especially important for international students who may not be comfortable with U.S. interviewing styles. Place How and where will you distribute your product? That is, when and where will you introduce yourself to potential employers? What are the best methods for getting your message in front of employers? For this part of your marketing plan, you need to prioritize distribution. What on-campus recruiting events will you attend? Which company websites will you visit or executive recruiters will you contact? Whom will you ask for referrals?
Positioning What are your differentiating factors? What makes you uniquely qualified for the jobs you’re pursuing? How do you stand out from the parade of other MBAs entering the employment marketplace? There will probably be a number of attributes and skills that make you uniquely qualified. Remember that international students often are able to turn their language abilities, cultural background, and nontraditional professional experience (nontraditional when compared with most U.S. MBAs) into strong selling points.
Intro Challenges Resumes and cover letters interviewing
career sites such as MBA-Exchange.com. ForeignMBA. com serves international MBAs. The websites of U.S. business publications, such as BusinessWeek.com, The Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal.com, and Fortune. com can be helpful as well. Your network of contacts is another valuable resource for learning about job and career options. Be proactive. Set up informational interviews. These are informal interviews with professional contacts that allow you to ask questions about their career paths and hear advice on how to pursue your career. Get to know as wide a range of professionals as you can. You never know what helpful resources they might recommend. Finally, check the “Additional Resources” section at the back of this book for more job search and career resource suggestions.
Networking
Your school’s career center is the best place to start when it comes to finding job search and career resources. Even if the career center doesn’t have the specific information you’re looking for, professionals there will usually know where you can find it. Your career center can also help you network, especially with alumni in the professional fields you’re pursuing. You should also get to know your school’s library, where you’ll be able to access all kinds of information about companies and industries. The Internet is another great source of information. You can visit the websites of target companies and learn about their products, history, employment needs, and hiring processes. You can also access databases of company information on sites such as Hoover’s, Yahoo Finance, and EDGAR Online (which has downloadable SEC filings from public U.S. companies). In addition, you should visit general career-advice sites such as WetFeet.com and Monster.com, and MBA-specific
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Challenges to Getting a Job in the U.S.
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Green Cards....................................14 Curricular Practical Training...........15 Optional Practical Training.............16 Temporary Nonimmigrant Visas.....17 Negotiating the Visa Application Process........................ 22 Why Some U.S. Companies Don’t Want to Hire International MBAs....................... 23 Why Some U.S. Companies Do Want to Hire International MBAs....................... 25
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Perhaps the biggest obstacle to living and working
in the U.S. is attaining legal status to do so. To work, visit, or study legally in the U.S., non-U.S. citizens need the appropriate visa. If you’re an international student at a U.S. business school, you already know this, and most possess an F-1 student visa, or perhaps a J-1 exchange visa. The work status information provided in this chapter is just a starting point. The laws and policies change frequently. To stay current on the latest developments, turn to the international students’ office at your school. Knowledge of the law is especially important now, given the fundamental disagreements surrounding immigration. Some constituencies in the U.S. want to restrict immigration more than others. Keep up with the news!
π Current Reforms In June 2006, nine Republican members of the House of Representatives introduced the Securing Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership (SKIL) Act, HR 5744, which would have made it easier to hire highly skilled and educated international workers for jobs in the U.S. The bill failed, largely because of U.S. antiimmigrant sentiment. Rep. John Shadegg (D-Ariz.), chief sponsor of the SKIL bill, had said: “Unfortunately, we are not graduating the number of Americans with advanced degrees in math and sciences that our high-tech and medical industries need to compete. Until we can fix the problem of not having enough highly skilled American
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graduates, we need to pass the SKIL bill. We must maintain our edge by providing opportunities to highly educated and skilled individuals interested in staying here in the U.S.” Proposed changes would have included increasing the annual H-1B visa caps for international students who receive their advanced education in the U.S. from 65,000 to 115,000. To stay current on immigration legislation and related news, you can subscribe to Shusterman’s Immigration Update, a free monthly email newsletter published by Carl Shusterman, a prominent immigration attorney practicing in Los Angeles. Register at www.shusterman. com/subscribe.html.
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Green Cards A green card, or permanent-resident visa, gives the
bearer legal permanent-resident status in the U.S. A noncitizen can get a green card via one of several methods: • Through sponsorship by a relative who is a U.S. citizen or who has lawful permanent-resident status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) states that you must be “the spouse, parent, unmarried child under age 21, the unmarried son or daughter over age 21, the married son or daughter, or the brother or sister of a U.S. citizen” or “the spouse or unmarried son or daughter of any age of a lawful permanent resident.” •
As a refugee, by being granted asylum status.
•
By being selected for a green card in the annual diversity visa lottery (which makes 50,000 visas available each year to citizens of countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the preceding five years; for additional eligibility requirements, which are numerous, visit www.uscis.gov).
•
By being a qualified individual seeking permanent-resident status on the basis of your engagement in a new commercial enterprise, or through sponsorship by an employer willing to attest to its need for your employment.
For a full list of green card–eligible programs, visit www.uscis.gov/greencard. If you have a green card, you have most of the same rights and responsibilities as U.S. citizens. You’re protected by U.S. federal and local laws. You can vote in some local elections that don’t require U.S. citizenship. You can work in any job without applying for special work status. You can live in the U.S. as long as you obey the law, pay your taxes, and don’t do anything else that would make you deportable.
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CPT requirements are as follows: You must have been enrolled in school in the U.S. on an F-1 visa for at least nine months.
CPT is authorized for a specific employer and period of time. You’ll need a letter from your employer clearly stating your job title, responsibilities, the start and end dates of the position, the number of work hours per week, and your direct supervisor’s name and contact information.
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CPT must occur before the completion of your degree. For international MBA students, CPT usually takes the form of an internship between the first and second years of business school. Your CPT must relate to your field of study and be an integral part of your academic program. Your school will administer its own CPT program and handle all the paperwork on your behalf. Check with your career services or international students’ office to learn more about how the program works at your school.
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If you’re a master’s degree student, you must take coursework along with the CPT to maintain your F-1 nonimmigrant status.
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Curricular practical training (CPT) is employment training that fulfills an academic requirement for all students, both foreign individuals and U.S. citizens, in a program. It is necessary for completion of the degree. As a foreign student, you must have an F-1 student visa for nine months before you can apply for CPT. During the academic year, CPT must be part-time (20 hours or fewer per week); during the summer, it can be full-time. For more information, visit www.ice.gov/sevis/students/cpt.htm and www.oiss.yale.edu/visa/f1cpt.htm.
“The summer internship is extremely important in developing relationships. We figure if we end up hiring you after you graduate, you’ll be able to hit the ground running.”
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For many, getting a green card is a step toward the ultimate goal of U.S. citizenship. If that’s your situation, and you can immigrate via relatives or through refugee or asylum status, great. Otherwise, you’ll need an employer to petition for a green card on your behalf. The green-card application process is complex, delicate, and costly. In most cases, employers must file Form ETA-750, a labor certification form (www. foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/750inst.cfm), with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration attesting that the green card applicant’s job is one for which the employer can’t find other anyone else qualified, willing, and available at the time of the application, and that the employment of the applicant won’t adversely affect other U.S. workers in similar positions. It can be a time-consuming, uncertain procedure, and the standards of proof the application must meet are stricter than those for temporary nonimmigrant visas. For that reason, even if you want a green card, it’s usually advisable to start your career in the U.S. under temporary work visa status—for instance, by getting an H-1B visa. Then file your green card application while working in the U.S. as a temporary visa holder.
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π Academic Training If your CPT lasts longer than 12 months, you forfeit your right to work in the U.S. in the optional practical training program (discussed in the next section). For students in the U.S. on a J visa, academic training (AT) is work, training, or experience related to a J-1 student’s field of study. AT can be paid or unpaid and authorized during or after completion of studies. It’s more like CPT in that it’s processed by the university
(it doesn’t require USCIS adjudication). You must have a job offer. A professor in the department that sponsored you supervises the work. The employment authorization period under academic training cannot exceed the period of your study described in your DS2019 (typically up to 18 months). You’re eligible for part-time work while school is in session and you can work full-time during breaks or after you complete your studies.
Optional Practical Training If you’re in business school in the U.S. on an F-1
visa, you’re eligible to receive permission from USCIS for optional practical training (OPT). OPT allows you to work in the U.S. for 12 months after you complete your degree. You can start using OPT after your first year in business school or save it to use after you finish school. However, you’re limited to a total of 12 months. OPT is a one-time option: If you use your practical training after you get your MBA, you cannot obtain another period of practical training upon completion of another degree. You may apply for OPT anytime before the completion of your studies or within 60 days of graduation. You should apply as early as possible to 16
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begin employment immediately after completing your studies. OPT does not require a job offer, and OPT work is not required by the student’s academic program. You can work on OPT status with any employer, as long as your work is related to your field of study. While your OPT approval will come from USCIS, you’ll need to apply for this status through your school. Also, you’ll have to pay a USCIS processing fee. OPT is a great way for international students to make inroads with U.S. employers. Because your school handles most of the details of your application, the employer won’t need to file paperwork on your behalf. Once you prove your worth, the employer will be more likely to petition for you when it comes time for a new work visa. As with all visa applications, it’s best to start the process well before you need OPT status. It can take three to four months to process OPT paperwork. You can start the process 90 days before completion of your first year in business school or 120 days before completion of your second year.
OPT is a great way for international students to make inroads with U.S. employers. Keep in mind that USCIS requires students authorized for at least one year of curricular practical training (CPT) to forfeit all OPT benefits. But students who engage in less than a year of CPT may still qualify for one year of OPT. Be sure to follow the letter of the law carefully. Note that if you have not yet received an Employment Authorization Card, which will be your proof of legal status during your OPT, you should avoid leaving the U.S. between finishing your coursework and starting OPT employment; you could be denied reentry. Because visa processing can take so long, new MBA hires on OPT status should begin working early with their employer on their temporary nonimmigrant work visa (their H-1B visa, for example).
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π Keep on Top of Rules and Regs The website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (www.uscis. gov)—part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—contains the latest details regarding visa and immigration issues.
There are numerous temporary nonimmigrant
D visa (for crews of airliners, ships, and other types of transport stopping in the U.S.)
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F visa (for international students studying in academic or language programs in the U.S.)
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H visa (for individuals working in jobs that can’t be filled with U.S. workers)
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I visa (for journalists)
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J visa (for exchange visitors)
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K visa (for fiancés/fiancées of U.S. citizens)
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L visa (for intracompany transfers)
•
M visa (for international students in vocational programs)
In all, there are more than 20 different visa classes—so it’s no wonder that the visa process can seem confusing! Fortunately, international MBAs looking to work in the U.S. typically need to be aware of just a few visa types. In most cases, those who want a U.S. nonimmigrant visa must apply at a U.S. consulate or embassy in their native country. There are fees associated with obtaining a visa; often these fees will be paid by U.S. employers, but be aware that you may have to pay them yourself. You can learn more about the latest fees, which can total several thousand dollars, on the USCIS website (www.uscis.gov).
H-1B Visa
www.usavisanow.com/h1bvisafaq.html The H-1B visa is known as the specialty occupation visa. This is the visa that most international MBAs need in order to work full-time in the U.S. The H-1B visa is for people with a U.S. bachelor’s degree or the equivalent who want to work for a U.S. employer in a professional position. The U.S. Department of State says that H-1B applicants must do work that requires “the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge requiring completion of a specific course of higher education.” Meeting this requirement is no problem for most MBAs, since they typically fill positions that require an MBA, such as WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Additional resources
•
R visa (for religious workers)
finding the right job
C visa (for transit through the U.S.)
•
interviewing
•
Q visa (for participants in international cultural programs)
Resumes and cover letters
U.S. visas, including: • B visa (for temporary visits to the U.S. for business or pleasure)
•
Networking
Temporary Nonimmigrant Visas
Specifically, the site’s “What’s New” section provides links to information about recent changes to visa and immigration rules.
Challenges
Staying abreast of the frequent changes in U.S. immigration laws, including deadlines and limitations on visa numbers, will make it easier for you to live and work in the U.S.
Intro At Business school Challenges
investment banking analyst and consumer products brand manager positions. H-1B visas have an annual cap of 85,000. In other words, not all eligible H-1B visa applicants receive the visa in a given year. However, international students with MBAs from U.S. business schools benefit from the fact that the U.S. reserves 20,000 of the 85,000 H-1B visas for non-U.S. citizens with a master’s or higher-level degree from a U.S. academic program (compared with 65,000 H-1B visas reserved for non-advanced-degree specialists such as computer programmers). These advanced-degree H-1B visas are valid as long as the visa applicant is going to work in a field related to his graduate degree; that is, if you’re going to work as a computer programmer, this benefit doesn’t apply to you even if you hold a master’s degree in business.
Additional resources
finding the right job
interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
Networking
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
> TIP Apply for your H-1B visa as soon as possible, because demand for H-1B visas far exceeds supply. Plan strategically to be sure your OPT time doesn’t expire before your visa is in place with your employer.
The logistics can be complicated in avoiding what’s called the “gap in the cap”—the period of time that occurs if your OPT work authorization expires before your H-1B visa becomes effective, says Anh Nguyen, international adviser at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business MBA Career Resource Center. If, for example, you did not file the H-1B petition for fiscal year 2008, which provides an H-1B job start date of October 1, 2007 (the filing of which began as early as April 1, 2007, before your graduation date), the next opportunity to submit an H-1B application will be for fiscal year 2009 (for an H-1B start date of October 1, 2008). If your OPT expires on July 10, 2008, and your H-1B visa, if approved, doesn’t start 18
W E T F E E T I N SIDER GUIDE
until October 1, 2008, you will be unable to work for almost three months. This can present a serious problem, Nguyen says, but it’s avoidable if you secure employment prior to graduation, and your employer is willing to petition for the H-1B immediately upon hiring you. Nguyen adds that students from some countries have other work visa options and are not affected by the cap on the H-1B’s filing restrictions. (See sections below on the TN, L-1, and other visas.) Certain H-1B visas are exempt from these caps. Exemptions include those applying for H-1B extensions of stay; change of employers; and people who had H-1B status during the past six years but didn’t use their full six years, and whose employers are petitioning for H-1B status on their behalf. Also exempt from the H-1B caps are people employed by universities, by nonprofit entities that are universityaffiliated or -related, and those employed by government or nonprofit research organizations. The current status of the H-1B visa could change dramatically pending proposed legislation: It could completely remove the cap limiting the number of H-1B visas for advanced-degree holders who received their MBA from a school in the U.S., keeping the 20,000 cap only for those MBAs and PhDs with degrees from foreign institutions of higher learning. Insiders say this change would more than double the number of advanced-degree holders who are able to obtain H-1B status annually. To get an H-1B visa, the applicant must be sponsored by a potential employer. Before an individual can apply for an H-1B visa, the applicant’s would-be employer must receive approval of the applicant’s labor condition application (LCA) from the U.S. Department of Labor. On the LCA, the employer attests that it will pay the visa applicant a fair wage (at least as much as the higher of [a] similar employees in the same company, or [b] the prevailing wage for similar workers in the geographic region where the applicant will be working; the prevailing wage is usually decided by the appropriate state’s employment services agency). The employer must also attest that
Intro Networking Resumes and cover letters interviewing finding the right job
If you leave your job voluntarily, you will have to (a) leave the U.S., (b) apply for another kind of visa (most likely a B-2 tourist visa) to remain in the country, or (c) receive approval to work for another employer before you leave your current job. The merger or sale of an H-1B employer’s business will usually not affect your status. However, if the change means that you’re working in a capacity other than the specialty occupation for which you were hired, it is considered a status violation. While holding your H-1B visa, you may apply for adjustment of status or take other steps toward lawful permanent resident (LPR) status without affecting your H-1B status. This is known as “dual intent” and has been recognized in immigration law since passage of the Immigration Act of 1990. During the time that the application for LPR status is pending, you may travel on your H-1B visa without having to obtain advance parole or request other advance permission to return to the U.S. The spouse and unmarried children (under age 21) of an H-1B visa holder can come to the U.S. under the H-4 visa. H-4-status individuals cannot work legally in the U.S.
Challenges
You can change jobs without getting a new H-1B visa, as long as you continue doing the kind of work described in your H-1B visa petition.
At Business school
L-1 Visa www.usavisanow.com/l1visafaq.html and www.usavisanow.com/l1visainfo.html
Additional resources
the hiring of the visa applicant will not have a negative effect on the company’s existing employees in similar positions, and that the visa application is not part of an effort to circumvent a labor dispute at the company. The employer must then file the certified LCA with a Form I-129 petition plus the accompanying fee. Based on the USCIS petition approval, the applicant may then apply for the H-1B visa, or a change of nonimmigrant status. Under current law, an H-1B visa is valid for a maximum period of six years. After that time the visa holder must remain outside the U.S. for one year before another H-1B petition can be approved. Certain H-1B holders working on U.S. Defense Department projects may remain in H-1B status for ten years. If your visa status is still valid, you can change your F-1 status to H-1B status without leaving the U.S. However, if you do leave the U.S. you may not be able to reenter unless you apply for an H-1B visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, usually in your home country, although sometimes an H-1B visa may be obtained in Canada or Mexico. An adviser from a top business school recommends that students not travel outside the U.S. if their visa status is in a state of transition. “But a lot depends on the specific case, since a visa is issued for a specific time frame or number of entries,” the adviser says. With an H-1B visa, you can change jobs without getting a new visa, as long as you continue doing the kind of work described in your H-1B visa petition. If this describes your situation, your new employer must file and receive approval of a Form I-129 petition before you can start your new job. H-1B aliens must have a Form I-129 petition approved by each new employer. As long as your relationship with your sponsoring employer remains in effect, your H-1B visa is valid, regardless of whether you’re on vacation, away from work due to illness, on family leave, or on strike. You may work part-time or leave and return to the U.S. without any change in your visa status.
Like the H-1B visa, the L-1 visa is for professionals who have specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search The L-1, however, is for executives, managers, and workers with specialized knowledge who are coming to the U.S. to work at a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of their foreign employer. A subsidiary or affiliate is a company that shares at least 50 percent common ownership with the foreign employer of the L-1 applicant. The applicant must have worked for the foreign company in question during one of the three years preceding the application. There is no cap on the number of L-1 visas. Another primary difference from the H-1B visa is that employers sponsoring L-1 visa employees do not have to file a petition with the U.S. Department of Labor ensuring that, among other things, the employee will receive a prevailing wage. The L-1A visa is for executives and managers, and is valid for seven years. The L-1B visa is for workers with specialized knowledge of a company, its products, and other areas, and is valid for five years. L-1 visa holders must leave the U.S. for a year before applying for another L-1 visa. The exception is L-1 visa holders who work in the U.S. on a seasonal or intermittent basis, or for fewer than six months per year, who may reapply for a new L-1 visa when their previous L-1 visa expires. An applicant’s employer must petition for the L-1 visa at the USCIS field office in the region of the U.S. where the applicant will be working. The spouse and unmarried children (under age 21) of L-1 visa holders can come to the U.S. under the L-2 visa. L-2 visa holders are not eligible to work in the U.S.
TN Visa
port of entry, and show evidence of professional qualifications and employment in the U.S., as well as the ability to meet applicable license requirements. They must also show proof of Canadian citizenship and pay a $50 fee. The process is a little more difficult for Mexican citizens. Unlike Canadian citizens, Mexican citizens must apply for a TN visa at a U.S. consulate. The process typically includes an appointment-only interview at the consulate, and requires a fingerprint scan and proof of U.S. employment. Applicants must also show proof of Mexican citizenship, and the ability to meet applicable license requirements. The wait for a TN visa can be as brief as a couple of weeks or much longer, depending on the consulate.
Other Visa Types While the F-1, H-1B, L-1, and TN visas will be applicable to most readers of this book, below is introductory information on other visas that may make more sense for some international MBA students who want to work in the U.S.
H-3 Visa http://faq.visapro.com/H3-Visa-FAQ2.asp The H-3 is for people coming to the U.S. to train in a particular field and use the knowledge they gain in their home country. This visa is valid for two years. H-3 visa applicants need to secure a place in an established training program at a U.S. employer to obtain this visa.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/ types_1274.html
E-1 Visa http://faq.visapro.com/E1-Visa-FAQ.asp
The TN visa was established as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canadian and Mexican citizens are eligible for the TN visa, which allows them to work for a specific employer or employers in the U.S. “at a professional level.” Most Canadian citizens won’t need to apply for a TN visa to work in the U.S. under TN visa status. To obtain TN visa status, they need only request admission to the U.S. under TN status at a U.S.
The E-1 visa is for foreign nationals from countries that have treaties with the U.S. allowing their citizens to obtain such visas. Candidates must work for a company that’s based in a treaty country and does at least 51 percent of its trade between the U.S. and that treaty country. The USCIS initially grants a period of stay for two years, but holders of E-1 visas may extend their status in the U.S. indefinitely.
