USA Job Interviews... What's The Difference??

Since graduating from University in London, I have gotten married, relocated and for the most part, been settled on biding my time here in the USA whilst I wait for my EAD (Employment Authorisation Document) to arrive. That left me with a 5 month gap with no choice but to stay home (lack of a second car for a few months helped that happen!) and volunteer in order to pass the time. My husband and I have no children and a small 2 bedroom home that I can only tend to so often before there is nothing left to clean. I am not good at being idle. I need projects and daily goals in order to maintain my SANITY.

So once I gained my EAD (about 2 months ago) you can imagine how out of the loop I felt from the working world. Despite my continuous volunteering and the near obsessive reworking of my Resume (CV) throughout my waiting period, I still had to find a way to adjust back into a 'young professional' mentality. Job interviews can be scary at the best of times; whether you are overtly interested in the position or not the idea of meeting with a stranger to discuss your personal achievements and goals and have them judge you worthy (or not) on those things, can bring about a sensation not unlike that of a fish out of water.  

Image: job-interviewtips.com

However I would like to reassure anyone who may have just relocated to the US and is in the beginning stages of job hunting... Don't be afraid! My experience so far has been full of friendliness, supportiveness and understanding. I have enjoyed every single interview, learned SO MUCH from them all regardless of jobs offered or not and my professional confidence is beginning to grow. Not that UK interviews are hell on earth, but from my own personal experience I feel as though I have been treated with great respect my potential employers here in the USA. I kind of suspect some of that has to do with the overtly positive American approach to just about everything.

Below you will find some of the main tips and tricks I've noted so far regarding my American (Side Note* I interviewed around Tennessee) job interview experience. 

• Personality & Approachability - These go a LONG way here. I am yet to be interviewed by a hiring manager, store manager or HR Executive that does not appreciate a certain level of low key, polite banter and a sharp willingness to talk realistically. 

• Honesty & Openness - I have been asked more personal, probing question on this side of the pond during job interviews, than I think I have by my family doctor back in the UK. Let me clarify though - this is an awesome way to be interviewed in my opinion! I cannot tell you how quickly my interviewee nerves dissipate once someone shows their interest in my personal story as well as my professional history - the invitation to be myself during each interview scenario helped me feel supported and more in control of the situation, as well as encouraged to ask more probing questions back to my potential employers!

• Preparation - This was key for me. I did experience a lot of the same questions being recycled, as well as a few 'wacky wild cards' which got me thinking outside the box and considering my skills and potential even after the interview was over. I listed fairly typical interview questions before I went, answered them in bullet points and revised them before the interview. I made sure that I was equipped with a variety of scenarios from my working past, ready to draw on examples in a confident and succinct way once asked. 

• Thank You Notes - Over here is seems to be customary to follow up an interview with a thank you card (some say hand written is best, some email, it just depends on the industry and the person I guess). I personally had not done this before but have definitely enjoyed going that extra mile in showing my enthusiasm for a position after the interview has ended.

Typical Interviews Questions I Have Been Asked So Far:

So you're not from here? Tell me about yourself and what brought you to this part of the world?

Do you miss home much? (i.e. are you likely to stick this out!?)

Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone you really disliked? (A tough one to answer positively!)

How did you and your US fiance/husband meet? (I have been asked this at every interview I think - apparently they like to know!)

And Some 'Wild Card' Examples:

If you had a never ending supply of lego bricks, what would you build and why?

Would you be comfortable singing for us? (Yes I did sing, yes it was nerve wracking!)

Tell me about your own spiritual journey? 

Best of luck to you all! 

Further Education in the USA... Translating Degrees, Passing Exams and Saving $$

Continuing your education tends to be a costly and time consuming endeavour nowadays, no matter where you shop around for courses. Over here in the USA though, the fact that each school can charge tuition rates as whatever value they deem suitable can be a bit of a shock. This is especially true for those of us who gained our undergrad or even our A-Levels in the UK, where one standard rate applies regardless of subject or school choice. Bid so long to the free/flat rate education system and say hello to shopping around, not only for the best course outlines but also for the best prices!

For me, the hope of gaining my Masters degree marks my next educational goal. After completing my undergrad at a Drama School in London, I am faced with translating those credentials, succeeding with the new and far more complex procedure of applying to individual schools (I miss UCAS already!) and passing the GRE (Revised General Test for Grad School applicants) to gain acceptance. So here are my own questions, from back when I started this process:

• What about Higher Education and University qualifications? Do you get them translated before, after or during the application process? How much does that cost? Where do you start?

• How do I start the application procedures? Who do I speak to? Am I in-state or out-of-state?

• What's the GRE and how do I pass it?

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TRANSLATING When is comes to translating your existing credentials my advice to you would be to contact all the schools that you have attended and graduated from (including secondary school!) and request full, notarised transcripts, or a term by term breakdown, for the courses that you took. These are useful for both further education and potential employers alike and are usually free. Some US schools will require these transcripts to be mailed directly to them in a sealed envelope from your old educational institutions, so be sure to verify each school's needs through their admissions office. Below are some TN-State recommended evaluation companies, that I think are worth a look if you plan to get your degree translated (the costs tend to fluctuate from between $150-$300 depending on the depth of the translation that you need!)