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Intro
E-2
Armenia
E-2
E-2
Bahrain
E-2
Bangladesh
E-2
Belgium
E-1, E-2
Bolivia
E-1, E-2
Bosnia and Herzegovina
E-1, E-2
Brunei
E-1
Bulgaria
E-2
Cameroon
E-2
Canada
E-1, E-2
Colombia
E-1, E-2
Congo (Brazzaville)
E-2
Congo (Kinshasa)
E-2
Costa Rica
E-1, E-2
Croatia
E-1, E-2
Czech Republic
E-2
Denmark
E-1
Ecuador
E-2
Egypt
E-2
Estonia
E-1, E-2
Ethiopia
E-1, E-2
Finland
E-1, E-2
France
E-1, E-2
Georgia
E-2
Germany
E-1, E-2
Greece
E-1
Grenada
E-2
Honduras
E-1, E-2
Iran
E-1, E-2
Ireland
E-1, E-2
Israel
E-1
Italy
E-1, E-2
Jamaica
E-2
Japan
E-1, E-2 WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
Additional resources
Azerbaijan
finding the right job
E-1, E-2, E-3 E-1, E-2
interviewing
Australia Austria
Resumes and cover letters
In essence, the E-3 visa is a version of the H-1B visa for Australian citizens. To get an E-3 visa, applicants must have a U.S. job offer in a “specialty occupation” (again, this is an occupation that requires “the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge requiring completion of a specific course of higher education”); prove they have the credentials (including any necessary licenses) to work in the specialty occupation; show proof of Australian citizenship; and state that they do not plan to stay in the U.S. indefinitely. While the applicant’s employer doesn’t have to sponsor the applicant, it does have to file a labor condition application (LCA) with the U.S. Department of Labor. The E-3 visa is good for two years, and there is no limit on the number of times it may be renewed. A maximum of 10,500 E-3 visas can be issued in any given year. Visas issued to spouses and children are not included in the E-3 quota, and spouses and children do not have to be Australian citizens.
Albania
Networking
E-3 Visa http://faq.visapro.com/E3-Visa-FAQ.asp
Visa Types
Challenges
The E-2 visa is for managers, executives, and other essential employees of foreign companies that are making significant investments in new or existing operations in the U.S. The company must be 50 percent owned by a national of a country that has a treaty with the U.S. allowing its citizens to get such visas. E-2 visa registration applications must demonstrate that there has been and will be a substantial capital investment in the U.S. There is no specific cash threshold, but $40,000 is probably a minimum. It’s difficult to make a case for any investment below $100,000. The E-2 visa typically is valid for five years. The following table lists E-1 and E-2 visa countries. For updates to this list, visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/ reciprocity/list_of_treaty_countries.htm.
Country
At Business school
E-2 Visa http://faq.visapro.com/E2-Investor-VisaFAQ.asp
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Jordan
E-1, E-2
Kazakhstan
E-2
Kyrgyzstan
E-2
Latvia
E-1, E-2
Liberia
E-1, E-2
Lithuania
E-2
Luxembourg
E-1, E-2
Macedonia
E-1, E-2
Mexico
E-1, E-2
Moldova
E-2
Mongolia
E-2
Morocco
E-2
Netherlands
E-1, E-2
Norway
E-1, E-2
Oman
E-1, E-2
Pakistan
E-1, E-2
Panama
E-2
Paraguay
E-1, E-2
Philippines
E-1, E-2
Poland
E-1, E-2
Romania
E-2
Senegal
E-2
Serbia
E-1, E-2
Slovakia
E-2
Slovenia
E-1, E-2
South Korea
E-1, E-2
Spain
E-1, E-2
Sri Lanka
E-2
Suriname
E-1, E-2
Sweden
E-1, E-2
Switzerland
E-1, E-2
Taiwan
E-1, E-2
Thailand
E-1, E-2
Togo
E-1, E-2
Trinidad & Tobago
E-2
Tunisia
E-2
Turkey
E-1, E-2
Ukraine
E-2
United Kingdom
E-1, E-2 Source: U.S. Department of State
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Negotiating the Visa Application Process Because the stakes are so high, it’s crucial to
start the application process early. Errors could force you to lose a potential job or endure massive stress, paperwork and expense to stay in the U.S. legally. Immigration attorney Carl Shusterman recommends that international MBA students who want to work in the U.S. beyond their optional practical training (OPT) period consult with an immigration attorney 30 to 60 days before they graduate to get an H-1B visa. “If they want to stay here, they need to think way ahead,” he says. “It’s a three-step process: optional training, H-1B, and permanent residence.” To start the visa application process, learn as much as possible about your visa options well before you apply for a visa—that is, before you finish business school. Read the U.S. State Department and USCIS web pages describing various types of visas and who’s eligible for them. Knowing your visa options and understanding the process will also help you convince an employer to sponsor your visa. You’ll be able to explain that the process isn’t as daunting as the employer might have expected, and to demonstrate that you’re thorough and responsible—the kind of person who does the necessary research. Just the kind of candidate the employer is looking to hire. Be sure your target company is legitimate, by the way—not some fly-by-night operation or a firm in the throes of bankruptcy. You don’t want your dream job to disappear, and your visa along with it. Spend some time anticipating the employer’s potential objections to sponsoring your visa petition, too, so you have clear, rational responses at the ready. Finally, consult an immigration attorney, or have the employer do so, to ensure you’ve covered all the bases in your visa application.
Intro
INSIDER SCOOP
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Additional resources
WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
finding the right job
This can be especially true of companies that have never hired a non-U.S. citizen or sponsored an employee’s visa before. Some employers may have little experience with non-U.S. workers. They may prefer not to work with you because they’re unfamiliar with your culture. Will you have beliefs that are too different from their own? Will you have customs that make them uncomfortable? For example, some people in some parts of the U.S. may have a hard time getting used to your enjoyment of ethnic cuisines that they find unappealing. Your job is to reassure the employer that you understand and accept the U.S. way of doing business, and that you will not disrupt the workplace because of your background in any way.
interviewing
Employers may anticipate that international employees will bring unforeseen problems to the workplace.
Resumes and cover letters
“We want to streamline things for our students and their employers. But the students have to convince the employers that what they offer is worth the added steps to get the work authorization.”
Networking
In a Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive survey of U.S. corporate recruiters who recruit MBAs, completed in March 2005, 38 percent said they would hire qualified foreign nationals who needed visa sponsorship, a third said they would not hire such students, and 29 percent said they weren’t sure whether they would hire students who needed sponsorship. Although these figures may be discouraging, they can also be helpful to understand why some U.S. employers are unwilling or unsure whether to hire foreign candidates who require visa sponsorship. Anticipating employers’ objections is necessary to address their misgivings. In addition to their concerns about the visa sponsorship process itself, recruiters may harbor a number of other reservations about hiring non-U.S. citizens. Below are some of the most common concerns of employers and our tips for dealing with them.
If you’ve done your homework, you’ll be able to let the employer know exactly how much effort and money will be required to complete the visa sponsorship process. This will eliminate some of the fear of the unknown associated with hiring you. Your willingness to research, understand, and explain your visa options should also reassure potential employers that you’re prepared to make the process as easy as possible. It may also convince them that you’re likely to apply the same tenacity to resolving problems at work. Some schools have career advisers who will walk prospective employers through the visa process and even provide immigration attorneys to help them.
Challenges
Anticipate employers’ objections to visa sponsorship so you can address their misgivings.
Employers may worry that the visa sponsorship process will take too much time or money.
At Business school
Why Some U.S. Companies Don’t Want to Hire International MBAs
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Employers may be concerned that you won’t be committed to the job. Because work-visa applicants must certify that they intend to return to their home country at the end of their visa, some employers believe that such employees are less committed to their job than others. You need to convince the employer otherwise. Talking about your desire to establish roots in the community and showing interest in the company’s long-term plans will go a long way toward demonstrating your commitment. “The most important thing for an international MBA to show us is long-term interest in working in the U.S.,” says a recruiter from a top investment banking firm. “We want to know they’re not just taking the job for a year or two to get U.S. work experience.”
Employers may worry that foreign employees won’t be able to communicate effectively with coworkers or clients. The best way to quell this fear is to be fluent in written and spoken English. All your job search communications must be as strong as possible. Make sure letters and emails are well written. While you’re still in school, practice interviewing and participate in extracurricular and social activities. You want to feel at ease with English. You might also mention to potential employers your plans to continue your English studies, especially if your language skills aren’t quite what you want them to be.
encounter an employer that believes non-U.S. citizens shouldn’t be able to take jobs away from U.S. citizens. Your best response is to emphasize your unique qualifications for the target position. Still, if you encounter this sentiment in a potential employer, you may want to consider whether you want to work there.
Employers may fear that foreign candidates won’t have the interpersonal skills to succeed in a U.S. work environment. Because the U.S. corporate culture differs from that of many other countries—some cultures prize nonconfrontational behavior in the workplace— employers may worry that international employees lack needed assertiveness or directness. You can address these concerns by noting in your interviews that you are conversant with U.S. ways of conducting business. You might cite examples of when you have been assertive or direct in a businesslike setting.
Because the U.S. corporate culture differs from that of many other countries, employers may worry that international employees lack assertiveness or directness.
Employers may believe that it’s easier to hire a U.S. citizen. The best way to counteract this notion is to convince employers why they must hire you rather than anyone else, U.S. citizen or otherwise. Knowing what an employer will have to do to sponsor your visa and bring you on board will help you convince a potential employer that its efforts will be worthwhile.
Some employers may harbor animosity toward non-U.S. citizens in U.S. jobs. At some point during your job search, you may 24
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Since many MBA students are transitioning from another career, such as engineering or science, it’s important to recognize the differences between job cultures, too. For example, the cultures of investment banking firms and high-tech companies differ. Get comfortable not only with U.S. culture, but also with the subculture of specific fields. \
Intro
An international MBA who has skills or experience the employer desires may be a better fit for the position than U.S. candidates.
•
International employees make it easier for companies to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Challenges
•
At Business school
Why Some U.S. Companies Do Want to Hire International MBAs Many U.S.-based companies recognize the
International MBAs may bring valuable new perspectives to the way companies do business. They’ve already learned how to live in a culture other than their own, and have brought that knowledge to the workplace. Because it can be a major pain for work-visa employees to change jobs, international employees are less likely to quit unexpectedly.
•
Additional resources
•
finding the right job
•
interviewing
International candidates may have knowledge of markets, business practices, and cultures outside the U.S. This is especially attractive to companies that do business or have operations in the MBA’s home region.
Resumes and cover letters
•
Networking
benefits of hiring workers from other countries. Keep the following points in mind during your application and interview process, and remember, accentuate the positive! • International candidates may speak a language or languages the employer values. A recruiter at a top investment banking firm says Spanishspeaking employees are in growing demand because the firm’s U.S. offices deal with so many Latin American businesses. Of course, whether an employer needs your language skills will depend on where and with whom it does business.
International MBAs’ ability to study and work in the U.S. demonstrates tremendous adaptability, and an ability to follow through. WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Networking
4
What Is Networking?..................... 28 Why You Must Network................ 28 Networking for Internationals........ 30
Intro At Business school
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
What Is Networking?
Additional resources
finding the right job
Interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
Networking
Challenges
INSIDER SCOOP “Some international students have difficulty grasping how to socialize and communicate in the U.S. Networking—informational interviews, mingling, making small talk during happy hour—are new concepts.”
At its most basic, networking is the act of sharing
your insight and experience, and inviting others to do the same. If you’ve ever referred a coworker to your dentist or asked a friend where she got that great haircut, you’ve already done some personal networking. Professional networking involves using contacts to help you achieve your professional goals, including landing the job you really want. U.S.-style networking can be a relatively new concept for some non-U.S. citizens. In many parts of the world, more formality is required in businessrelated interpersonal relationships than in the speakyour-mind U.S. While networking in the U.S., many internationals are surprised to learn they can contact people they wouldn’t think of contacting back home. You may hail from someplace where it’s uncommon for younger people to chase down meetings with their seniors. If so, let go of those ideas while you’re in the U.S. Networking U.S.-style means being unafraid to contact people who might be of help, regardless of their title. It means being direct (but always polite) with contacts about what you want from your meetings with them. It means asking others for help, while letting them understand that you will help them in return when possible. If you’re uncomfortable with U.S.-style networking, you must do whatever you can to overcome that discomfort. Hang around with fellow students in social situations. Join student groups. Participate in talks and company presentations on campus. Take part in industry events and conferences, and spend time 28
W E T F E E T I N SIDER GUIDE
getting to know new people, especially those in your targeted field. Use your school’s network of alumni and your own network of family and friends to set up informational interviews with people who can help you better understand your target career, companies, and jobs, and can introduce you to new contacts who might be able to help. See the “How to Network” sidebar later in this chapter for concrete advice on how to start networking.
Why You Must Network Better Job Opportunities The most compelling reason to network is that it’s the single best way to find the career you want. Why? The answer is simple: Most of the best jobs are never advertised—anywhere. From an organization’s point of view, it’s easy to judge from your resume whether you have the requisite education and experience under your belt. But it’s not so easy to discern the other qualities that matter on the job. These may include how motivated you are to do the work, how you handle crisis situations, how well you get along with other employees, how you respond to various types of managers, and how you deal with opportunities and disappointments. So, when it’s time to fill a position, most organizations look first at people they know or who are recommended by people they know. That’s why you need to learn to network, so you’ll have contacts who can recommend you when opportunities arise. Networking also gets you access to people who might not be responsive to a letter, and provides you with the added advantage of a recommendation from someone the hiring manager knows. A job seeker’s chances of being able to meet with a particular individual improve significantly when a good approach letter is coupled with a referral from a respected colleague.
Intro
•
Your Competition Is Networking
WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
29
Additional resources
In a survey conducted by The Creative Group in 2003, 48 percent of respondents said they were networking more than they did in 2000, with 21 percent reporting they were doing “significantly more.” A more recent poll by the same outfit found that nearly half of all executives network online. That means you need to network if you aspire to compete for coveted jobs. Are you willing to forfeit your dream job and your visa sponsorship to someone who might be less qualified, less talented, and less committed?
finding the right job
Learn things about their company they might not otherwise know about. Professionals with a thriving network of coworkers are more likely to learn of internal job opportunities, layoff plans, and changes in company strategy before others do. They’re also more likely to receive support from coworkers when they’re up for an important new project, a raise, or a promotion, as well as when office politics turn ugly.
Professionals with a thriving network of coworkers are more likely to receive support when up for an important project, raise or promotion.
interviewing
•
Hear about career opportunities they might not otherwise know existed. If you keep your network thriving, contacts will be more likely to think of you for job opportunities that are a good fit with your skills and interests—and contacts you’ve made by networking within your company will be more likely to let you know about internal job opportunities, as well as more likely to recommend you for those opportunities.
Resumes and cover letters
Smart professionals keep their network alive and growing even after they’ve found a job. Doing so helps them advance in their career by making them more likely to: • Access business intelligence they might not otherwise hear about, such as information about new sales opportunities, inside news about competitors, and so on.
Networking
Career Advancement
We all want a chance to stretch and see what we’re capable of, but it can be scary to take on challenging new assignments. Everyone experiences moments of doubt about their ability to realize ambitions and live up to expectations—but people who have a personal network have mentors and friends they can turn to for reassurance and constructive advice. The greater your goals, the greater the support network you’ll need to keep on track to achieve them. Ever notice how Academy Award winners tend to thank scores of people and gush, “I couldn’t have done it without you all”? No matter how talented you may be, your support network can make all the difference between an abandoned attempt and award-winning success.
Challenges
A company’s employees are among the best sources of referrals; some organizations report that as many as half their open positions are filled by candidates referred by staff members. Such candidates are viewed favorably because they already know about the organization and have a personal connection with someone there who can vouch for them.
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Positive Reinforcement
> TIP
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters
Networking for Internationals As an international MBA student, you may have to work hard at networking. Don’t give up your dreams of a fair shot at success in the U.S. business world just because you’re not a U.S. citizen with extensive personal ties to U.S. professionals. There are plenty of alternative networks just for aspiring professionals from more unusual backgrounds. Look into professional, alumni, and trade associations, and subscribe to email groups for people who share your interests, enthusiasms, or hobbies. The odds are that you are not the only person of your cultural and ethnic background at your school and in your field, which means there are probably professional organizations, religious and cultural organizations, and minority business alliances where you can find and exchange promising ideas, practical
advice, and vital support. Many of these organizations offer a range of professional and career services, such as job boards and mentoring programs. And as with any networking effort, the people who gain the most are typically those who give the most. Volunteers and people who actively contribute their insights to online discussion groups tend to connect with more people than those who only occasionally attend functions or lurk online. So don’t go to nonprofit and volunteer-driven organizations just for your own gain—be generous with your time and insights, and be sure to give as much as you get. As you tap these alternative networks, you’ll build your own network one person at a time—and soon enough, you’ll have the reputation and support you need to land the right job.
π Networking Basics Networking isn’t as complicated as it sounds. You meet someone with whom you share common interests, and stay in touch by occasional email or phone conversations. Points of personal connection may not always be immediately obvious, especially in the workplace, so pay attention when other people talk to uncover common bonds. Not every connection will prove meaningful or inspiring, but at the very least. each one serves as another warmup for a more important connection to come. This personal connection is its own reward and can lead
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to a terrific friendship. But it can also have career benefits. Will you get hired on the spot? Rarely. But the benefits of networking are potentially far greater than a single job. One promising contact can lead to multiple job leads down the road, and can even steer your career in directions entirely unforeseen. Here are a couple of networking rules of the road: • Don’t expect networking to pay off immediately. You can’t always anticipate how—or when—a contact will help you (or vice versa). Some people who
seem particularly well positioned may prove to provide no assistance at all, whereas others with less obvious connections at the start may in time prove invaluable. • Networking works both ways. Just as you stand to gain a lot by making career connections, you have a lot to offer. And whether you think of it as karma or a potlatch, bottom line—what goes around comes around.
Intro
Friends—that is, anyone who would be happy to hear from you.
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Colleagues, both current and former—anyone who knows you well in a professional capacity, including current and former coworkers, bosses, and consultants.
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Classmates and professors—especially those in the industry or career area in which you’re looking to work.
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Activity partners—anyone you’ve bonded with over daily routines, common interests, or shared personal beliefs such as religious or political convictions.
Your Extended Network
Alumni of your school—“Alums of your school are a great way to get interviews,” an insider says.
Your Inner Circle
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Fellow association members—including professional, community, or alumni associations.
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Online acquaintances—including regular email correspondents and fellow participants in an email group or community forum..
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People you know by reputation—people your friends, family, or colleagues have brought up in the course of conversation.
Your inner circle includes people who know you well: • Family, both immediate and extended—blood relatives, stepparents and stepsiblings, adoptive and foster family members, and anyone else with whom you’ve ever spent the holidays. (“If you have any relatives who’ve been working in the U.S., you have a head start when it comes to networking,” says one insider.)
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Additional resources
•
finding the right job
Your existing and potential network consists of three broad categories:
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Your extended network consists of people whom you’ve met or had contact with but who aren’t a part of your inner circle: • Acquaintances—anyone who’d recognize you on the street. This includes people you’ve met in social settings and those you may have had contact with professionally. This might include interviewers from companies you didn’t work for.
Resumes and cover letters
People in your inner circle can help you contact other people who can lead you to a great job; they can also vouch for you.
Networking
Identify Your Network
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Challenges
The first step in successful networking is deciding exactly what you hope to gain. Are you at an early stage in the job search process? Do you need help getting a better understanding of exactly what goes on in various industries, or what different career functions entail? Or are you ready to learn the ins and outs of the companies you find appealing? Perhaps you’re certain about the exact positions and companies you’re interested in, and want to be put in touch with people inside the companies who can make sure you get considered for the job you’re after—or you want to understand how you can best present yourself and your qualifications as you apply for the jobs you want? The answer to these and similar questions will help you decide whom you want to contact as you network, and what you want to say when you speak with contacts. If you know you want to work in the tech industry, for instance, but aren’t clear on which roles offer the best match for your skills and experience, your target list of contacts you want to speak with will consist of a wide range of people, in a number of different careers, at a variety of tech companies. If, on the other hand, you know you want to work in finance at Microsoft, your target list will probably be much smaller and more focused, and will consist of people in your network who work at Microsoft, used to work at Microsoft, or might know someone at Microsoft.
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Decide What You’re Looking For
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking
In other words, your extended network includes anyone who would say, “Ah, yes!” when you mention the connection between you. Generally speaking, such a person would be receptive to an invitation to coffee or lunch.
Approach Your Contacts
The Network You Never Knew You Had
Approach Emails
Strange but true: You may not yet have touched base with all your contacts. These heretofore unknown and potential contacts may include: • Friends, relatives, and colleagues of friends, relatives, and colleagues. There’s a host of people who may be willing to meet with you based on mutual connections. Even if you don’t have any friends, relatives, or colleagues in your chosen field, you can cast a wider net by asking those individuals if they have any personal or professional connections to people in your field. Ask them to refer you.
Keep introductory emails short and to the point, but also personable, especially if you have a common friend. Mention your mutual friend’s name up front. Explain that you’re at a career crossroads, and why you think your contact might have insights. A compliment about the person’s reputation couldn’t hurt, as long as you don’t overdo it. Then wrap up the conversation with an invitation to coffee or lunch, and suggest several possible dates.
•
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•
Fans of your work. If you’ve ever given lectures or led a workshop, published an article or a book, or created your own website or email newsletter, odds are you have contacts you’ve overlooked or forgotten. You can count as contacts coworkers who worked in areas distant from yours, anyone who has sent you fan mail or a thank-you note for your work, and anyone who is familiar with your work (and has reacted positively to it, of course). Public figures in your chosen field. Individuals who have achieved prominence in their field know they may be contacted by people who’ve read their articles and books, heard them at lectures or on the radio, or seen them on TV. If you ask specific questions nicely, they may respond.
With people in this part of your network, there’s always a chance they might draw a blank and say, “I’m sorry?” Don’t let this stop you. Press on, and introduce yourself on your own merits.
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In general, you’ll approach contacts via a phone call or email. In either case, you’ll follow the same structure to increase your chances of convincing a contact to speak with you. You want to be brief and to the point.
Keep introductory email short and sweet, mentioning any mutual friend’s name up front. Approach Phone Calls The approach call is a lot like the introductory email— keep it short, to the point, and friendly. Prepare a call sheet first: Include the contact’s name and direct number (see #1 below), your introduction (make sure you have your mutual friend’s name ready; see #2 below), and an explanation of why you’re contacting this person (write out your main points so you won’t forget anything if you’re excited or nervous when you reach the person; see #3 below). Then: 1. Initiate the call. Be prepared to go through several assistants if the person has an important position or works in a big bureaucracy. 2. Introduce yourself, mentioning your mutual friend’s name up front. You’ll probably have less than 20 seconds before your contact gets distracted by more pressing matters.
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finding the right job
Try to meet with contacts in person; it’s far easier to establish a bond with someone in person than over the phone. If you must conduct your discussion over the phone, so be it. Whether you’re on the phone or meeting in person, after a minute or two of chitchat (during which you might discuss life at business school, or your mutual friend), you should get down to business. First, you should restate the reason for the meeting: “I have a few questions about the strategy I’m following in searching for a job in international trade,”
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Meeting with Contacts
Resumes and cover letters
6. Wrap up and conclude the call. If the contact accepts your invitation, express your gratitude, set a date, mention you’re looking forward to meeting, and sign off. If the contact says no, ask whether another time would be better, or if the person might be willing to refer you to someone else. If the answer is no, thank the contact for his or her time, say goodbye, and move on.
Next, you should take a couple of minutes to talk about what you have to offer potential employers. The value of a brief, well-thought-out presentation is that it captures your experience and strengths, illustrates your accomplishments, and indicates your intended direction. It also quickly establishes your credibility with the other person and makes it easier for that person to help you. Some experts suggest spending time creating and honing a two-minute presentation to introduce your skills, experience, abilities, and goals. Here’s how to do so: 1. Create a list of your accomplishments. Begin by listing accomplishments that make you proud (whether or not they’ve been recognized by others). It’s fine to include accomplishments in a variety of contexts—school, family, community, work experience. Next, develop “action stories” following this outline: (a) the circumstances that led to your action; (b) the action you took; and (c) the outcome of your action. If you have employment experience, be sure to include accomplishments related to that. These might be goals you met or exceeded, suggestions you made that led to better service or a better product, or difficult situations you handled well. If you did well or overcame obstacles academically, include
Networking
5. Extend an invitation to coffee or lunch or request an informational interview before the conversation loses steam, but shift gears gently to minimize chances of rejection. “You know, this is really fascinating, and I wonder if we might be able to pick up this conversation over lunch sometime? I’m free next Tuesday and Wednesday, and anytime Wednesday through Friday the following week looks good, too. Is there any day you’re free then, or some other time?”
A well thought-out presentation captures your strengths, illustrates your accomplishments, and indicates your intended direction.
Challenges
4. Pause to give the person a chance to respond. If he or she launches into a lecture about the field, go with it, but don’t prolong the conversation with idle chatter, especially if you sense minimal interest.
or, “I’ve been doing some research on mergers and acquisitions in the health-care field, and would like to hear your thoughts about what I’m finding and what it might mean for my own career planning.”
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3. Explain why you’re calling this individual, and why you think his or her insights would be valuable in your career research. If appropriate, add a complimentary remark about the person’s reputation.
stories about that. Earlier experiences, from high school or childhood, might be relevant if they reveal aspects of your character that you want to emphasize, but they shouldn’t displace stories about your work experience or your academic or extracurricular achievements. In all, your list should include at least six accomplishments; more is better.
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Resumes and cover letters
Networking
Challenges
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Intro
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search these strengths especially well. In the final 30 seconds, discuss your career plans in terms of using your strengths. 5. Practice. As you use and refine your presentation, your delivery and confidence will improve.
2. Determine what personal and professional qualities your accomplishment stories illustrate. Review your accomplishment stories and identify three or four attributes, behavioral patterns, or capabilities that were important to your success. Descriptive phrases will create a clearer picture of the nature and value of your strengths than single words will. For example, say “courage to pursue my idea despite my professor’s doubts,” rather than simply “courage”; or “thinking logically in the face of mass confusion,” rather than simply “thinking logically.” 3. Find themes or patterns. Now look for the qualities that are repeated or that bear a close relationship to each other. These might include the ability to listen well, the ability to work well on a team, leadership ability, the ability to move projects forward, the ability to process large amounts of information, negotiation skills, creativity, multitasking ability, integrity, and so on. When you’re done with this step, you’ll have a set of statements that define your key strengths, proven by your documented accomplishments. 4. Create your two-minute presentation. Rather than writing out your presentation word for word, make an outline of bullet points; this way, each presentation you make will be conversational, yet tailored to a specific situation. In the first 30 seconds of your presentation, discuss your background and mention three or four of your main strengths. In the next 60 seconds, tell the stories of two accomplishments that illustrate 34
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Next, your meeting will move into the main discussion, which will revolve around the principal subjects you’ve come to talk about. Here’s where you should get the input of the person you’re meeting with on questions such as what careers or industries might be a good match for your skills, interests, and experience; specific companies or job openings you should consider; professional organizations that it might be wise for you to get involved in; research you’ve done up to this point, and what further investigation might be valuable; transformations in the role or industry you’re interested in, and changing needs resulting from those transformations; your job search strategy, and possibly the choices you’re confronted with; and so on. In conducting the discussion, keep it conversational, acknowledge the other person’s ideas, and ask follow-up questions. If you disagree with a
Intro finding the right job Additional resources
Don’t stop networking once you land a job. After all, odds are good that you’re going to be in the job market again at some point in the future. And networking can also help you perform better in your new job by leading you to new clients, business information and opportunities. The first thing to do when you get a new job is email everyone you know with your new contact
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Continue to Build Your Network
Resumes and cover letters
might have made. This is also an opportunity to follow up on any points you think might be important to the person you met with, and to correct any potential misunderstandings. Finally, doing so sets the stage for a continuing relationship between you and the person you met with, which may prove productive in unexpected ways in the future.
Networking
Touch base within a day or two of meeting with contacts in your network, to show that you’re gracious and understand business etiquette. It brings you to the person’s attention just as he or she may have begun to forget about you in the press of doing business, and provides the person with a reminder (by way of expressing appreciation) of promises he or she
Challenges
π Following Up
information, and send personal thank-you notes to all those references and contacts who helped you land the job. This shows not only that you’re interested in what your contacts can do for you when you need a job, but that you intend to stay in touch even when you don’t need career help. And whenever you leave a job, for whatever reason, send your new contact information to the coworkers you’re leaving behind, and take their information with you so you can stay in touch. Another immediate concern in any new job should be establishing contacts within your new workplace. You’ll save yourself time and trouble by learning from those already in the know about such things as whom to approach in the IT department about computer trouble, the protocol on overtime or telecommuting, when you’re really expected to arrive in the office in the morning, how to sidestep tricky office politics, and so on. Other ways to expand your network while on the job include joining professional associations (which connect you to hundreds or possibly thousands of others in your field); becoming known in the field by giving speeches or making other public appearances; taking time to meet with other professionals in your field while traveling for work; and agreeing to meet with people who are considering a career in your field and looking to build their own networks (you never know—someday one of these people may be in a position to hire you). And think about writing editorials for your local newspaper, pitching stories to trade magazines in your field, or writing a blog about your industry or field; actions like this can go a long way toward establishing you as an expert in your field and making you a person with whom other people want to network. For more helpful hints, take a look atNetworking Works!, the WetFeet Insider Guide to building your network for success.
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comment or suggestion, don’t argue the point. Instead, try to understand it. You might say, “That surprises me somewhat. Can you give me an example?” By all means, if the opportunity arises to get a referral to someone else who can help you in your job search, seize it. Use a remark such as, “Do you know anyone I might talk to in order to learn more?” Even if your meeting ends without any referrals, though, the information, ideas, and feedback you get are sure to be of value. And if you do get a referral, be sure to ask whether you can use the name of the person you’re meeting with when approaching the contact you’ve been referred to, or whether the person you’re meeting with would prefer to contact the referral on your behalf first.
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Resumes and Cover Letters
5
Formatting Basics........................... 38 Cover Letters.................................. 39 Resumes......................................... 40
From CV to Resume...................... 44 Email Tips..................................... 48
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing
A resume is a brief summary (typically
no more than two pages) of your education, work experience, skill set, and accomplishments. Most commonly, it serves as an application for an open position. Employers use the resume to initially screen candidates and evaluate their fit for a particular position. Later in the hiring process, the resume often serves as a basis for interview questions. While the curriculum vitae (CV) is the standard for this kind of thing in many parts of the world (and for scientists and academics in the U.S.), the resume is the norm in U.S. business. (For help in converting your CV to a U.S.-style resume, turn to the “From CV to Resume” section in this chapter.) A cover letter is sent along with a resume, typically introducing the applicant to the employer and indicating the applicant’s interest in a particular opening. A good cover letter highlights and expands on the most important items of the accompanying resume. It may give the recipient a better idea of why the candidate is right for a job than the resume by itself. It also gives the recipient more insight into the candidate’s personality and style. When putting together your cover letter and resume, remember that flawless communication— meaning no typos or language errors—is even more important for international candidates than for U.S. candidates. In this guide we’ve devoted only one chapter to resumes and cover letters, but many excellent books go into more detail on the subject. You may want to check out WetFeet’s book Killer Cover Letters and Resumes! for a more thorough review. WetFeet also covers industry-specific resumes in Killer Investment Banking Resumes! and Killer Consulting Resumes! All of these books are available at www.wetfeet.com.
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Formatting Basics Stick with a cover letter and resume format that’s clean, error-free, and easy to read. The cover letter should be formatted as a standard business letter. Your resume should clearly highlight the two main sections: education and experience. The format of your resume has one objective: to make your qualifications easy to understand.
Creativity and artistry are appreciated in many fields, but when it comes to resume composition, err on the conservative side. When formatting your resume, you should adhere to the three C’s: clean, clear, and concise. In business fields add a fourth C, conservative. What does this mean in terms of specifics? • A single, standard font: Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, or something similar •
A readable font size: 11- or 12-point preferred, but no smaller than 10
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Neutral paper color: white or off-white
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Standard layout: margins of no more than 1 inch and no less than 0.5 inch, left-justified, with line spaces between sections
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Keep your resume to a single page, or at maximum two pages
Intro
Aesthetics: white space, symmetry, uniformity
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Clear resume organization: a few sections, labeled clearly, chronological listings with dates, and bullet points
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Employer’s contact information
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The introduction (why you’re writing)
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What you offer
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Why you want to work with the employer
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What happens next
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Closing
Content
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Additional resources
Though it will be tempting to reuse the same cover letter for different applications, you must resist; recruiters and hiring managers tell us that formulaic letters often end up in the “no” pile. Applicants who customize their messages are more appealing, and will be given preference over others. Employers don’t want to waste their time on candidates who aren’t genuinely interested in working for them.
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This structure includes all the information you’ll need to tempt employers to review your resume, whether you’re applying for a specific opening or initiating contact with an organization that isn’t advertising opportunities. The basic structure of the cover letter will provide a framework upon which you can build the letter to conform as closely as possible to the requirements and preferences of the targeted employer.
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to respond to a specific job opening and those that serve as letters of introduction. The latter is sometimes called a broadcast letter, and it can help develop opportunities where no immediate job opening already exists. Like a good appetizer, all cover letters have one main purpose: to whet the reader’s appetite and get the person interested enough to move on to your resume and subsequently want to interview you. In many cases, the cover letter is the first thing the employer encounters about you, so make this first impression a good one. If the letter doesn’t have a hook that makes the reader curious to know more, your resume won’t even get a glance. The cover letter should be brief—never more than a page. The point of the cover letter is to establish your potential value to the employer. Keep it short and simple.
Date
Resumes and cover letters
There are two types of cover letters: those written
•
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Cover Letters
While your cover letters should follow a basic structure, avoid creating a generic letter to send with all of your applications. After developing a basic outline, your goal is to entice employers with a clear, concise, well-thought-out summary that suggests you offer exactly what they need. And each employer may need something slightly different. Every cover letter should include the following: • Your contact information
Challenges
Bullet points, which make information easier to scan, are often favored on resumes. Insiders tell us that reviewers are more likely to toss a resume into the “no” pile than spend extra time plowing through long, clunky prose to find what they’re looking for. When you make bullet points, remember to keep them short (one line if possible) and start them with active-voice verbs. Resist the temptation to use excessive text formatting, graphics, or graphs. Cuteness of any kind may be perceived as unprofessional. And such extras eat up space that could be dedicated to providing evidence of accomplishments and qualifications. Certainly there are fields where creativity and artistry are appreciated, but it’s better to err on the conservative side when you’re not sure. And if you’re an MBA, chances are you’re not entering one of those fields.
Structure
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•
Intro At Business school Challenges
Here are some tips on what, specifically, to talk about in your cover letters: • How you learned about the job or the company is important to recruiters and hiring managers, especially if a mutual connection can vouch for your qualifications. In other words, if you found a job listing through your campus career center, say so. If a friend who works at the company told you about the opening, mention your friend by name—and make sure he or she knows you have done so. (Once again: Networking can be key to getting interviews and job offers.) •
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•
Demonstrate that you’re a good fit for the company and the open position. Be sure to back up any assertions of skills or personal characteristics by pointing to specific achievements (either those on your resume or others that didn’t make it onto your resume but help you make your case for yourself ). Ideally, the cover letter refers to information found on your resume without being repetitive. Go beyond the resume in explaining your situation and career direction. For example: “My career goals include gaining leadership experience in the field of financial advisory services and working in a private business setting that supports high-quality customer care. I am willing to relocate for this kind of opportunity.”
•
Avoid discussing weaknesses or making excuses; instead, explain your situation in a way that indicates a sense of purpose and that you’ve learned something of value from your experiences. For example, if you’ve been laid off, what have you done to be productive since losing the job (such as volunteering your time to a worthy cause, reaffirming or reshaping your career goals)?
•
If salary requirements are requested in a job posting—and only if they’re specifically
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requested—discuss them in your cover letter. It’s best not to trap yourself by naming a specific amount. Instead, say something such as, “My salary requirements are in line with the responsibilities of the position and the expertise I would offer your company.” If a dollar figure is necessary, insert a range. •
Be sure to avoid spelling and grammar errors in your cover letters. Problems in your cover letter will give many employers an excuse to toss your application into the trash and move on to the next cover letter and resume in their substantial resume pile.
Resumes Structure and Content The following information should always appear in your resume: • Contact information •
Education
•
Experience
Other sections (which are addressed in more detail below) are optional and should be included in a way that best demonstrates how your qualifications fit with the position you’re targeting. Always begin with your contact information. Any objective or summary-of-skills section should follow next, if you’re including one. Recent grads might list education first, unless they have work experience that directly relates to the position for which they’re applying. If that’s the case, the experience takes precedence and should be emphasized by being placed at the top of the resume. The particulars of the education and experience sections are detailed next, as well as other kinds of information you may want to include in your resume.
Intro
Build on your accomplishments; each skill or responsibility forms the foundation for continued growth and development. Experience
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Additional resources
Think of this as the results section, rather than the experience section, of your resume. Focus less on descriptions of your previous job duties and more on the verifiable/quantifiable outcomes of what you did at the jobs. Include employers, job titles, dates and location of employment, the nature of the work, and the methods used, but all in the context of what you’ve accomplished. On the resume, your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order—in other words, your most recent position listed first.
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A variety of other sections can be included on your resume, based on your skills and accomplishments, and on the story you’re trying to tell about yourself (that is, a story that shows how you’re a good fit for the job you’re pursuing). For instance, you might include honors and awards; certifications, licensure, or credentials; training; activities; community involvement; language skills; technical skills; professional activities or memberships; research; travel; or interests. In all cases, you should limit these sections to information that’s directly relevant to the position being applied for. Many job seekers include an objective statement and/ or a summary of skills (or summary of qualifications), although these sections should be avoided if applying for consulting or investment banking positions, which have more standard sets of qualifications. An objective statement is a line or two about your specific career goals (which should always map directly to the job you’re applying for), including perhaps one or two skills that show how you’re a good fit for the career you want. The summary of skills or summary of qualifications should list three or four specific skills or qualifications that map directly to the job you’re applying for, with evidence from your experiences and achievements that you do indeed possess those skills or qualifications. Sections like these can be a good way to very quickly show the resume reviewer the highlights you want to convey with your resume.
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Other Sections
Information in this section should include collegelevel schools attended, degrees conferred and when, and other data regarding your academic achievements, such as GPA, GRE score, scholarships and awards earned, honor society and other memberships, and class rank. List only those particulars that showcase your strengths; if your class rank isn’t going to impress recruiters, it’s better to save the space for other, more noteworthy details about yourself.
Resumes and cover letters
Education
Networking
A documented progression of roles and tasks is ideal. One insider who reviews resumes as part of her job says, “I’m less inclined to focus on education and more inclined to focus on maturity—what have they done?” Professional advancement is valued in any field or industry. Your accomplishments should build on each other; each skill or responsibility should form the foundation for continued growth and the development of expertise.
Challenges
Your name and contact information are the most important things to supply to an employer, and should be at the top of your resume. Don’t make the mistake of sending resumes with old contact information or omitting telephone numbers and email addresses. Be sure to include the name you use professionally, a home address, the telephone number(s) where you can be reached, and an email address.
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Contact Information
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing
Customize Your Resume for Each Job
INSIDER SCOOP “You wouldn’t write the same letter to your mother and your girlfriend, so you shouldn’t send the same resume to IBM and Lucent Technologies. They want different things.” Tempting though it might be, you shouldn’t start a job search by making hundreds of resume copies at your local print shop. Resumes are not, as they once were, just a bland chronological listing of every job you’ve ever done and every qualification you possess. They should be tailored to the particular position you want, with specific information emphasized in order to grab the resume reviewer’s attention. “Often, we see resumes that list 30 or 40 different skills the person has used in the past,” says an insider. “To have a really effective resume, it’s important for the individual to understand what the company is looking for, then tailor their resume to the skills and experiences they believe will fit the particular position.” The first step in customizing your resume, then, is to gain a thorough understanding of the skills and responsibilities that are central to the specific job for which you’re applying. A job description will list the most important responsibilities of the position; the achievements you describe on your resume should demonstrate that you have the skills to handle those
responsibilities. Such achievements can include extracurricular activities, courses you’ve taken, and work accomplishments. As you compose your customized resume, ask yourself whether each achievement you’re thinking of including is relevant to the job you’re applying for. If it is, include it; if it isn’t, don’t. If the job description is vague, research the company and the position to determine what skills the resume reviewer will be looking for. If you strike out on company research, talk to someone in a comparable position at a similar company. Note that nowadays, a computer—rather than a person—often performs the initial scan of your resume. Many companies and recruiters are using computer-based automated tracking systems to quickly sort hundreds—or thousands—of online and hard-copy resumes. Loading a resume with relevant keywords increases an applicant’s chances of getting hits, often the first step to obtaining an interview.
INSIDER SCOOP “Keywords—‘marketing,’ ‘records management,’ ‘MBA’—are specific to each job. Without powerful, relevant keywords, you’re digitally dead. But don’t claim skills you lack; liars don’t get hired.” Follow this list to strengthen your resume and avoid some common mistakes:
Resume Dos and Don’ts
Do Use numbers where appropriate to clearly describe your accomplishments, as in “led a team of nine sales reps.”
Do
Additional resources
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
Distinguish the important from the trivial in your background to fit your most relevant and significant accomplishments onto a single page.
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Don’t Use vague qualitative terms such as “large” or “many,” which leave the reader with questions.
Don’t Waste resume space on frivolous information, such as “Have seen the original Star Wars movie 42 times.”
Intro
Resume Dos and Don’ts
Stick to a basic, clear format that allows the reader to glean information about you quickly and with minimal effort.
Do
Do Discuss your two or three most relevant strengths and illustrate them with experience and achievement statements.
Begin each accomplishment statement with an active verb: “Handled all client correspondence.”
Present yourself as a professional, with a straightforward email account and Web information that showcases relevant skills and achievements.
Use your current home address, a personal email address, and your telephone number with a professional answering-machine message. Be sure that prospective employers can reach you easily; check your email and voice messages regularly.
Customize your cover letter and resume to address each specific job you’re applying for.
Don’t Include email or website addresses that have the potential to reveal controversial or inappropriate information. Avoid addresses such as totalhottie@ hotmail.com or
[email protected].
Don’t Include personal information such as age, race, or marital status on your resume. It’s illegal for U.S. employers to consider such information during the hiring process.
Don’t Use your current work email or phone number as contact information. This indicates that you’re searching for a job on your employer’s time, something no prospective employer will view positively.
Don’t Use generic cover letters or a single resume for a variety of job types.
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Additional resources
Do
Get caught in the passive-voice trap, writing as if things happened to you—for example, “Charged with responsibility for daily reports” (passive), as opposed to “Compiled and distributed daily reports” (active).
finding the right job
Do
Don’t
interviewing
Do Be aware that employers are interested in your eligibility to work legally and may ask for documentation or about your visa status; be prepared to discuss these things in your interviews. This isn’t to say that work status information should be included on your resume; just be ready to talk about it when it arises.
Don’t Try to portray yourself as a jack-of-all-trades hoping that something will strike the reader’s fancy.
Resumes and cover letters
Do
Don’t Include reasons you left your jobs, salary information, or references.
Networking
Do
Try to differentiate yourself with unconventional formatting, graphics, or colored paper.
Challenges
Make your resume a document that focuses on your accomplishments and skills.
Don’t
At Business school
Do
From CV to Resume
At Business school
Intro
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
Resumes and cover letters
Networking
Challenges
The basic difference between a resume and a CV (curriculum vitae) is that the CV is more a summary of who you are, while the resume is more a summary of what you’ve done. The resume relates to a specific job. The CV is exhaustive and detailed, whereas the resume is a general overview. CVs are typically lengthier than resumes and have more sections. They often contain personal information that doesn’t belong on a resume, such as age or marital status. CVs tend to be more inclusive than resumes; they may list all your achievements, while resumes focus more on how you fit a particular job. And while it’s common for a CV to come with the candidate’s photo attached, a resume should not. CV vs Resume
Additional resources
finding the right job
Interviewing
Note the differences between the sample CV on the next page and the resume it’s converted to. Among the changes: The resume omits personal information that’s part of the CV, is a scant one page, and targets a specific job. [4]
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Intro
Curriculum Vitae
At Business school
09/2004–06/2006, New York Business School Master of Business Administration
09/1995–06/1999, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie Baccalaureate in International Business and American Literature
Networking
EDUCATION:
Challenges
Name: Marco Polo Address: 222, rue Croix des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris, France Telephone: 08 00 90 13 87 E-mail:
[email protected] Date of Birth: 12 July 1978 Marital status: Married; one child Citizenship: French
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Fluent French, English, German, and Swahili INTERESTS:
Windsurfing, chess, and 20th-century American literature Resumes and cover letters
CAREER SUMMARY • • •
1 year: management consultant 2 years: securities sales in investment bank 2 years: circus clown
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ACHIEVEMENTS • •
Advised international energy company with $454 billion in annual sales on financial restructuring Managed implementation of new electronic securities order-placement system for London investment bank
finding the right job
CAREER OVERVIEW 07/2003–08/2004 Vive la France Consulting, Paris Analyst
Additional resources
Responsibilities and Achievements: • Managed firm’s relationship with International Energy plc • Oversaw five junior consultants • Advised International Energy plc on financial restructuring WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Curriculum Vitae(continued) 06/2001–05/2003 Lehman Brothers, Paris Sales Associate Responsibilities and Achievements: • Reconciled trades of common stock • Calculated sales desk’s daily cash account and profit & loss • Managed implementation of new electronic order-placement system 07/1999–06/2001 Ringling Brothers Circus, Orlando, Florida Clown Responsibilities and Achievements: • Clowning around • Tearing up newspaper for the I’m-throwing-a-bucket-of-water-on-the-audience gag
Additional resources
finding the right job
Interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
ACADEMIC HONORS AND AWARDS • •
Hemingway Award for Excellence in American Literature, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, 1998 Robert Moses Finance Fellowship, New York Business School, 2005
PUBLICATIONS “Valuing Private Venture-Funded E-Commerce Companies,” The Journal of Business Mumbo-Jumbo, Volume 23, Number 6, May 2006 (coauthor with Professor Thomas Crowne) EXTRACURRICULAR AFFILIATIONS • • •
President of Marketing Club, New York Business School, 2005–06 Member of Chess Club, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, 1996–99 Member of Windsurfing Club, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, 1995–99 (Treasurer, 1998–99)
REFERENCES James Tiberius Kirk CEO Starship Enterprises 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10022 212-872-8000 46
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Martha Stewart Founder Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. 11 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036
Snoop Dogg President DoggPound Productions 420 Western Avenue Compton, CA 90001
Intro
Resume
At Business school
MARCO POLO 101 Fell Street, New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212-555-2137 E-mail:
[email protected]
Challenges
OBJECTIVE To use my financial analysis and clown skills in an entertainment investment banking associate position. EDUCATION New York Business School, New York, NY § Received MBA in finance in June 2006 § Coursework included entertainment finance and securities underwriting § Coauthored “Valuing Private Venture-Funded E-Commerce Companies,” published in The Journal of Business Mumbo-Jumbo, Volume 23, Number 6, May 2006 § Received Robert Moses Finance Fellowship Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen, France § Received baccalaureate in international finance and American literature in June 1999
Networking Resumes and cover letters
EXPERIENCE
interviewing
2003–2004 Vive la France Consulting, Paris, France Analyst § Managed firm’s relationship with International Energy plc, a company with $454 billion in annual sales § Oversaw five junior consultants § Advised International Energy plc on financial restructuring, resulting in annual cost savings for client in excess of $50 million
finding the right job
2001–2003 Lehman Brothers, Paris, France Sales Associate § Reconciled trades of common stock § Calculated sales desk’s daily cash account and profit & loss § Managed implementation of new electronic order-placement system resulting in 20% increase in order-placement speed 1999–2001 Ringling Brothers Circus, Orlando, Florida Clown § Made 200,000 children laugh § Made 100,000 children cry
Additional resources
OTHER Fluent in French, English, German, and Swahili. Interests include windsurfing, chess, and 20th-century American literature.
WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
Email Tips You’ll probably use email to set up your
interviews, as well as to thank your interviewers. Here are some tips for effective, polite email communications: • Treat your emails like other written correspondence, and ensure you’ve used correct grammar and spelling.
•
When emailing a resume, the email serves as your cover letter. Use the same care in writing your email as you would your cover letter, but keep it shorter than a standard cover letter.
•
Attach your resume to the email as a Word document, but also paste a text version into the body of the email. Many companies will not open attachments from unknown senders.
•
DON’T USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. This is the email equivalent of SHOUTING, and is RUDE.
•
Use the subject line to let the recipient know what the email is about. For instance, if you’re writing a thank-you email after an interview, you might use “Thanks for meeting with me today” as a subject line.
•
Use a salutation at the top of the body of your email, and include your electronic signature at the bottom. That way, those to whom the initial recipient forwards the email will have an easier time understanding who is speaking to whom and why they are being involved in the conversation.
•
Spell recipients’ names correctly, and get recipients’ titles right. If the person you’re emailing is named Kerry, don’t address her as Kerri; that suggests the recipient isn’t important enough for you to address her correctly.
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•
Keep your email short and concise; email is not appropriate for lengthy explanations. Use paragraphs if your email is more than a couple of lines long; readers have a much easier time deciphering longer emails that impart information in discrete, readable chunks than in seemingly endless blocks of text.
Intro
At Business school Challenges Networking
Resumes and cover letters interviewing
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Additional resources
WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE 49
Interviewing
6
U.S. Job Interviews........................ 52 Interview Preparation..................... 53 Discussing Your Visa Status............ 59 In the Interview............................. 60
Intro At Business school
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
U.S. Job Interviews native culture may mean that interviews in the U.S. are different from what you’re used to. Depending on where you’re from, the main difference may be that in the U.S., the interview is looked on as a give-and-take—an exchange of information—more than a situation in which the interviewer does most of the talking. You should be prepared to talk about yourself—your interests, experiences, and skills. You should also be prepared to ask questions that show the interviewer you’ve done your homework and you understand the issues facing the company and industry. Whether you’re male or female, and whether you’re younger or older than the interviewer, you’ll be expected to be almost an equal partner in the conversation. Another potentially big difference: In the U.S., interviewers are forbidden by law from discussing marital status, age, sexual orientation, health issues, religious affiliation, race, and various other personal or possibly sensitive subjects. Your interviewer may try to manipulate the conversation to make it easier to talk about such topics, but you’re not required to reveal anything in these areas that you believe could hurt your chances of getting the job. If the interviewer asks you point-blank about any of these issues and you don’t get the job, you may have been discriminated against, and should consider talking to a lawyer to see if you have any legal recourse.
Additional resources
finding the right job
Interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
Networking
Challenges
Differences between U.S. culture and your
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In some other cultures it’s considered boastful to speak directly about your skills, accomplishments, and goals, but in the U.S. you’re expected to sell yourself by doing exactly that. Another potential difference: In some cultures, it’s considered rude to make eye contact with anyone of higher status than yourself. In the U.S., on the other hand, it’s essential to make eye contact to show that you’re a person who is confident and trustworthy. In fact, in the U.S. lack of eye contact is considered disrespectful. In addition, the questions you’re asked in U.S. interviews may be much more direct than you’re accustomed to. And while in some other cultures it’s considered boastful to speak directly about your skills, accomplishments, and goals, in the U.S. that’s exactly what you’ll be expected to do in your interviews: sell yourself based on your skills, accomplishments, and goals. Finally, it’s crucial that you’re not late for interviews. “Punctuality is important in the U.S.,” an insider says. Leave yourself extra time to get to your interviews, in case you experience any unexpected delays en route. To ensure that unexpected delays don’t make you late, plan on arriving 10 or 15 minutes early for interviews and other appointments.
Intro
The first thing you should do in preparation
Resume-Based Questions
interviewing finding the right job
Resume-based questions focus on the contents of your resume. The interviewer will scan your resume and ask you to “talk about” or “describe” various items on it that are of interest to this person. “Tell me about the thesis you wrote,” the interviewer might say. Or, “How would you describe your role in the Marketing Club?” The key in responding to resume-based questions is to show how the experiences on your resume correlate to the job you’re interviewing for—in other words, how the items on your resume have given you the skills and experience that make you an excellent fit for the job. For obvious reasons, you should be prepared to discuss anything that appears on your resume. Make your answers brief and to the point. Under no circumstances should you say anything negative about past employers, supervisors, or professors.
Resumes and cover letters
There are numerous approaches to interviewing; ideally, you’ll be prepared for all of them. Often, an interviewer will use various types of interview questions during a single interview. Below are the most commonly encountered types of questions:
Networking
Before every interview, study the company website and annual report as well as related news stories.
Types of Interview Questions
Challenges
for your interviews is make sure you’re completely comfortable with your two-minute presentation about yourself, your skills and abilities, and your career goals (see the “Networking” chapter earlier in this book). Next, conduct research on the company you’re interviewing with, so you can have an intelligent discussion with your interviewer about how you might contribute to the company’s success, and so you can ask questions about the company, its industry, and the job you’re interviewing for—the kinds of questions that indicate you really know what you’re talking about. Before every interview, you should study the company’s website, its annual report, and news stories about the company, to learn at least the basics about it. Search the Internet, major business publications, and applicable trade publications for articles discussing the company. Identify its products and services, and learn about its financial condition: Is it prosperous, neutral, or in trouble? And think about how your experience, education, accomplishments, and personality match up with the specific requirements of the job you’re interviewing for.
interview you by talking to people in your network, the person’s assistant, or other people inside the company with whom you’ve already spoken. Learn about the company’s history and competitive strategy, as well as what its competitors are up to, and be prepared to discuss these subjects. Learn about the company’s culture, if you can, from business publications, your network, or WetFeet Insider Guides to specific companies. And, while thinking about the needs of the company’s customers, its position vs its competitors, and industry trends, it wouldn’t hurt to come up with some original ideas that might be beneficial to the organization.
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Interview Preparation
Additional resources
If you’re interviewing for a job or with a company you’re particularly interested in, there are additional steps you can take to prepare. For example, you can try to learn more about the person who’s going to WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Doubt-Resolving Questions Doubt-resolving questions aim to resolve possible concerns about your judgment, veracity, behavior, or achievements. Questions in this category might include: • Do you find it difficult to work with some people? •
Why did you leave your last job?
•
What’s your biggest weakness?
•
Has your work ever been criticized, or have you been told to improve your performance?
•
If you were asked to meet an unreasonable deadline, what would you do?
With questions like these, the key is to stay positive and emphasize your strengths and ability to handle potentially negative situations. For instance, in the case of the first question above, you might talk about how you’ve always worked well on teams (giving a couple of examples), but how, like anyone else, there are certain traits in others that you have a hard time accepting, such as dishonesty or unreliability. Stick with generic character traits that most people would have a problem with; don’t talk about your pet peeves (“My coworker said ‘um’ incessantly, and that just drove me nuts…”). In the case of the second question, you might discuss how the company downsized, and you were laid off—but it was no reflection on your abilities, as evidenced by the great reference you have from your boss. Or you might talk about how a better opportunity that more fully matched your skills and interests arose elsewhere. You’ll have to be careful in this case, though; you don’t want to make it seem as though you aren’t loyal, or that you’re always looking around for better opportunities. A key point with this kind of question: Never bad-mouth a former employer or coworkers. Convey that any move you’ve made was well thought-out and positive for everyone involved. In the case of questions about your shortcomings or poor performance, you’ll want to avoid talking about character weaknesses (“I get too angry”; “I 54
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always procrastinate”) or examples of bad behavior on your part. Stick with weaknesses that can actually be interpreted as positives (“I’m a perfectionist, and sometimes I let my perfectionism keep me working on a project too long…”), or weaknesses that you’ve worked on improving (“…so, when I have a lot on my plate, I’ve taken to using the 80/20 rule and moving to the next project once I’ve gotten 80 percent of the way to perfection on a given project”). When answering a question such as the one above about the unreasonable deadline, you’ll want to show your ability to deal with adversity smoothly and intelligently, and your willingness to work hard and seek solutions to problems. In this case, a good answer might be, “I’d prioritize, get my manager’s buy-in on my priority list, and then work really hard to achieve everything on the list, with the understanding that I’d complete the at least the top priorities if it weren’t feasible to complete everything on the list.”
Never bad-mouth a former employer or coworkers. Convey that any move you’ve made was well thought-out and positive for everyone involved. Behavior-Based Questions Currently, behavioral interviewing is among the most common interviewing styles. It’s based on the concept that the best way to predict a person’s behavior in a given situation is to look at his behavior in similar situations in the past. The technique involves asking a series of questions designed to get candidates to discuss how they handled certain past situations. For example, if a company has a high-stress environment, the interviewer might ask candidates to talk about whether they have ever been in a stressful situation in the past, and how they handled the situation.
Intro
•
Tell me about a time when you recognized a developing problem and took action to remedy the situation.
•
Tell me about a time when you had to sort through data, identify a few key conclusions, and use that analysis to influence a decision.
•
Describe a circumstance where you learned from a mistake to solve a later problem.
Innovation • Tell me about a time when you devised a new and better way of doing something. Describe a time when you were able to come up with new ideas that were key to the success of some activity or project.
•
Tell me about a time when you stepped into a situation, took charge, gained support, and brought about excellent results.
Tell me about a time when you were able to think outside the box to come up with a solution.
•
•
Describe a situation where you accomplished something significant by setting the direction for a group of people.
Tell me about the best new idea you’ve contributed to a solution. What was the result of its implementation?
•
Give me an example of something you started that wasn’t there before you initiated it.
•
Give me an example of how you made a difference in school, at work, or in a community/ extracurricular activity. Give me another example.
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•
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Risk-Taking • Tell me about a time when you pushed back against doing something, even though the majority, including some at a higher level, favored the idea. WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
interviewing
Give me an example of a contribution you made that would not have happened had you not been there.
•
Resumes and cover letters
•
Tell me about a problem situation when you had to analyze facts quickly, define the key issues, and develop a plan that produced good results.
Networking
Tell me about a time when you envisioned a better outcome and energized others to achieve the desired results.
•
Challenges
•
Problem Solving • Tell me about a difficult problem you faced and how you solved it.
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The way to approach behavior-based questions is to look at your experiences and accomplishments while thinking about the different characteristics you displayed in each case and the characteristics needed in the job you’re interviewing for. The kinds of things you’re looking for might include the ability to work hard, the ability to work in teams, leadership skills, problem-solving skills, perseverance, multitasking ability, priority-setting ability, the ability to learn new skills or information quickly and thoroughly, s ales ability, communication skills, project-management skills, the ability to meet deadlines, customer-service skills, negotiation skills, and creativity. Study the description of the job you’re interviewing for to get an idea of the kinds of characteristics a behavioral interviewer might ask you to discuss. Below are examples of common behavior-based interview questions: Leadership • Tell me about a time when something significant was accomplished that you initiated.
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing
•
Tell me about a time when you pursued something based on your intuition and achieved good results, despite the fact that others opposed the idea.
•
Tell me about a challenging goal you were able to achieve (or not able to achieve) and why.
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Describe a circumstance in which you took a wellinformed risk.
•
Tell me about a time when you made an unpopular decision or took an unpopular action to achieve an important result.
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You’ve been successful in your current job. Why do you want to risk leaving?
Collaboration • Tell me about a time when you were able to secure someone’s agreement to an idea or proposal, despite their initial resistance. •
Describe a situation where you were able to sway a group decision to your point of view.
•
Tell me about a time when you worked with others to resolve conflict.
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Tell me about a situation where you formed productive relationships with a diverse group of people and moved the team to a common goal.
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Give an example of how you developed and maintained a productive working relationship with someone who had a different point of view.
•
Give an example of a time when you presented an idea or proposal and gained the agreement of others.
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Additional resources
finding the right job
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Capacity • Tell me about a time when you were especially challenged by multiple, competing priorities. • How did you focus your efforts? Describe your results. •
Talk about a situation that required you to make the best use of your time and energies. Tell me why you made the choices you made.
•
Describe how you used your own and others’ capabilities to achieve a challenging goal.
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Give me an example of setting a goal and exceeding it, despite short-term obstacles.
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Tell me about a time when you had to select the most important things in some activity and made sure those got done.
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Tell me about a time when you made a special effort to help someone learn to be more effective.
Hypothetical Questions Hypothetical questions are designed to find out how you’d handle various work situations by proposing likely scenarios and asking how you would respond to them. For example: “Suppose I asked you to put together a customer focus group relating to a new product we might be introducing next quarter. How would you go about it?” Or: “Suppose I asked you to design a workflow process for our regional sales managers. How would you handle the situation?” The first thing to do in this case is to clarify what the interviewer is looking for. Ask questions, and state your assumptions, to allow the interviewer to affirm you’re going in the right direction in your thinking. By asking questions and having a dialogue about the assignment, you’re showing the interviewer that you don’t simply jump into an assignment rashly. You’ll also give yourself a little more time to think. Your next task is to describe, step-by-step, what
Intro finding the right job Additional resources
Stress Interviewing Most commonly used in investment banking, stress interviewing is the deliberate creation of WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
interviewing
If you’re interested in the job, accept the “audition”—it’ll give you a clearer picture of the job requirements and a chance to demonstrate your potential performance and value.
Resumes and cover letters
The case interview is particularly common among management consulting firms and other organizations that place a premium on understanding your thought processes. In case interviews, you’re given a set of facts that you might encounter in a real work situation, then asked to conduct an analysis or make a decision based on those facts. The interviewer will be looking to see how you analyze the data while coming to your conclusion. Your job is to make further inquiries to clarify the facts, develop and present a framework for thinking about the issues, and then use the framework to come to your conclusions. The interviewer will likely be more interested in how you explain your assumptions, your reasons for selecting the framework you use, and how you use that framework, rather than whether you arrive at a particular “correct” answer. Naturally, if you have access to the particular framework favored by a given organization for thinking through problems or dealing with clients, you’ll have a major advantage over other interviewees. For example, you might find that
Some employers may devise a simulation or put you in a real-life role to test how you’d handle the kind of work you’d be asked to do in the job you’re pursuing. For example, an employer might ask a candidate for a marketing position to make a marketing presentation, or a candidate for a sales position to make a call to an imaginary prospect. Such opportunities should be welcomed, because they give both you and the employer a clearer picture of the job requirements and your likely performance.
Networking
Case Questions
Auditioning
Challenges
By engaging in a dialogue with the interviewer about a hypothetical situation, you demonstrate that you don’t jump into assignments rashly; you also buy time to think.
consulting firm X always assumes that a prospective client’s set of facts is incomplete or distorted in some important way, and that the first task is to challenge the would-be client’s assumptions about its situation. Discussing the organization with contacts in your network beforehand will help you learn whether the firm you’re interviewing with favors certain frameworks for looking at problems. (Once again, your network can come to the rescue in your job search!) Note that case interviewing can become quite complex and often requires quite a bit of specialized preparation; if you’re going to be interviewing with management consulting firms or other organizations that use case questions, you’d be wise to invest in WetFeet’s Ace Your Case® series of Insider Guides.
At Business school
approach you might take. The key here is to be logical. The interviewer is using these questions to test both your logic and your understanding of business. Even if you don’t fully understand all the business factors that might go into the kind of decisions you’re being asked about, you can give a satisfactory answer to these types of questions by using ironclad logic.
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search an uncomfortable situation to test how you react to pressure. Here are examples of stress interview situations you might encounter: • The interviewer remains silent for the first five or ten minutes of the interview. •
The interviewer starts out with a tough question right off the bat, rather than an introduction.
•
The interviewer reads the newspaper during the interview.
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The interviewer ridicules your background.
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The interviewer takes you into a department meeting without introducing you to anyone present.
•
The interviewer challenges your answer by disagreeing with you.
The key in this type of situation is to stay calm, maintain your dignity, and find a way to turn the situation around to your advantage. For example, if the interviewer is silent, you should just dive in and say, “I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you why I think I’m the right person for the job.” Then move into your two-minute presentation of yourself, your skills, your experience, your interests, and your goals. If the interviewer thrusts you into a department meeting without an introduction, simply introduce yourself and ask the other people for their names, then explain that you’re pleased to meet them and learn more about the department. This interviewer is looking to see if you can be graceful under pressure, so whatever the interviewer throws at you, keep your cool. The ethics of this kind of interviewing are questionable, and it’s far from certain that the stress created is similar to what you’d experience on the job. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter this interviewing tactic.
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Psychological Interviewing The purpose of a psychological interview is to determine whether you’re one of the majority of people who are honest and try to do their work well—or if you’re someone who might be a drain on office morale, steal from your employer, or file fraudulent legal claims against the employer. A secondary goal might be to identify the kind of assignment or management style to which you’d respond best. Most of the questions are likely to focus on your aspirations. Others may deal with topics such as what provides you with the greatest satisfaction, what you’d like to avoid, and past experiences you enjoyed or didn’t enjoy.
π Under the Microscope Most important to remember if you’re interviewed by a psychologist is to be yourself (you don’t want to give the impression you have something to hide). Second, don’t dramatize your family background or give the psychologist any reason to understand or discuss details of your
personal relationships. In response to workrelated questions, use the types of answers recommended for other forms of interviews. Be proud and confident, and avoid inconsistencies and deception. And remember, relax—you’ll do fine.
Intro
INSIDER SCOOP “The biggest hurdle to getting a job here is that you’re competing with your American classmates and other American MBA graduates for the same jobs. You need to bring something to that employer the American candidates cannot—something that’s worth the hassle of dealing with your visa issues.”
Most career experts agree that you can and
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should delay talking about your visa status until after you’ve had an opportunity to sell yourself—your unique mix of skills, experience, and personality—to an employer. In other words, you shouldn’t make any effort to bring up the subject in initial screening interviews, but once you’re actually interviewing for the job, you should find a way to mention your status to demonstrate your directness and your recognition that your status might be considered an obstacle to hiring you. Of course, an employer may inquire about your work status earlier in the process. In that case, you should have your argument ready for why sponsoring you would be worth the employer’s effort (your multilingual capabilities, your understanding of foreign markets, your flexibility and resourcefulness as a foreigner studying and looking for work in the U.S., and so forth). Some employers won’t be fazed in the least by the need to sponsor your visa. Others will suddenly consider you a less attractive candidate than they did before they knew you needed a work visa. The key in this case is to really know the ins and outs of the visa system and the options available to you and your employer (as well as the costs associated with the options).
Networking
Dress in Monday-throughThursday business attire, even if your interview happens to fall on a Friday.
Discussing Your Visa Status
Challenges
Neatness and cleanliness are the key considerations. If you need a haircut, get one. If your shoes are scuffed, shine them. Your clothes should be neat, clean, and wrinkle-free. Try to dress as you expect the interviewer to dress; when in doubt, err on the more formal side. Any jewelry you wear should be conservative—avoid anything that looks flashy or gaudy. Men shouldn’t wear jewelry, except for a watch (and a wedding ring, if applicable). How can you tell what people in the company will be wearing? Talk to people who work there now or did recently. Or observe people as they come and go from the office. Bear in mind that Friday is business-casual day at many companies, and so is not a good day to observe typical dress. You won’t go wrong if you dress according to the Monday-through-Thursday norm, even if you happen to be interviewed on a Friday. Your objective in dressing for an interview is to give people a favorable impression but to avoid having them focus on what you wear.
At Business school
Personal Appearance
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Insiders say small to midsize companies are more likely to resist dealing with visa issues simply because they lack experience in doing so, and because they may not have in-house legal counsel. “There’s often a misunderstanding of the H-1B visa by employers,” says an insider at a top U.S. business school. “They don’t understand what it means. They think it’s complex and costly. They need legal guidance and may not want to deal with that.” If you can discuss the visa application process with accuracy and confidence, you’ll be much more likely to convince wary potential employers that the need to sponsor your visa is not a major obstacle to making you a job offer. Some schools have staff that will help your employer with the process, but it’s still up to you to get the employer so excited about what you have to offer that it’s willing to take extra steps to handle your visa situation.
INSIDER SCOOP “The worst thing you can do is say, ‘I only want to work in the U.S.’ You might pass up opportunities that could be better for you in the long run.”
In the Interview You’ve done all your homework: You know all about the company and its industry, and you’re prepared for any kind of question the interviewer can toss at you. Is there anything else you should keep in mind when you go into the interview? Sure there is. Be Honest If you lie, odds are you’ll be found out either sooner (meaning you won’t get the job) or later (meaning you’ll be fired after you’ve started working).
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Use Your Two-Minute Presentation At some point in the interview, you’ll probably have an opening to tell your story and give your complete sales pitch. Early in the interview, for example, you may be asked, “So, tell me about yourself.” Or, at the end of the interview, you may be asked, “Is there anything else about you I should know?” These are perfect opportunities for the two-minute pitch.
Be Enthusiastic Employers hate interviewing people who seem like they’d rather be somewhere else. Show that you’re excited about the prospect of working with or for the interviewer. Be energetic and positive about the position.
Show You’ve Done Your Homework Slip information you’ve learned about the company into the discussion where appropriate. For instance: “I understand that your company has been gearing up to enter the European market. Having worked for a European company in this market, I have a real understanding of the issues and challenges you must be facing. Such as…”
Ask Questions When the interviewer asks whether you have any questions, it’s another opportunity for you to show off your knowledge of the company, its products, and its competition. It’s also a chance for you to learn what you need to know to make an informed decision about the job.
Hold Off on Discussing Compensation Reserve discussion of salary and benefits until the employer starts mentioning numbers or makes an offer. If you’re asked to discuss compensation, politely explain that you’re not ready to discuss it.
Intro At Business school
Answer the Questions Asked In other words, make sure you pay attention to and understand the interviewer’s questions before answering them.
Ask About Next Steps Challenges
At the conclusion of the interview, be sure to ask about the next steps, such as when you can expect to hear from the hiring manager, when the employer expects to make a decision, and so on. And don’t forget to thank the interviewers for their time!
Networking
After the Interview It’s good form to follow up your interviews with a thank-you note or email. In addition to showing your graciousness, this gives you an opportunity to clarify things you said during the interview and keep yourself fresh in the interviewer’s mind.
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7
Researching Potential Employers... 64 What to Watch Out For................. 64 Companies Likely to Sponsor a Visa............................ 67 Who’s Hiring................................. 68 Negotiating Your Job Offer.............81 The U.S. Workplace....................... 83
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing
Researching Potential Employers Certainly finding and keeping the right job
is important for anyone, but much more so for those living in the U.S. on a work visa than for U.S. citizens and others with permanent-resident status. So international MBAs need to be extra-vigilant in researching employers and choosing the one that’s the best fit. After all, losing your job can mean having to leave the country—and changing jobs is a considerably greater ordeal for temporary-visa holders than it is for U.S. citizens and green card holders. Doing the proper research is key to learning what you need to know about potential employers. Your starting point should be the company’s own website; most company websites include information about everything from the history of the organization, to its product and service offerings, to careers at the company, to its recent news. Among some other sources of information about employers are newspapers and magazines (including magazines that compile “best companies” lists, such as Fortune and Working Mother), your campus career center, company information websites such as Hoovers.com, and your network of personal and professional contacts. (You’d be amazed at what you can learn about a company by asking the right people about it, whether they work for the company, know somebody who does, or are aware of it because they compete or deal with it as part of their own business affairs.)
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Doing basic research is key to learning what you need to know about any potential employer. Your starting point should be the company’s website.
What to Watch Out For Business Prospects The primary reason to do all this research is to make sure the job you end up taking isn’t going to go away suddenly, leaving you without an employer to sponsor your work visa—in which case you’ll have to leave the country, or at least go through the hassle (and the uncertainty) of changing your visa status (for instance, to a B-2 visa, which would allow you to remain in the country as a tourist) to give you time to search for a new job. The first thing to look for in a potential employer is financial strength and stability. The last thing you want to do is go to work for a company that’s barely able to keep its doors open. There are a number of things you can do to figure out whether a company is in financial trouble. If it’s a publicly traded company, it must file its financial results with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); you can check the company’s SEC filings online (either at www.edgar-online.com or on the company’s website, where most companies will post press releases summarizing their SEC filings) to learn more about its financial status. If it’s a private company, make sure to ask a lot of questions about its financial outlook before accepting the job. Does the company have significant funding? Significant cash reserves? Is it profitable? Does it have a predictable cash flow that more than covers expenses? Is its revenue growing?
Intro
You’d also be wise to think twice about going to work for a company in a long-struggling industry, such as the U.S. automobile manufacturing and airline industries, unless you can be reasonably sure your position won’t be eliminated should the company downsize while you’re employed there on your temporary work visa.
Networking
Make sure you’re applying to companies that are legally as well as financially healthy. If you’re interviewing with a pharmaceutical company, for example, and the drug that provides 80 percent of its revenue is in danger of being pulled off the market due to legal challenges about its safety, you might want to consider interviewing elsewhere.
Challenges
Culture and Lifestyle
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Once you’re satisfied about the financial health of a potential employer, consider whether you’d be happy working for that company. If you go to work for an employer on a temporary visa, it’ll be a major headache for you to change jobs; this is the time to make sure your job isn’t one that’s going to make you miserable. First, think about the ethnic and cultural diversity of the general geographic region in which your job would be located. If you’re from India, say, you might be much happier living in a part of the U.S. where there are lots of other people of Indian descent—as well as Indian restaurants, stores that sell Indian clothing and food, movie theaters that show Bollywood films, and so on—than you would be in a small rural town where you’re the only Indian for miles around. While you’re considering the geographic location of potential jobs, take some time to learn about issues such as the cost of living in the various regions of the country where you might go to work, how you’ll commute to work (is there a good mass-transit system, or will you need to buy a car?), how long your daily commute will be, and so on.
Resumes and cover letters
With both public and private companies, you’ll also want to find out whether your potential employer has a history of layoffs. Even some big companies that have been around for a hundred years—companies that are household names—may have a history of laying off hundreds or even thousands of employees at a time, especially if they’re in cyclical industries. If your potential employer has effected significant layoffs in the past, for your own peace of mind you’ll want as much assurance as possible that your position isn’t likely to be among those cut if the axe falls again in the future.
At Business school
The first things to look for in a potential employer are financial strength and stability—you don’t want to go to work for a company that can’t keep its doors open.
π Other Potential Pitfalls
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Your Career Path
Try to find out whether employees like working for the company. If you can’t speak to them directly, check the company’s retention rate and related figures. Next, think about the workplace culture of your potential employer. What expectations will be placed on you if you take the job? Will this be a 9-to-5 job, or will you be expected to work 80 hours a week, or nights and weekends? How much will you be required to travel as part of the job? Does the company have a diverse workforce, or will you be the only non-U.S. citizen there? Is the company known for being hierarchical, or is it the kind of place where all employees have a voice in the direction of the business? Also think about the integrity of the organization, and how its values match with your own. If the company has a record of being involved in questionable business practices, or if it makes money in a way that gives you moral qualms (for example, some people may have issues with going to work for a tobacco or an alcoholic-beverage company), you may be happier elsewhere. Try to find out whether employees like working for your potential employer. If you can’t speak to them directly, check data such as the company’s retention rate. Does this company have more employee turnover than others in the same industry? Or is this the kind of organization where employees stick around for their entire career?
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Will you have the opportunity to advance rapidly in your career based on how well you do your job? Does your position include opportunities to gain skills through classroom, online, or on-the-job training? Will your job help you develop the skills you’ll need to move forward in the kind of career you want? What’s the pay like in your field—your career function and industry—not just now, as you start your career, but later on, after you’ve advanced in the field? Does the job have the opportunities for international assignments or travel options you want? These are the kinds of questions you should try to learn the answers to, from company literature, company representatives, your contacts inside the company, and the media. Everyone’s career goals are unique: Some people want a lot of structure, and others want to make it up as they go along; some people want stability, and others can deal with risk as long as the potential payoff is big enough. Every company and job offers a different set of career possibilities. If you try to answer these kinds of questions before you accept a job offer, you’ll understand why some employers make sense for you and others don’t, and you’ll give yourself the best possible shot at creating the kind of career you really want.
Employer Size In general, larger companies offer more training opportunities than smaller ones, as well as compensation and benefits packages that are both bigger at the outset and more predictable over time than those at smaller companies. On the other hand, smaller companies typically offer their employees more responsibility, more potential for advancement, and the opportunity to develop a wider range of skills.
Intro
As the economy becomes more globalized,
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intercultural competency has become a necessity for many U.S.-based companies. They’re demanding access to the highly skilled and educated workers they need to successfully compete, and are pushing for immigration law reforms so they can hire them. Industry insiders say the employment market for MBAs is booming, and companies large and small are ramping up their MBA hiring. According to an article published in a January 2007 issue of London’s Financial Times, the global demand for MBAs is back with a vengeance, with management consultants shaping the scene in the U.S. at a level not seen since the recruiting heyday of 1999–2000 (see “New Dawn for the MBA” at FT.com). MBA career advisers say consumer goods is the one industry that remains closed to international MBAs. “They’re just not interested in hiring an international to work on products meant for the American consumer,” an insider says. “It doesn’t make sense to them.” “They want people they feel already have an understanding of the consumer mindset in this country,” says another insider about consumer goods. “They think it takes too long to get someone who isn’t from here up to speed.” Overall, larger companies are more likely to sponsor visas than smaller ones, but size isn’t the only thing you should look for when targeting potential employers. For instance, companies that do business in your home country—or, better yet, have an office in your home country—are more likely to have a need for your language skills and an understanding of your home country’s culture, demographics, and business practices. Similarly, companies that are trying to
Challenges
Larger companies are often surer bets in agreeing to sponsor international job applicants for U.S. work visas, as they’re more likely to have dealt previously with visa sponsorship and the cultural issues that accompany employing non-U.S. citizens, as well as more prepared to pay the fees and do the paperwork necessary to sponsor visa applications. Large organizations are less likely to go under than smaller companies, although these days companies of all shapes and sizes are more than willing to lay off employees at the first hint of declining profits. On the other hand, while they’re riskier in terms of career stability and predictability, smaller companies— especially those that offer professional employees an equity stake in the business—are more likely to lead to really big bucks.
At Business school
Smaller companies may be riskier in terms of stability, but they’re more likely to lead to big bucks if they succeed, especially if you get an equity stake in the business.
Companies Likely to Sponsor a Visa
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing
expand into your home country or other markets you understand well might be an excellent fit for you. Their expansion efforts mean a greater likelihood that they’ll need your mix of background and skills. More companies may consider you a high-value candidate if you have unique or specialized skills. In other words, it can be really useful to narrow your focus while in business school. Don’t just build expertise in finance; develop expertise in, say, highyield fixed-income finance. Companies that need your specialized skills will be far more willing to go through the visa application process for you than will those looking to hire a generalist in your field, since there will be more applicants to choose from. Finally, the best indicator of whether a company will sponsor visa applications is whether that company has already gone through the process and is fully aware that the value of hiring international MBAs far outweighs the time and money needed to do so. Regarding specific job markets in the U.S., campus career center insiders say the most opportunities are in consulting, finance, and accounting, with those businesses leading the pack in sponsoring visas for international MBAs. “They don’t care about the visa issue,” one such insider says.
An insider at an investment banking firm says his company will hire as many international MBAs as the U.S. government will allow. “We’re hiring more and more every year,” the insider says, “and every year the pool of international MBAs from top U.S. business schools gets bigger and bigger.” While many companies still consider your need for a work visa to be an issue, insiders say recruiters will find ways to hire the people they really want. Your school’s career services center should be able to point you to lists of employers that have sponsored visa applicants in the past.
Who’s Hiring The following is a list of some of the companies that have been willing to sponsor work visas in the past. Job positions are included where the information is available. Consulting At consulting firms, most MBAs start at the associate level. Where information is available, we’ve included particular areas of the firms that have hired international MBAs.
A.T. Kearney Inc.
More companies may consider you a high-value candidate if you have specialized skills, so consider narrowing your focus while you’re still in business school.
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222 West Adams Street Chicago, IL 60606 Phone: 312-648-0111 Fax: 312-223-6200 www.atkearney.com A.T. Kearney provides consulting in areas such as growth strategies, information technology strategies, and supply chain management.
Intro
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
Capgemini U.S.
Morris Corporate Center Building B-C
Loughlin Meghji & Co. 148 Madison Avenue, Suite 800 New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212-340-8420 Fax: 212-725-9322 www.lmco-ny.com Loughlin Meghji’s services include financial advisory, and restructuring, crisis management, performance improvement, and mergers and acquisitions advice.
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CommonHealth
500 East Pratt Street, Suite 1400 Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: 410-951-4800 Fax: 410-224-8378 www.fticonsulting.com FTI Consulting is one of the leading providers of forensic accounting and litigation support services, and offers investigative services to companies facing fraud, disclosure, and malpractice issues.
finding the right job
750 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1800 New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-314-8000 Fax: 212-314-8001 www.us.capgemini.com Capgemini is one of the leading providers of systems integration consulting services. It offers enterprise systems, development and implementation, and analysis.
FTI Consulting Inc.
interviewing
Exchange Place, 31st Floor Boston, MA 02109 Phone: 617-973-1200 Fax: 617-973-1399 www.bcg.com Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is one of the world’s top-ranked consulting practices, operating out of 64 offices in 38 countries.
25 Broadway New York, NY 10004 Phone: 212-618-4000 Fax: 212-618-4500 www.deloitte.com Deloitte Consulting specializes in e-business consulting and serves businesses in health care, manufacturing, financial services, energy, the public sector, and communications. The firm has hired international MBAs as consultants in operations strategy and human capital process strategy.
Resumes and cover letters
The Boston Consulting Group Inc.
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Networking
8283 Greensboro Drive McLean, VA 22102 Phone: 703-902-5000 Fax: 703-902-3333 www.boozallen.com Booz Allen, one of the leading management consulting firms, provides strategic and technology consulting services through offices located on six continents.
Parsippany, NJ 07054 Phone: 973-352-1000 Fax: 973-352-1500 www.commonhealth.com CommonHealth provides advertising, marketing, market research, strategic planning, and media services primarily for customers in the health-care industry.
Challenges
131 Dartmouth Street Boston, MA 02116 Phone: 617-572-2000 Fax: 617-572-2427 www.bain.com Bain offers a wide array of consulting services that include strategic business issues, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity investments.
At Business school
Bain & Co. Inc.
Intro At Business school Challenges
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search McKinsey & Co.
Financial Services
55 East 52nd Street, 21st Floor New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-446-7000 Fax: 212-446-8575 www.mckinsey.com McKinsey is among the world’s top management consulting firms. It provides a full spectrum of consulting services to corporations, government agencies, and foundations.
At financial services firms, most MBAs start at the associate level. Where information is available, we have included particular areas of the firms that have hired international MBAs.
2 Canal Park Cambridge, MA 02141 Phone: 617-252-2000 Fax: 617-252-2100 www.monitor.com The Monitor Group provides consulting services through its operating companies, which include Action Company, Innovation Management, and Monitor Executive Development. It offers financial advisory and investment banking services through Monitor Merchant Banking.
PRTM 444 Castro Street, Suite 600 Mountain View, CA 94041 Phone: 650-967-2900 Fax: 650-967-6367 www.prtm.com PRTM is one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, offering operational and strategy assistance to top business enterprises such as General Motors, Sun Microsystems, and Texas Instruments.
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Monitor Company Group LP
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Bank of America Global Corporate and Investment Banking 9 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-583-8000 www.bankofamerica.com Global Corporate and Investment Banking, the investment banking arm of Bank of America, offers trading and brokerage services, debt and securities underwriting, debt and equity research, and advice on public offerings, leveraged buyouts, and mergers and acquisitions.
Barclays PLC 200 Park Avenue New York, NY 10166 Phone: 212-412-4000 www.barclays.com Barclays’ operations include personal financial services (savings, checking, and consumer loans); corporate banking; asset management; Woolwich, a mortgage lender; and Barclaycard, a leading credit card issuer in Europe.
The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. 383 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10179 Phone: 212-272-2000 Fax: 212-272-4785 www.bearstearns.com Bear Stearns is one of the top investment banking, clearing, and brokerage firms in the U.S., and serves a worldwide clientele of corporations, institutional investors, governments, and well-to-do individuals.
Intro
60 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 Phone: 212-250-2500 Fax: 212-454-1706 www.db.com Deutsche Bank Securities offers underwriting, financial advisory services, and mergers and acquisitions assistance, and specializes in the technology and telecommunications equipment industries. Deutsche Bank Securities has hired international MBAs as associates in global corporate finance.
Citigroup Inc.
82 Devonshire Street Boston, MA 02109 Phone: 617-563-7000 Fax: 617-476-6150 www.fidelity.com Fidelity Investments Institutional Services’ products include mutual funds, institutional money market funds, long-term investment plans, offshore-based funds for non-U.S. investors, and variable insurance product funds.
interviewing
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. 85 Broad Street New York, NY 10004 Phone: 212-902-1000 Fax: 212-902-3000 www.goldmansachs.com Goldman Sachs is a global leader in mergers and acquisitions advice and securities underwriting, and offers an array of investment banking and asset management services.
finding the right job
11 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10010 Phone: 212-325-2000 Fax: 212-538-3395 www.credit-suisse.com/us/en Investment bank Credit Suisse (USA), part of Swiss banking powerhouse Credit Suisse Group, offers securities underwriting and trading, mergers and acquisitions advice, research, private equity investment, and derivative and risk management products.
Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Co. Inc.
Resumes and cover letters
Credit Suisse (USA) Inc.
Networking
399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10043 Phone: 212-559-1000 Fax: 212-793-3946 www.citigroup.com Citigroup includes numerous subsidiaries that offer deposits and loans (mainly through Citibank), credit cards, and investment banking, brokerage, and other retail and corporate financial services. Citigroup has hired international MBAs for its general management rotational program.
Challenges
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
1680 Capital One Drive McLean, VA 22102 Phone: 703-720-1000 Fax: 804-284-5728 www.capitalone.com Capital One is among the top credit card issuers in the U.S., offering Visas and MasterCards with a variety of annual percentage rates, credit limits, finance charges, and fees.
At Business school
Capital One Financial Corp.
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search HSBC Finance Corp. 2700 Sanders Road Prospect Heights, IL 60070 Phone: 847-564-5000 www.hsbcusa.com/hsbc_finance HSBC Finance offers home mortgages, automobile loans, and personal loans. It issues Visas and MasterCards, as well as private-label credit cards for third parties, such as General Motors. HSBC has hired international MBAs for its corporate finance and financial analysis divisions.
IndyMac Bancorp Inc. 888 East Walnut Street Pasadena, CA 91101 Phone: 626-535-5901 Fax: 626-535-8203 www.indymacbank.com IndyMac is a savings and loan company that offers mortgage products to many different customers. Mortgage bankers, brokers, financial institutions, capital market participants, and homebuilders are the core of its operations.
International Finance Corp. 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20433 Phone: 202-473-3800 Fax: 202-974-4384 www.ifc.org IFC promotes economic development in 179 member countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and Europe by providing loans and equity financing for private-sector investment to reduce poverty and improve quality of life.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. 270 Park Avenue New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-270-6000 Fax: 212-270-1648 www.jpmorganchase.com JPMorgan Chase has formidable investment banking and asset management operations. The firm has 72
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hired international MBAs in its corporate finance, investment, and portfolio management divisions.
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. 745 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-526-7000 Fax: 212-526-8766 www.lehman.com Lehman Brothers is an industry leader in mergers and acquisition advice, debt and equity underwriting, and global finance. Capital markets, its largest segment, includes institutional brokerage, market making, equity and debt research, securities lending, and mortgage banking. The firm has hired international MBAs in investment banking.
Massachusetts Financial Services Co. 500 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 Phone: 617-954-5000 Fax: 617-954-6620 www.mfs.com Massachusetts Financial Services (MFS) offers mutual funds, fixed and variable annuities, separately managed accounts, and retirement plans to retail customers, institutional investors, and insurance companies. It also performs global equity and fixed-income research. The firm has hired international MBAs as analysts in equity research.
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. 4 World Financial Center New York, NY 10080 Phone: 212-449-1000 Fax: 212-449-9418 www.merrilllynch.com Merrill Lynch offers financial services for private, institutional, and government clients, including mutual funds, insurance, annuity, trust, and clearing services, in addition to traditional investment banking and brokerage services.
Intro
Ernst & Young International
299 Park Avenue New York, NY 10171 Phone: 212-821-4000 Fax: 212-882-5719 www.ibb.ubs.com UBS Investment Bank works with corporate, institutional, government, and private clients. It offers securities sales and trading, underwriting, mergers and acquisitions advice, research, risk management, and a variety of foreign exchange transactions.
5 Times Square New York, NY 10036 Phone: 212-773-3000 Fax: 212-773-6350 www.eyi.com Ernst & Young is among the world’s largest accounting firms. It offers auditing and accounting services, legal services, and services relating to emerging growth companies, human resources issues, and corporate transactions.
Wachovia Securities LLC
KPMG LLP
Riverfront Plaza 901 East Byrd Street Richmond, VA 23219 Phone: 804-649-2311 Fax: 804-782-3540 www.wachoviasec.com Wachovia Securities, one of the largest brokerage firms, offers securities brokerage, asset management, and financial advisory services. Wachovia has hired international MBAs in corporate finance, leveraged finance, and mergers and acquisitions.
3 Chestnut Ridge Road Montvale, NJ 07645 Phone: 201-307-7000 Fax: 201-307-7575 www.us.kpmg.com KPMG LLP is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International, one of the world’s largest accounting firms. With offices across the U.S., it offers a wide range of accounting, audit, and tax-related services.
Resumes and cover letters
UBS Investment Bank
1633 Broadway New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-489-1600 Fax: 212-489-1687 www.deloitte.com Deloitte & Touche, one of the world’s largest accounting firms, offers auditing, consulting, financial advisory, and related services. It has operations in about 90 U.S. cities.
Networking
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Challenges
Accounting
1585 Broadway New York, NY 10036 Phone: 212-761-4000 Fax: 212-762-0575 www.morganstanley.com One of the top investment banks, Morgan Stanley offers a variety of financial services including securities underwriting, mergers and acquisitions advice, and asset management products, along with services for institutional and individual investors.
At Business school
Morgan Stanley
interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
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PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd.
Genentech Inc.
300 Madison Avenue 24th Floor New York, NY 10017 Phone: 646-471-4000 Fax: 813-286-6000 www.pwcglobal.com
1 DNA Way South San Francisco, CA 94080 Phone: 650-225-1000 Fax: 650-225-6000 www.gene.com Genentech manufactures drugs used to treat colon, breast, and lung cancer, along with many other anticancer pharmaceuticals. The company has hired international MBAs as marketing associates and analysts.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, among the world’s largest accounting firms, maintains some 770 offices in 149 countries worldwide. It provides clients with services in three lines of business: assurance (including financial and regulatory reporting), tax, and advisory.
Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals Amgen Inc. 1 Amgen Center Drive Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 Phone: 805-447-1000 Fax: 805-447-1010 www.amgen.com One of the big biotech companies, Amgen focuses on cancer, nephrology, inflammatory disorders, and metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.
Boehringer Ingelheim Corp. 900 Ridgebury Road Ridgefield, CT 06877 Phone: 203-798-9988 Fax: 203-791-6234 us.boehringer-ingelheim.com Boehringer Ingelheim Corp. produces chemicals, health products, pharmaceuticals, and veterinary products, and is the primary U.S. licensee of Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, a Germany-based chemical and pharmaceutical enterprise.
Additional resources
finding the right job
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Genzyme Corp. 500 Kendall Street Cambridge, MA 02142 Phone: 617-252-7500 Fax: 617-252-7600 www.genzyme.com Genzyme focuses on rare genetic disorders, as well as organ transplant, osteoarthritis, and renal disease. It’s also involved in drug development, genetic testing, and other services. The company has hired international MBAs as associates in its biotech business and corporate development group.
Guidant Corp. 4100 Hamline Avenue North St. Paul, MN 55112 Phone: 651-582-4000 Fax: 651-582-4166 www.guidant.com Guidant produces cardiovascular therapeutic devices and related products, and is the leading manufacturer of pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. It also makes cardiac and peripheral vascular repair surgical systems. Guidant has hired international MBAs as marketing analysts.
Intro
Ventana Medical Systems Inc.
901 Main Avenue Norwalk, CT 06851 Phone: 203-845-5200 Fax: 203-845-5304 www.imshealth.com IMS Health is a leading provider of sales management and market research services to clients in the pharmaceutical and health-care industries. It tracks sales, offers market forecasts, surveys doctors, and provides consulting and other professional services.
1910 East Innovation Park Drive Tucson, AZ 85755 Phone: 520-887-2155 Fax: 520-229-4207 www.ventanamed.com Ventana products are used to automate processing and analysis of human tissue for treatment of cancer and infectious diseases; its products are used by many cancer research centers. Ventana has hired international MBAs as project managers.
MarketRx Inc.
Internet and New Media
1200 U.S. Route 22 East Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Phone: 908-541-0045 Fax: 908-541-1595 www.marketrx.com MarketRx provides pharmaceutical companies with market research and analysis tools to help monitor sales force performance and marketing effectiveness. Services include sales management optimization and product management. The firm has hired international MBAs as senior associates in consulting.
Amazon.com Inc.
Medtronic Inc.
AOL LLC
710 Medtronic Parkway Minneapolis, MN 55432 Phone: 763-514-4000 Fax: 763-514-4879 www.medtronic.com Medtronic is a leading maker of implantable biomedical devices, including defibrillators and pacemakers, spinal implant devices, drug delivery systems, and surgical tools for ear, nose, and throat specialists. The company has hired international MBAs in industry finance.
22000 AOL Way Dulles, VA 20166 Phone: 703-265-1000 Fax: 703-433-7283 www.corp.aol.com AOL, formerly known as America Online, is the Internet division of Time Warner. It’s the world’s largest Internet access provider, with about 17 million subscribers in the U.S. and 6 million in Europe. The company has hired international MBAs in business development.
At Business school
IMS Health Inc.
Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters
1200 12th Avenue South, Suite 1200 Seattle, WA 98144 Phone: 206-266-1000 Fax: 206-266-1821 www.amazon.com Amazon.com is the world’s biggest online retailer for books, CDs, DVDs, videos, and more, and stands as the consummate model for e-commerce—successful and not. It has hired international MBAs in its operations/global supply chain management divisions.
interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
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Intro At Business school Challenges
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search eBay Inc.
Consumer Products
2145 Hamilton Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 Phone: 408-376-7400 Fax: 408-376-7401 www.ebay.com Online auctioneer eBay sells every kind of merchandise imaginable and hosts a quarter of a million boutique stores on its U.S. website. It has hired international MBAs as associates.
BMW of North America LLC
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 Phone: 650-253-0000 Fax: 650-253-0001 www.google.com Google operates the leading Internet search engine, offering targeted search results from more than 25 billion Web pages. It generates revenue through ads targeted by keywords. Google has hired international MBAs as product managers, product marketing managers, and protocol marketing specialists, and to work in partner solutions and operations.
Yahoo Inc. 701 First Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Phone: 408-349-3300 Fax: 408-349-3301 www.yahoo.com Yahoo is the top online information portal, drawing more than 400 million people to its network of websites with a mix of news, entertainment, and online shopping, as well as a search engine and Internet directory.
Additional resources
finding the right job
Interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
Networking
Google Inc.
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300 Chestnut Ridge Road Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 Phone: 201-307-4000 Fax: 201-307-4095 www.bmwusa.com BMW of North America, a subsidiary of BMW Group, imports BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce cars and motorcycles into the U.S., and provides marketing, sales, and financial services for its dealerships.
Colgate-Palmolive Co. 300 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-310-2000 Fax: 212-310-2475 www.colgate.com Colgate-Palmolive is a leader in oral- and personal-care products such as toothpaste and deodorants, as well as household cleaners like bleaches and laundry soaps.
Gap Inc. 2 Folsom Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Phone: 650-952-4400 Fax: 415-427-2553 www.gap.com Gap, with 3,000 stores worldwide, built its brand on casual clothing but has expanded its reach through its other divisions, including Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Piperlime. Gap has hired international MBAs as managers in inventory optimization.
Kraft Foods Inc. 3 Lakes Drive Northfield, IL 60093 Phone: 847-646-2000 Fax: 847-646-6005 www.kraft.com Kraft, the number one food company in the U.S., includes the world’s largest cheese, cookie, and cracker businesses. Its other brands include Oscar Mayer meats
Intro
L’Oréal USA Inc.
2000 North M-63 Benton Harbor, MI 49022 Phone: 269-923-5000 Fax: 269-923-5443 www.whirlpoolcorp.com Whirlpool is a global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of more than $14 billion, 66,000 employees, and nearly 50 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. Whirlpool has hired international MBAs as senior financial analysts.
finding the right job Additional resources
333 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37201 Phone: 615-725-1000 Fax: 615-725-3343 www.nissanusa.com Nissan North America oversees the interests of its Tokyo-based parent, Nissan Motor Co., and markets, finances, and services its products in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.
Whirlpool Corp.
interviewing
Nissan North America Inc.
11840 Valley View Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Phone: 952-828-4000 Fax: 952-828-8998 www.supervalu.com Supervalu is one of the largest food wholesalers in the U.S., supplying about 2,500 grocery stores in 48 states with brand-name and private-label goods. It has hired international MBAs in strategic business development.
Resumes and cover letters
333 Continental Boulevard El Segundo, CA 90245 Phone: 310-252-2000 Fax: 310-252-2179 www.mattel.com Mattel is the largest toy maker in the world, responsible for such U.S. childhood mainstays as Barbie dolls, Fisher-Price toys, and Hot Wheels. The company also creates licensed products such as Sesame Street, Barney, and Ferrari. Mattel has hired international MBAs in corporate finance and financial analysis.
Supervalu Inc.
Networking
Mattel Inc.
3500 Lacey Road Downers Grove, IL 60515 Phone: 630-598-8100 Fax: 630-598-8482 www.saralee.com Sara Lee operates three business units: Sara Lee Food & Beverage (North American retail meats and bakery), Sara Lee Foodservice (North American foodservice), and Sara Lee International (international beverage and bakery, and household and body care). It has hired international MBAs in finance.
Challenges
575 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-818-1500 Fax: 212-984-4999 www.lorealusa.com L’Oréal USA is the U.S. arm of France-based L’Oréal, the world’s number one cosmetics manufacturer. Its brands include Lancôme (makeup, skin care) and Biotherm (skin care) lines sold in department stores. The company has acquired a host of big-name brands, including Maybelline and Redken.
Sara Lee Corp.
At Business school
and Post cereals. Kraft has hired international MBAs in its MBA rotational program.
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Information Technology, Computer Hardware/Software Autodesk Inc. 111 McInnis Parkway San Rafael, CA 94903 Phone: 415-507-5000 Fax: 415-507-5100 usa.autodesk.com Autodesk is a provider of computer-aided design (CAD) software used primarily by architects and engineers to design, draft, and model products and buildings. The company also offers professional consulting and training services. Autodesk has hired international MBAs in finance, accounting, and financial analysis.
Boost Mobile LLC 8845 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 200 Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: 949-789-4800 Fax: 949-789-4888 www.boostmobile.com Boost Mobile, a division of Sprint Nextel, markets the parent company’s walkie-talkie-style mobile service on a pay-as-you-go basis. Boost Mobile has hired international MBAs in business development.
Corning Inc. 1 Riverfront Plaza Corning, NY 14831 Phone: 607-974-9000 Fax: 607-974-5927 www.corning.com Once known primarily for its cookware, Corning is now the world’s top maker of fiber-optic cable, which it invented more than 30 years ago. It’s also a leading provider of communications network equipment and display technologies.
Additional resources
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Hewlett-Packard Co. 3000 Hanover Street Palo Alto, CA 94304 Phone: 650-857-1501 Fax: 650-857-5518 www.hp.com Hewlett-Packard provides enterprise and consumer customers with a wide range of information technology products and services. The company has hired international MBAs in marketing, sales, product management, and industry finance.
IBM Corp. New Orchard Road Armonk, NY 10504 Phone: 914-499-1900 Fax: 914-765-7382 www.ibm.com IBM is the world’s top provider of computer products and services. It makes mainframes and servers, storage systems, and peripherals, and its service arm is the world’s largest. IBM has hired international MBAs for its consulting/strategy staff.
International Rectifier Corp. 233 Kansas Street El Segundo, CA 90245 Phone: 310-726-8000 www.irf.com International Rectifier is a leading maker of power semiconductors used in consumer appliances, automobiles, computers, communication devices, lighting systems, and military equipment. It has hired international MBAs to work as senior financial analysts.
Intro
Freedom from Hunger
World Financial Center 200 Vesey Street New York, NY 10285 Phone: 212-640-2000 www.americanexpress.com American Express is best known for its famous charge cards and revolving credit cards, but it’s also one of the world’s largest travel agencies, it issues traveler’s checks, and it publishes Food & Wine and Travel & Leisure magazines through its American Express Publishing unit.
finding the right job
2800 Meridian Parkway, Suite 150 Durham, NC 27713 Phone: 919-287-7400 Fax: 919-287-7401 www.motricity.com Motricity, formerly PowerByHand, offers some 75,000 software titles to run on Palm products. It provides its products to wireless carriers, portals, handset manufacturers, retailers, and recently acquired GoldPocket Wireless. Motricity has hired international MBAs as project managers.
American Express Co.
interviewing
Motricity Inc.
Miscellaneous
Resumes and cover letters
1303 East Algonquin Road Schaumburg, IL 60196 Phone: 847-576-5000 Fax: 847-576-5372 www.motorola.com Motorola’s operations focus on four business segments: connected home solutions, government and enterprise mobility solutions, mobile devices, and networks. Motorola is the number two manufacturer of wireless handsets and a leading supplier of wireless infrastructure equipment.
Networking
Motorola Inc.
1644 Da Vinci Court Davis, CA 95616 Phone: 530-758-6200 Fax: 530-758-6241 www.freedomfromhunger.org Freedom from Hunger is dedicated to solving chronic poverty in 16 countries around the world. Its main program, Credit with Education, provides loans to small groups of women who attend classes on nutrition, health, family planning, and sound business practices.
Challenges
Nonprofit
1 Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 Phone: 425-882-8080 Fax: 425-936-7329 www.microsoft.com Microsoft is the world’s number one software company, known best for its Windows operating system. It has expanded into markets including video game consoles, interactive television, and Internet access. Microsoft has hired international MBAs in marketing/sales and product management.
At Business school
Microsoft Corp.
Additional resources
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Farmers Group Inc. 4680 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90010 Phone: 213-616-0277 Fax: 213-616-9111 www.farmers.com Farmers Group provides insurance management services to members of the Farmers Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange, and Fire Insurance Exchange. It’s also a life insurance holding company and specialty insurer. Farmers Group has hired international MBAs as product managers.
General Motors—Treasurer’s Office 767 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor New York, NY 10153 Fax: 212-418-6265 www.gm.com/corporate/careers/ The Treasurer’s Office of General Motors provides new business venture development, domestic and international subsidiary financing, divestitures, capital planning, financial management of employee benefits programs, interest rate risk management, and foreign exchange/commodities trading on behalf of GM. It has hired international MBAs in its MBA rotation program.
Additional resources
finding the right job
Interviewing
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π Get a Good Job Offer A good offer includes compensation commensurate with the norms for the position, industry, company size, and region. For investment banking in New York, for instance, this will mean a sizable salary, plus signing and year-end bonuses. For investment banking in Nashville, Tennessee, it will mean a smaller— but still sizable— salary, plus smaller signing and year-end bonuses. And if you’re interviewing with a startup tech company in the San Francisco Bay Area, you’re probably looking at less up-front salary but the potential for greater long-term income (think stock options). Networking and doing research on salary websites will help you develop appropriate compensation expectations. Of course, these days, as companies struggle to cut expenses even
as health-care costs climb, not much is guaranteed. Any good job offer will include affordable health-care insurance coverage, but beyond that, there’s no standard. That’s true for all industries, regions, and company sizes. In larger companies and hotter industries, you’ll typically get dental and vision insurance options in addition to health insurance, and you may be offered other benefits, including training and post-graduate education. Bottom line, though, benefits vary significantly, so ask for what you need, and be sure your starting compensation package (salary plus benefits) will keep you happy until your first review. Be sure to get the date of that review, too, and find out what kind of salary increase you can expect then, assuming the feedback is favorable.
Intro
Know Your Priorities
Understand the Job
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Additional resources
Ask questions to better understand the position’s responsibilities. Where does the job fit into the company’s hierarchy? What’s the projected career path of someone in that job? If you’re interviewing for same-titled positions at two different companies and one offers a faster road to the top, that may help you make an informed decision. In this instance, a higherpaying position may not be the right option.
finding the right job
Remember that you’re selling yourself from the moment you first make contact with a potential employer. So it’s important that you present the best possible image. Make sure your resume is error-free and tailored to a position before sending it to employers. Check the spelling of the recipient’s name before hitting Send on job-related emails. Make sure you’re well groomed and well dressed for interviews. Research companies and industries before the interview so that you can ask intelligent questions. In interviews, emphasize your strengths and explain how your skills make you a good candidate for your target job. Follow up promptly with thank-you letters to your interviewers.
interviewing
Make a Good Impression
Talk with the interviewer about a hit TV show, the local baseball team, or any other common interest you can find to break the ice.
Resumes and cover letters
It’s important to have a thorough understanding of what’s really important. As an international student looking for a sponsor for your U.S. work visa, for instance, the stability of an employer may be more important to you than a higher salary. If you have a family, finding an employer where people work sane hours may be more important than a high-profile name. Knowing your priorities will help you negotiate your job—and will help you understand when it’s time to walk away if the offer doesn’t fulfill your needs.
Don’t be negative! Be enthusiastic about the job, the company, the industry, and your school and work experiences. If candidates’ backgrounds are equal, employers would rather hire someone they like personally. This is an area where immersing yourself in U.S. popular culture can help. If you can talk about the latest hit TV show, the local baseball team, or other common interests, you’ll find it easier to connect with interviewers. Show confidence and ease during the negotiation. Remember: You and the employer are not adversaries; rather, you’re trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. You don’t want an employer to rescind a job offer due to your attitude during negotiations. Likewise, you don’t want to create bad feelings that could result in discomfort when you start the job.
Networking
place to work, is interested in hiring you, and is willing to sponsor your visa application. How do you get from this point to a formal job offer that you’re excited about accepting? By negotiating. There are a number of steps to negotiating intelligently. What follows are a few tips. For the full story, check out the WetFeet Insider Guide Negotiating Your Salary and Perks.
Develop a Rapport
Challenges
You’ve found a company that seems like a good
All of these efforts will weigh in your favor when employers consider your candidacy.
At Business school
Negotiating Your Job Offer
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Benchmark
Learn What’s Negotiable
Put simply, benchmarking is figuring out how much other companies in your target industry are paying for your target job. This can help you in your negotiations. Externally validated data is your single best tool in convincing an employer to improve a job offer, but you’ll also have to weigh your skills and experience. A less seasoned professional can’t command the same compensation as a veteran. You’ll also have to consider the region—a company in a midsize Midwestern town won’t pay the same as one in a major city. You can find compensation data through alumni from your MBA program in similar positions, through other contacts, and via salary websites.
Many large companies with established hiring programs for new MBAs won’t allow much, if any, negotiation. But if a company wants you badly enough, there’s always wiggle room. Use your discussions with the employer to glean what may be negotiable. In addition to salary, this might include: • Job title and responsibilities
Understand What Makes You Unique Learn how your skills and experience make you a more attractive candidate than others for your target job. If the job involves understanding your home country’s culture, or if you’re the only candidate for a telecommunications market research position who not only has worked in market research in the past but has done so for a telecommunications company, you’ll have more bargaining power! But you’ll also have to make an employer feel that it can’t do without you. Don’t be shy about selling yourself!
Don’t Be the First to Name a Number You don’t want to suggest a salary that’s lower than the employer was prepared to pay. You also don’t want to price yourself out of the running for a job by suggesting a salary that’s way too high. So it’s best to let the employer bring up salary. If the employer insists that you be specific with numbers, this is the time for you to break out your benchmarking research. Calmly tell the employer the going rate for the kind of job you’re discussing; that will serve as a starting point for your negotiations. Now it’ll be up to you to show why you belong in the upper reaches of the range. One more point: A willingness to negotiate is a sign of confidence. 82
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Learning, travel, and career advancement opportunities
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Vacation and other time off
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Commuting-cost allowance
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Work schedule and telecommuting flexibility
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Other possibilities for negotiation include: Signing bonus
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Moving and housing allowance
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Early review for salary increase or promotion
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Commissions
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Health and other types of insurance
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Tuition reimbursement
•
Stock awards or options
•
Retirement plans
•
Club memberships
•
Event tickets
•
Food
Establish two or three priorities and pick your battles wisely. But don’t ever give the employer the
Intro
Business culture and practices in the U.S. may
Culture of the Individual
Many U.S. businesses strive to be meritocracies. Tenure and hierarchy have less weight in many U.S. businesses than in some other countries. For a high performer, moving up the corporate ladder can happen more quickly in the U.S. than in many other places.
Working Hard U.S. employees have a strong work ethic. You may find that some colleagues put in longer hours than you’re used to. Some people even take pride in the fact that WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Additional resources
U.S. culture places a high value on the individual, especially compared with some other cultures. This is certainly true in the workplace. Many companies encourage individuals to have a voice and show initiative. You may be surprised at the amount of mutual respect displayed by coworkers—respect for
Out with Hierarchy
finding the right job
Cultural Norms
U.S. business strives to be egalitarian. Don’t be surprised if your boss is a woman or an ethnic minority. In fact, don’t be surprised if the CEO of your company is a woman or a minority. While the number of women and minorities at the top of U.S. businesses is still not representative of their numbers in U.S. society, many non-U.S. workers will find that there is more diversity at executive levels in the U.S. than in other parts of the world.
interviewing
be significantly different from those in other countries. Although you don’t have to transform yourself into a U.S. citizen, you must fit in. “The key for international MBAs is to not feel like they have to give up who they are in order to be successful,” says an insider at a top U.S. business school. “What they need to do is focus on how things are done here so they can assume that role when necessary.” Below are a number of insights into U.S. business and culture that will help international MBAs navigate the U.S. job search and workplace.
In with Diversity
Resumes and cover letters
“All business is becoming more global. If you know how it’s done here and in other countries as well, that’s a big asset you can bring to your employer.”
Networking
INSIDER SCOOP
U.S. culture places a high value on the individual. This is certainly true in the workplace.
Challenges
The U.S. Workplace
superiors, peers, and subordinates. It’s not uncommon, especially in smaller companies, for CEOs to know the first names of everyone down to administrative assistants and entry-level trainees. In many larger companies, senior executives have instituted formal programs to ensure that management is considering the views of lower-level workers. “In the American workplace you can voice your opinion,” says an insider. Indeed, you’re often expected to do so.
At Business school
impression that you’re more excited about getting as much as possible from the company than excelling in the job. Among other things you might negotiate is who will pay for your visa processing. In most cases, especially at larger companies, the employer pays the fees. If there’s a job you really want, particularly at a company that’s wary of the costs associated with the visa process, it may be better to offer to pay the fees yourself. Small companies may be extra-cautious.
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search their workload keeps them from spending more time with friends and family. Eating lunch while working at your desk is the norm at many U.S. companies.
π Healthy Competition Competitiveness and opportunism may be more acceptable in the U.S. workplace than in other countries. U.S. business language is rife with sports-related metaphors, such as calling an estimated number a “ballpark figure” and a positive result a “home run.” Management at many companies will talk about “winning” in their business—becoming
the dominant player in their market space. Competition can also be a part of outside-theoffice get-togethers, such as golf outings. Even if you’re playing with your boss, in most cases it’s fine to try to win. In fact, many U.S. businesspeople will consider it an insult if you don’t compete to the best of your abilities.
the workplace or elsewhere, talking sports is a bonding experience among U.S. men—and, increasingly, women. Get-togethers for participatory sports, such as golf, are a common part of U.S. business culture. Tennis lessons might also be a good investment for young professionals.
Approach to Business Short-Term Focus Many U.S. employees have a shorter-term outlook than you. They tend to want near-term financial results. Especially if you work for a publicly traded company, where investors’ desires for rising stock prices means strategy is driven by short-term financial goals, you can expect little long-range planning by management. This attitude carries over to networking and business partnerships: U.S. workers tend to pursue relationships more readily when they see how those relationships are going to make them money short term. Compare this with your home country, where companies emphasize the value of maintaining longterm relationships.
Respect for Employees
Dispensing with Pleasantries
Managers: It’s not okay to be rude. In the U.S., good managers rarely discipline subordinates in a public manner. Instead, they save criticism and reprisals for private meetings. They focus on work results and helping subordinates improve their performance rather than punishing them.
U.S. workers get down to business quickly. They may begin all sorts of meetings—both formal and not—with chitchat, but because they’re so focused on short-term results, it doesn’t take long for them to start talking about business and how to make more money.
INSIDER SCOOP
U.S. workers try to solve problems. Many consider business meetings a waste of time unless they serve a specific short-term purpose, so meetings tend to focus on making decisions and solving problems. If you and someone from another company meet to negotiate a contract, for example, the goal of the meeting will be to have the contract signed by the end of the meeting—not just to discuss the issues separating you. The ability to make good decisions quickly is considered a strength, and can play a big role in accelerating many professionals’ ascent up the corporate ladder.
“In other parts of the world, managers can tell subordinates what they’re doing wrong bluntly. In the U.S., managers have to be more diplomatic—in my opinion, because they’re afraid of lawsuits.”
Be a Sport Especially if you’re a man, it can be a good idea to learn about popular U.S. sports like football, baseball, and basketball, and to follow your local college and/or professional sports teams at least cursorily. Whether in 84
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Results Matter
Intro
The Role of Business Cards
INSIDER SCOOP
Just the Facts
Innovation is usually more important than tradition. While many U.S. companies have long traditions, and tradition can be a big part of their branding efforts, the focus in U.S. business is more on finding better ways of doing things than on maintaining the status quo.
U.S. workers can be ignorant of others’ ways of doing business. For many, the U.S. way of doing business is the only way of doing business—often because they don’t know how business works in other cultures.
Greetings and good-byes in the U.S. business world involve a firm handshake. A light or weak handshake is considered inappropriate. Firmly grasp the hand of the person with whom you’re shaking hands, give it one or two subtle shakes, and then take your hand away. It’s fine for men to initiate handshakes with women, and vice versa. And again: Make eye contact!
Punctuality Promptness is important in the U.S.—8:00 means 8:00, not 8:15 or 8:30. If you set a time for a meeting, that’s what time you need to be there. Even five minutes late is unacceptable. And if you’re going to be later than that, it’s important to let people know you’re running behind schedule.
finding the right job
Insularity
Shake Hands Like You Mean It
interviewing
Innovation over Tradition
Look people in the eye. While some cultures consider avoiding eye contact a sign of respect or deference, in the U.S. looking someone in the eye shows your honesty and trustworthiness. But don’t stare indefinitely. Some U.S. employees may even consider doing so to be a sign of weakness or rudeness.
Resumes and cover letters
Facts and objectivity rule business discussions. If you present the best factual argument for a certain decision, generally that’s the way the decision will go. People spend little time on social formalities, and they don’t worry about saving face; making the right decision quickly is the most important goal of business meetings and discussions. U.S. employees believe that objective, fact-based arguments are the quickest way to the correct decision.
Eye Contact
Networking
“If you don’t want to commit to something or you know you can’t do it, don’t say you’ll do it.”
U.S. businesspeople use cards frequently, but there may not be as much importance attached to them, or as many rituals involving them, as in other cultures. Don’t be surprised if a U.S. worker doesn’t offer you a business card after you’ve handed over yours, or slides your card into a wallet or pocket with hardly a cursory glance. You’re not being insulted. And don’t offer your business card in social settings unless somebody asks you for it.
Challenges
Daily Office Interactions
U.S. workers communicate directly. When asked a question, most people will tell you what they think. It’s perfectly acceptable to say “no.” In fact, many companies and managers encourage disagreement. Saying “no” or voicing disagreement is not a sign of disrespect; U.S. employees expect directness. If you can’t do something a U.S. coworker asks, politely say “no” rather than making some vague promise.
At Business school
Communication Style
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Additional resources
“In other countries, it can be acceptable to be late for a meeting. In the U.S., punctuality is much more important.”
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Meetings Should Be Scheduled
Business Dress Norms Vary
It’s generally not okay to drop in on other business people unannounced. Make an appointment if you need to see someone.
Various workplaces have different dress standards, often depending on the region or industry. For example, business dress is generally more formal on the East Coast of the U.S. than in western states. Investment bankers may find that they need to wear a business suit at all times, while those in the technology industry may favor business casual. For men, business casual typically means khakis or slacks, a dress shirt or sport shirt, and comfortable shoes (though not sneakers or tennis shoes). For women, business casual usually means khakis, slacks, or a skirt, with a comfortable blouse and shoes. Whether dressing formally or in business-casual clothes, avoid wearing styles that are outdated. For example, men shouldn’t wear ties that are too wide or too thin. Whether your dress code is formal or casual, aim for neatness. For example, your clothing should be pressed. Avoid flashiness or haute couture. Don’t wear anything that U.S. culture might consider gaudy or ostentatious. Men, don’t wear gold chains or patentleather shoes. Women, avoid loud costume jewelry and excessive makeup. Save the fancy stuff for your nights and weekends!
Interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
Networking
Challenges
Avoid Controversy In business situations or when socializing with coworkers, avoid potentially sensitive topics of discussion, such as politics, race relations, religion, and sex. And don’t make jokes involving race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. A company insider suggests caution when discussing personal finances and other personal issues. “You don’t ask someone in the U.S. how much money he makes,” the insider says. Acceptable topics of conversation include music, movies, books, TV shows, sports, travel, restaurants, cultural events, shopping and consumer products, work and business, and personal hobbies. You may find others. You have good judgment; use it.
Appearance and Grooming Respect Others’ Noses Smoking is prohibited in most office buildings, and even in social situations it’s important to ask whether coworkers or colleagues mind before lighting up. Men and women alike should avoid wearing strong scents in the workplace. Non-U.S. citizens should also keep in mind that some U.S. citizens might be turned off by the aromas of some foods and spices common in other countries.
Additional resources
finding the right job
“Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness” U.S. businesspeople live by that saying. In the U.S., the norm in the business world is to bathe or shower daily, to wash your hair regularly, and to brush your teeth at least twice a day.
Dress Conservatively When interviewing for a job or a meeting with a potential client or business partner, dress conservatively. Usually this means, for men, a business suit or a jacket and slacks, with a tie; for women, a conservative skirt and dressy blouse, or a nice pantsuit. Both men and women should wear dress shoes. 86
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Glossary of U.S. HR Terms............ 90 Job Search and Career Resources.... 94 Online Visa and Immigration Resources.................. 97 Career Fair Tips............................. 97 Checklist for International MBA Students............................. 100
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
Glossary of U.S. HR Terms 360-degree feedback Employee-evaluation program in which all employees are evaluated based on feedback from everyone they interact with on the job, including superiors, peers, subordinates, and clients or customers. 401(k) Tax-deferred retirement plan offered by companies to employees. Some companies match part or all of employees’ contributions to their 401(k) accounts. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) A U.S. law designed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability. Age discrimination Preventing individuals from having the same opportunities as others based on their age. Usually refers to actions and policies that discriminate against older workers. At-will employment An agreement between employer and employee that allows either party to terminate the working relationship at any time and for any reason. That said, employers cannot discriminate against any employee when terminating that employee. Background check Investigation into the work and personal history of a job applicant to verify the applicant’s claims and to uncover aspects of the applicant’s past that were not revealed voluntarily. Base salary Cash compensation before bonuses and other add-ons.
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Behavioral interview A type of interview in which the interviewer asks the job candidate how he or she behaved in past situations. Behavioral interviewing is based on the concept that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. Benefits Non-wage compensation, which can include everything from health insurance and pension or 401(k) retirement plans to child-care services, tuition reimbursement, use of a company car, free or subsidized meals, gym membership, parenting leave, flexible work arrangements, and even perks like free concierge services, massages, and child adoption assistance programs. Bereavement policy Policy governing time off for employees when a relative or friend has died. The standard is three paid days upon the death of an employee’s immediate family member, and a single day in the case of another relative’s or a friend’s death. Many companies will give employees more days off, as necessary, on an unpaid basis. Business casual Workplace dress code that’s less formal than work environments where, for men, business suits and ties are standard attire. In general, for men, business casual means khakis or slacks and a collared shirt; for women, it means a pantsuit, slacks, khakis, or a long skirt, with a blouse or sweater set. Jeans, sneakers, and T-shirts should be avoided. COBRA The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which requires employers to offer continuing group health insurance to employees and their covered spouses and dependents when the employee loses his or her job or has hours cut for any reason other than gross misconduct. After a divorce, ex-spouses and dependents who were covered as part of an employee’s enrollment in the employer’s group plan also are eligible for group
Intro
Exempt employee A salaried employee (as opposed to an hourly, or nonexempt, employee), who is not covered by overtime-pay laws. Exempt employees are usually administrative staff, executives, and professionals. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Federal law requiring employers to offer employees 12 WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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Direct deposit The deposit of a paycheck directly into an employee’s bank account.
I-9 form Employment eligibility verification form. Required by the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
finding the right job
Dental plan Insurance plan covering visits to a dentist and dental procedures. At many U.S. companies, dental plans are not a standard part of employee benefits packages.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Federal agency that enforces workplace discrimination regulations.
interviewing
Defined-contribution pension plan Pension plan in which the employer pays into a pension fund each month or year. The amount paid is either a percentage of the employee’s wages or salary or a percentage of the company’s profits, with the size of the contribution dependent on the employee’s wage or salary level. Upon retirement, the employee’s pension is calculated based on the employer’s total contributions to the plan, plus any appreciation in or earnings on the plan’s investments.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Program designed to aid employees with personal issues and problems, including emotional, family, financial, health, legal, stress, and other personal concerns. EAPs usually offer employees consultation with experts, relevant educational and training opportunities, and referrals for diagnosis, treatment, and other assistance.
Resumes and cover letters
Defined-benefit pension plan Pension plan that pays a prespecified amount to an employee upon retirement or the occurrence of a disability that prevents the employee from working. The amount paid to the ex-employee depends on his or her tenure at the company.
Downsizing Another word for layoffs.
Networking
Copayment A payment by the beneficiary of a health insurance plan required to cover part of the cost of care. Many health plans require copayments for everything from prescription drug purchases to doctor’s office visits to hospital stays.
Diversity Employing people from various racial, ethnic, or other backgrounds. Companies claim that they strive for diversity to bring a variety of perspectives to their business, but in truth, the desire to avoid being called out for discrimination is at least as much a factor.
Challenges
Compressed workweek Flexible work option offered by some companies to some employees (often, shift employees), in which an employee works longer days in exchange for working fewer days each week or month.
Discrimination Unfavorable or unfair treatment of a person or class of persons because of factors including race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability.
At Business school
insurance under COBRA. The party being insured under COBRA is responsible for all premium payments in addition to deductibles and copayments.
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters
weeks of unpaid leave relating to the birth or adoption of a child, or for other personal or family health reasons. Federal holiday A legal public holiday on which government agencies are closed. Many, but not all, employers may also be closed on these holidays, which include New Year’s Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Day (the third Monday in January), Washington’s Birthday (also called Presidents’ Day—the third Monday in February), Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (the first Monday in September), Columbus Day (the second Monday in October), Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas (December 25). Most businesses count at least nine of these days as paid holidays for salaried employees. Flextime Flexible work option offered by some companies in which the employee puts in a full day of work on a schedule that may not correspond to the company’s standard business hours, but is practical for both the employer and the employee.
finding the right job
Health maintenance organization (HMO) Health plan in which, in return for a fixed monthly payment, participants can visit HMO-approved health-care providers without having to pay any deductible. HMO plans do not cover visits to out-ofnetwork health-care providers. Job sharing Flexible work option offered by some companies to some employees, in which two or more employees share a job or responsibilities.
Additional resources
Interviewing
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search
Mission statement A formal statement of a company’s core purpose. For example, Google’s mission statement declares that the company exists “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” 92
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Nondisclosure agreement (NDA) Legal agreement between a company and an employee or a consultant specifying that certain information about the company, its products, and/or its strategy is proprietary and not to be shared with nonparticipants in the agreement unless the company authorizes sharing of the information. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) Federal law that sets standards for workplace safety, and that requires employers to warn employees about workplace hazards, train employees to avoid workplace hazards, and document workplace accidents and injuries. Paid time off (PTO) Workplace absence policy combining paid sick days and vacation days. Companies with PTO policies offer employees a certain number of PTO days that they can use when ill, for vacation, or for other reasons at their discretion. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Health-care plan that offers the insured discounts at designated health-care providers (who contract with the PPO to accept discounted fees in exchange for the increased patient flow resulting from their participation), but also offers the insured the option of paying more to go to out-of-network health-care providers. Performance review (or performance appraisal) Periodic meeting between an employee and his or her manager, during which the employer reviews the employee’s performance and outlines future expectations. Primary-care physician Your main doctor—the one you go to first, whether for a basic checkup or if you’re ill. Primary-care physicians are typically trained in general types of patient care. After making an initial diagnosis, when necessary they refer patients to specialists for more specialized care.
Intro
Total compensation The total value of an employee’s cash compensation, equity grants, and other work benefits. Unemployment compensation Short-term payments to workers who have lost their job involuntarily. Paid by state agencies, usually in the amount of a percentage of the worker’s former wages.
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Additional resources
Value statement A formal statement of the values honored by a company and required of its employees. Usually includes ideals such as honesty, integrity, and respect.
finding the right job
Severance pay A payment made by an employer to an employee when laying off that employee, usually equivalent to the employee’s salary for a certain period of weeks or months.
Temp An employee working at a company on a temporary basis who is employed by an outside agency.
interviewing
Screening interview An initial interview, often conducted over the phone, to determine whether a job candidate meets the basic requirements for an opening. The screening interview answers questions such as: Does the candidate have the required educational and professional background? Does the candidate have any required professional certifications? Is the candidate legally able to work in the U.S.? Candidates who meet all the basic requirements touched on in the screening interview are usually invited into the employer’s offices for more in-depth face-to-face interviews.
Telecommuting Flexible work option offered by some companies to some employees, in which employees do some or all of their work from home or a location other than the office.
Resumes and cover letters
Rightsizing Another word for layoffs.
Networking
Recruiting A search for new employees. May be undertaken by a company’s internal HR (human resources) or recruiting professionals and/or by outside recruiting agencies. Can involve advertising (in newspapers, on online job boards, or through other media), participation in career fairs, making presentations on university campuses, and so on.
Sick day A day on which an employee is absent from work due to illness. Some companies grant employees a certain number of paid sick days per year, plus paid vacation days (and sometimes “personal” days) that employees can use to be absent from work for reasons other than sickness. Other companies offer paid time off (PTO) days that employees can use either as sick days or for any other reason.
Challenges
Promotion An advance to a higher rank or position in a company. Usually comes with an increase in compensation and responsibility, and often means having to manage a greater number of subordinates.
Sexual harassment Any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct in the workplace or elsewhere on the job. Can include anything from unwanted or inappropriate touching of an employee’s body, to lewd comments or jokes, to requests or demands for sex with an employee. Sexual harassment can involve any sex- or gender-focused behavior or comment that an employee considers intimidating, hostile, or offensive.
At Business school
Profit-sharing plan A program in which a company shares a percentage of its profits with some or all employees, either as cash, bonds, or stock, and either immediately or on a deferred-until-retirement basis.
Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Vesting Taking ownership, as of pension benefits. Vesting often takes place over a period of years, so as to promote employee retention.
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ForeignMBA.com (www.foreignmba.com): An online community site “for MBA students from all around the globe.” Also includes links to MBA-related news.
Vision plan Insurance plan typically covering eye examinations and purchases of eyeglasses and contact lenses. At many U.S. companies, vision plans are not a standard part of employee benefits packages.
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Fortune Career Resources (http://money. cnn.com/magazines/fortune): Fortune’s annual reports on the best places to work, most admired companies, and best places to work for women and minorities are key background reading. Also, check out the columns to discover jobs you never knew existed (“You Do What?”), read the latest on workplace trends such as telecommuting and casual dress codes, and take career quizzes.
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H1visajobs.com (www.h1visajobs.com): This database contains thousands of companies all over the U.S. that have offered H-1B jobs to international students.
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Hoover’s (www.hoovers.com): Hoover’s is an excellent place to do basic company research.
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JobStar Central (www.jobstar.org): Tips on writing resumes and cover letters, plus links to online career guides and salary surveys to help you research jobs and negotiate your compensation.
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MBA-Exchange.com (www.mba-exchange. com): Business school students and alumni can explore career opportunities, while employers can recruit mid- and top-level managers. Based in Switzerland, MBA-Exchange was founded in 1999 by an alumnus of the Wharton and INSEAD business schools and now has more than 90,000 registered candidates and 800 active companies.
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MBAjobs.net (www.mbajobs.net): A database of jobs for international MBAs.
Workers’ compensation Payments to employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their job, and to employees’ dependents and to survivors of employees who die as a result of their job.
Job Search and Career Resources Online •
American Society of Association Executives (www.asaecenter.org): The ASAE is “an association of associations.” You can use this site to search for associations related to the industry, job function, or geographical region where you want to work. Then you can contact representatives of those associations in your networking efforts.
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BusinessWeek Careers (www.businessweek. com/careers): While you’re here, check out BusinessWeek’s “Career Advice” section for job search strategies for MBAs and aspiring executives.
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CareerJournal (www.careerjournal.com): This is The Wall Street Journal’s career-issues website. Here you’ll find everything from industry and functional salary information, to articles on job market trends, to lots of job search advice.
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Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls. gov/oco): This publication of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics contains valuable overviews of a wide range of careers. Here you can find the typical qualifications for various jobs, and information about trends and related occupations.
Newspapers and Magazines
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Ryze (www.ryze.com): Ryze is a business networking site. Who knows—maybe this site will help you find a contact at the company you’re interested in working for.
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Forbes
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Fortune
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The New York Times
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The Wall Street Journal
Books 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions The title of this book pretty much explains its contents. Ron Fry (Thomson Delmar Learning, 2006)
Ace Your Interview!
WetFeet.com (www.wetfeet.com): The WetFeet website offers a full range of career advice and research—from articles on writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and networking, to industry and career profiles, to profiles of nearly 1,000 U.S. companies.
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
Learn what employers are seeking and how to respond appropriately in an interview. The book covers key preinterview research, interview prep for commonly asked questions and curveballs, and effective follow-up strategies. WetFeet Insider Guide, 2004
A practical guide to the art of handling unpleasant conversations. The book suggests techniques to help you develop your confrontation and negotiation skills. Douglas Stone et al. (Penguin, 2000)
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Additional resources
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (www.uscis.gov): This is the official U.S. government website for information about immigration laws and the services provided by this federal agency. It includes information about immigrant visa petitions, naturalization petitions, and asylum and refugee applications.
finding the right job
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TopMBA (www.topmba.com): TopMBA has career forums, advice forums, salary statistics, and other resources.
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interviewing
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Salary.com (www.salary.com): How much does a marketing director make? What’s the salary of an audit manager? This site will help you get an idea of what you should expect to earn in a wide variety of jobs.
Reading U.S. business magazines and newspapers can give you insight into U.S. business and cultural practices, and ideas about potential careers and employers. The leading U.S. newspapers and business magazines include: • BusinessWeek
Resumes and cover letters
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Yahoo Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com): This is a great place to research publicly traded companies. Learn the ins and outs of companies’ businesses, study companies’ performance over time, and check up on recent company-related news.
Networking
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Challenges
Monster.com Global Gateway National Tour (http://globalgateway.monster.com/nationaltour): A guide to moving to and living, studying, and working in the U.S., complete with short profiles of U.S. cities.
At Business school
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Intro At Business school Challenges Networking Resumes and cover letters Interviewing finding the right job Additional resources
The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search The Directory of Executive Recruiters 2005– 2006: The Most Comprehensive Resource of Executive Search Professionals Available
Networking Works!
This book can help you find the right headhunter/ executive recruiter to connect you with jobs you want in the U.S.
Find out how you can get the jump on those great jobs you hear about but never seem to see posted, and what it takes to land them yourself—from the initial contact through the all-important lunch meetings and follow-up.
Kennedy Information (Kennedy Information, 2004)
WetFeet Insider Guide, 2006
Headhunters and How to Use Them: A Guide for Organisations and Individuals (Economist Series)
Preparing for the Behavior-Based Interview: How to Get the Job You Want
Advice on how to maximize the effectiveness of headhunters, which can be a good way for foreign nationals to find U.S. jobs they might not otherwise hear about. From the good folks at The Economist magazine.
Behavioral interviewing, which operates under the assumption that past behavior in particular situations is the best predictor of future performance in similar situations, is very popular among employers these days. This book will help you prepare.
Nancy Garrison Jenn (Bloomberg Press, 2005)
Terry L. Fitzwater (Crisp Learning, 2001)
Job Hunting A to Z: Landing the Job You Want
Your Rights in the Workplace
This information-packed book provides insights into networking, interviewing, and negotiation. It also offers tips on drumming up contacts and referrals, handling weird interview situations, and choosing from several offers. Robert A. Fish (WetFeet Insider Guide, 2004)
Killer Cover Letters and Resumes! This guide covers the basics of writing truly effective resumes and cover letters. It helps you evaluate your skills and determine what you have to offer prospective employers, and also discusses the top five pet peeves of recruiters, and solutions for special cases, including lack of experience or gaps in employment. WetFeet Insider Guide, 2006
Negotiating Your Salary and Perks This Insider Guide will give you the tools to maximize your salary, title, responsibilities, perks, work flexibility, and more, by teaching you how to negotiate the terms of your next job from the moment you start looking for it. Duncan Haberly and Robert A. Fish (WetFeet Insider Guide, 2005)
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This book does a good job of informing readers about their rights and responsibilities as future employees. Barbara Kate Repa (Nolo, 2005)
Intro
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (www.uscis.gov): The latest information on what’s required of foreign nationals who want to immigrate to or work in the U.S., including downloadable versions of the forms you’ll need to fill out to do so.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (www.ice.gov): Information about U.S. immigration and border issues.
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U.S. State Department: Visas (http://travel.state. gov/visa/visa_1750.html): The State Department’s visa section is packed with useful information.
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Internal Revenue Service: International Taxpayer page (www.irs.gov/businesses/small/ international/index.html): Information on how to determine your U.S. taxpayer status, income tax withholding and reporting requirements, and so on.
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The Law Offices of Carl Shusterman (www. shusterman.com): This immigration law firm’s website provides advice and information on visa and green card issues. Shusterman also offers a free email newsletter that includes the latest news on immigration legislation.
Research
The Regan Braun Law Offices: Immigration page (www.reganlaw.com/immig.html): Information on different types of visas.
The following tips for getting the most out of a career fair were developed by Chapman Career Management Services at Florida International University. They are included here with permission. Know something about each company at the event.
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Develop a list of specific companies at the target event.
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Rank the companies in a list under industries of interest. WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE
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finding the right job
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interviewing
Career Fair Tips
Resumes and cover letters
Foreignborn.com (www.foreignborn.com): This site offers all kinds of information, on topics ranging from money and credit, to health care, to getting a driver’s license, for foreigners coming to live in the U.S.
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Networking
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CIA—The World Factbook: U.S. (www.cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index. html): Here’s just about every statistic about the U.S. you might ever need. For example: Did you know that the median age in the U.S. is 36.5 years? Or that the country’s per capita GDP is $42,000? Or that it has 14,858 airports—but only 5,119 of those have paved runways? Or that, by area, the U.S. is about half the size of Russia, slightly larger than China, and 2.5 times the size of the European Union? This site is full of fun facts.
University of Pennsylvania: The U.S. Job Search for International Students (www.vpul. upenn.edu/careerservices/college/employers_ hiring_foreign_nationals.html): Run by the university’s Career Services office, this site has U.S. job search information for international students.
Challenges
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Online Visa and Immigration Resources
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Divide the companies into an A (primary interest) and B (secondary interest) list. You can also have a C list (a few companies; you can speak with them first for practice). Prioritize the A and B list.
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Create a folder for each company.
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Know specific information about your target companies (products, culture, trends, competitors, internal job postings, press releases, whether recruiting on campus, and any other relevant information from company website, Internet searches, and articles from newspapers/magazines).
Make a Good Impression •
Offer a firm, friendly handshake with one hand and a resume with the other.
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Maintain good eye contact.
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Consider the recruiter’s perspective: She will be meeting with hundreds of potential candidates.
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What makes you stand out from other candidates?
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Have enough resumes available to give target organizations.
Dress for the Job, Not the Fair
At the Fair
First impressions are lasting impressions. You should look like a professional when meeting with professional recruiters. • Men: a dark suit, complementary tie, pressed shirt, and shined shoes.
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Be efficient. If you see a booth that has a lot of candidates, don’t wait your turn. Move on to another booth and come back later.
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Conduct yourself professionally at all times. Remember that you could be making impressions when standing in line or walking the fair and/or attending other events.
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Don’t assume a company has no open positions in your field. Ask questions. Many companies are decentralized. Ask if you should speak with another person.
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Observe the recruiters from a distance or while you’re in line. Size up their personality. Mentally prepare for the kind of interview or conversation that you’re about to have. Watching job seekers in line ahead of you will give you some idea of what to expect.
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Make a personal connection. Smile while making eye contact and offering a full, firm handshake. Introduce yourself as you prepared. Express interest by showing your knowledge of the organization. Relate skills, interests, and experiences to specific needs of the employer. Listen, listen, listen. Ask what they look for in an ideal candidate.
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Women: preferably an interview dark suit (pants or skirt). No heavy makeup, too-bright colors, large jewelry, or revealing clothes.
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Men and women: either no cologne/perfume or very, very light.
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Make sure hair, nails, and breath are perfect. Carry breath mints.
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Pay attention to shoes. Studies have shown that recruiters make initial judgments based on shoes.
Take Time to Plan Your Attack •
When you first arrive, spend a few minutes surveying the layout of the room.
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Take note of the location of your targeted companies.
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Practice on another company prior to hitting your target list and try out your elevator pitch.
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Don’t be a wallflower. As in any networking event, your results depend on your effort. Meet people, but don’t hang out in groups. This is not a group activity; it’s a solo operation in which you alone should shine!
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If not recruiting for your area of interest, ask for the right person or what your initial contact recommends.
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Collect company literature.
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Be confident and stay focused.
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Always be on your best behavior, even in the coffee shop. You never know who might be sitting next to you.
Follow Up
Send the thank-you note within 48 hours after meeting with the individuals.
Be prepared to stand in line. Talk to others in line about what they’re learning from other companies.
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Use the thank-you note to briefly describe an additional selling point that you didn’t get to mention at the fair.
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Get to the fair early, not 30 minutes before it ends. Recruiters are notorious for leaving early.
Last Quick Tips
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Don’t hog the recruiter’s time. Once finished, move on.
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Don’t ask questions about location or salary. Such questions are considered too self-focused and inappropriate. There will be a time for both later.
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Don’t be afraid to ask for an interview.
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Take notes on the back of a business card or piece of paper before moving on to another company.
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Use the fair to polish your interviewing skills. Pay close attention to popular questions you may not have anticipated and prepare answers to those questions.
Bring some breath mints to remedy a dry or smelly mouth.
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Bring a notebook (portfolio) to record names/ impressions/notes.
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Take time to explore, look, listen, learn. You never know what opportunities you might find by speaking with other students or overhearing someone nearby.
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If you have sweaty palms, bring a handkerchief.
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Wear a stick-on name tag on your right side.
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Have a couple of good questions to ask each recruiter.
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Don’t overstay your welcome with a recruiter.
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Additional resources
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finding the right job
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interviewing
Always ask for a business card for your records and send a thank-you note.
Resumes and cover letters
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Networking
When approaching a recruiter, extend your hand, smile, and introduce yourself. Be happy and upbeat.
Take a break.
Challenges
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At Business school
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The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search [ CHECKLIST]
Checklist for International MBA Students When You First Arrive at Business School
Challenges
Planning Your Job Search
finding the right job
Interviewing
Resumes and cover letters
o Arrive early and take care of personal errands and needs before school starts. o If your school has an international student services office, go there and introduce yourself to the personnel and familiarize yourself with the resources and programs available. o Visit your school’s career services office, introduce yourself, and familiarize yourself with the resources and programs offered there. o If needed, brush up on your English skills and immerse yourself in American culture. o Look into and join extracurricular activities related to your professional and personal interests.
Networking
(Refer to the “At Business School” chapter.)
(Refer to the “At Business School” chapter.)
o Assess your strengths, weaknesses, lifestyle, financial goals and priorities, and personal values. o Identify your career options: Determine which careers are most likely to fulfill you professionally and personally. o Focus on two or three industries and make a list of 10 to 20 potential employers. o Determine which potential employers from your list will be recruiting on campus and plan to attend their information sessions and submit your resume accordingly. o For potential employers who will not be recruiting on campus, plan to make contact via mutual connections, career fairs, or direct contact of your own. o Create your individual marketing plan: What do you offer that would make it worth an employers’ time and expense to sponsor your visa application? o Research the companies and industries you are pursuing: Visit your campus career center, access online resources, and meet with people in your personal network.
Networking for Career Success (Refer to the “Networking” chapter.)
o Decide what you’re looking for from your network: Do you need information about potential careers, industries, or companies? Or, do you know where you want to work, but need a personal connection within the company? o Identify your network: Make a list of your contacts. Include members of your inner circle, your extended network, and the network you never knew you had. o Decide which networks you want to contact, and craft your approach e-mail or call sheet for each contact. o Approach your contacts, and set up meetings. o Prepare your two-minute presentation/elevator pitch before your meetings. o A day or two after your meetings, follow up with thank-you notes. If you agreed to send a copy of your resume or some other information, be sure to include that.
Additional resources
Preparing Your Resume and Cover Letters (Refer to the “Resumes and Cover Letters” chapter.)
o Tailor each cover letter to the company and position. o Prepare your basic resume, which you will later tailor to individual companies and positions. o Verify that your resume follows the Do’s and Dont’s outlined in this book.
100 W E T F E E T I N SIDER GUIDE
Intro
Resumes & Cover Letters Killer Consulting Resumes Killer Cover Letters & Resumes Killer Investment Banking Resumes
Industries and Careers: Specific Careers in Advertising and Public Relations Careers in Pharmaceuticals Careers in Brand Management Careers in Consumer Products Careers in Entertainment and Sports Careers in Health Care Careers in Human Resources Careers in Information Technology Careers in Marketing Careers in Nonprofits and Government Agencies Careers in Real Estate Careers in Retail Careers in Sales Careers in Supply Chain Management
finding the right job
Financial Services Companies Deutsche Bank Goldman Sachs Group JPMorgan Chase & Co. Merrill Lynch & Co. Morgan Stanley UBS AG
Industries and Careers: General Industries and Careers for Engineers Industries and Careers for MBAs Industries and Careers for Undergraduates Million-Dollar Careers
interviewing
Financial Services Careers 25 Top Financial Services Firms Careers in Accounting Careers in Asset Management and Retail Brokerage Careers in Investment Banking Careers in Venture Capital
Career Management Be Your Own Boss Changing Course, Changing Careers Finding the Right Career Path Negotiating Your Salary and Perks Networking Works!
Resumes and cover letters
Job Hunting Getting Your Ideal Internship The International MBA Student’s Guide to the U.S. Job Search Job Hunting A to Z: Landing the Job You Want Job Hunting in New York City Job Hunting in San Francisco
Consulting Companies Accenture Bain & Company Booz Allen Hamilton Boston Consulting Group Deloitte Consulting McKinsey & Company
Networking
Interviewing Ace Your Interview! Beat the Street® I: Investment Banking Interviews Beat the Street® II: I-Banking Interview Practice Guide The Wharton MBA Case Interview Study Guide: Volume I The Wharton MBA Case Interview Study Guide: Volume II
Consulting Careers 25 Top Consulting Firms Careers in Management Consulting Careers in Specialized Consulting: Information Technology Consulting for PhDs, Lawyers, and Doctors
Challenges
Ace Your Case - Consulting Interviews Ace Your Case® I: Consulting Interviews, 3rd ed. Ace Your Case® II: Mastering the Case Interview Ace Your Case® III: Market-Sizing Questions Ace Your Case® IV: Business Operations Questions Ace Your Case® V: Business Strategy Questions
At Business school
WETFEET INSIDER GUIDES series
Additional resources WETFEET INSIDER GUIDE 101
non-U.S. citizen who’s just been accepted to or recently enrolled in a U.S. business school, you’re holding the right guide in your hands. Many international MBA candidates offer in-demand qualities to potential employers, but they face particularly tough challenges both in getting through business school and in securing the jobs they want after graduation. With these hurdles in mind, WetFeet has assembled critical information, advice, and feedback from employers and alumni to help international MBAs make the most of their business school experience and succeed at finding a rewarding job in the U.S. upon graduation
Illustration by mckibillo
>>You’re in for an exciting ride: If you’re a
Turn to this WetFeet Insider Guide to LEARN ★ WHAT’S EXPECTED OF YOU AS AN INTERNATIONAL MBA STUDENT.
★ ABOUT JOB SEARCHING AND INTERVIEWING IN THE U.S. EMPLOYMENT MARKET.
★ HOW TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING A JOB IN THE U.S.
★ HOW TO PRESENT YOURSELF TO U.S. ★ TECHNIQUES TO EVALUATE AND NEGOTIATE THE BEST POSSIBLE JOB OFFER.
★ ABOUT THE VARIOUS KINDS OF VISAS AVAILABLE AND HOW TO GET THE ONE YOU NEED WITHOUT A HASSLE. ★ HOW TO CONVERT YOUR CV INTO A U.S. RESUME.
★ HOW TO HANDLE THE SUBJECT OF VISA SPONSORSHIP WITH GRACE.
WetFeet has earned a strong reputation among college graduates and career professionals for its series of highly credible, no-holds-barred Insider Guides. WetFeet’s investigative writers get behind the annual reports and corporate PR to tell the real story of what it’s like to work at specific companies and in different industries. www.WetFeet.com
Insider guide