World Evaluation Services

Educational Credential Evaluations

Academic Credentials Evaluation Institution 

INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS Each US school has different needs and wants from it's applicants. Even 'State' schools have requirements unique to them that you must meet in order to be considered. From my experience (especially when coming from the land of one-stop-Uni-shop UCAS) these applications be a little overwhelming and a lot time consuming. I have come across requests such as subject relevant entrance essays, sealed transcripts, GRE passes at specific grades (for grad students), online quizzes, work experience criteria and many more, all ever changing depending on where you apply. 

My breakthrough came when I realised that rather than being bogged down by all these requirements, I could use them to let my individuality shine through. Specifically, choosing to contact admissions, prospective student services AND the head professor of each course I was considering over the phone was a massive help! Each subject area in a school tends to have it's own 'sub' requirements (ahhh the plot thickens!) so defining those details and working out what your own circumstances dictatebecomes much easier when the course leader is clarifying it for you! Also worth noting is the concept of 'in-state' status - for example, if you have married someone from your new home state who has been living there for over a year then (depending on schools) you can qualify for the same status with your Green Card App. NOA. This means MASSIVE drops in tuition costs! I would recommend that you get in touch with the Financial Office at each prospective school for quotes and guidelines before you apply. Remember you are not an international student anymore, so don't pay like one!

THE GRE This is a 'generalised' exam, taken by those who wish to enter into a taught post-grad course such as a Masters degree. It hits the basics of what students here in the US learn in high school and can be taken as either a computer-based or paper-based test within a local testing facility. There are 3 main sections to the GRE; Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing. Each measures your ability to comprehend and make use of English, Mathematical and Analytical skills and each section was miles away from anything that I had done in a long time (well except for the Analytical Writing section which was pretty much covered in my undergrad essay requirements). 

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There are plenty of revision resources out there which are extremely helpful. Oh and get ready to meet old friends like fractions, decimal points, analogies and quadratic equations - I know you've probably missed them dearly. Expect to pay $160 for the test itself and to fork over a little more for the results to be administered to the schools of your choice. 

GRE Information Link

What About Student Loans?

Glad you asked! When I left the UK I also left behind a mass of unpaid student loans. There are folks out there that will point out how hard it is for the Student Loans Company in the UK to find you now that you have relocated, and for the most part they are right (although never underestimate their tracking abilities!). I personally (and I know I am far from alone is this) could never walk away from a responsibility as large as that, so here is what I did to carry my legal repayment obligations over to the USA:

1. I contacted the SLC (Student Loans Company) BEFORE I left the UK, letting them know of my plans, my new address in the USA and how long approximately it would take me to qualify for and find work. I did this by letter and kept a copy of all responses for my records. There is an online form for moving abroad on their website - include a completed copy and save one for yourself! 

2. SLC were very gracious and gave me a full year to establish myself in the States and to find steady work before they would even contact me again, let alone pursue repayment. See, nothing to be scared of! As soon as I have all my ducks in a row I will contact them and set up a direct debit from the USA. Easy peasy! Sadly I may lose a little with the exchange rate but compromises like that come with the territory! 

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If you have any more in-depth questions about UK student loan repayment or anything else mentioned in this article, please don't hesitate to pop it in the comment box below and I will answer it as best I can! 

Job Hunting In A New Terrain...Patience Is A Virtue

It's fair to say, that when it comes to the process of visa applications, jumping through governmental hoops, relocating to a new and different country and even embarking on a brand new marriage, well these are all challenges beyond what most of us are accustomed too. What they don't tell you on the application forms however, is that once you are stateside and have been issued with the infamous, precious EAD (Employment Authorisation Document), that's when the real hard work, stresses and emotional strains begin.

Image: NanoPatentsandInnovations

The process of networking, transferring credentials and ultimately landing that 'dream' job here in the States, can certainly be an exhaustive one.

• Who do you use as references when everyone who can account for your strong work ethic is back in your home country (and let's face it, companies don't exactly prefer calling long distance or facing language barriers to verify your credentials!)

• How do you face the over qualified/under qualified conundrum without those references or locals who can account for you?

In my experience (and I am at this time still a job hunter, but have landed a few P/T and seasonal offers plus a few interviews to boot), this is stress inducing and at times truly disheartening BUT not impossible by any means! Now I did have a small advantage when I moved over here, in the form of previous paid employment and unpaid internship experience in the USA (namely Summer Camp and a University placement I did in my third year, here in Knoxville) so I mustered up a few old friends to count as my US professional references. This is something however that anyone can acquire. In total I spent 6 months being paid in the USA and 6 months working for free, in order to gain this experience. If you're finding yourself in need of a 'way in' then volunteering or interning is an excellent starting point to getting your foot in the door.

Now, I understand that not everyone has the time or the financial resources to be able to offer their time for free. While you are waiting those 3-4 months for your EAD to be approved however, you may find this a great time to give unpaid work experience a go and make some local contacts on the way. I will admit that during this time I got stuck into everything I could, both to network and to keep my boredom at bay. For me volunteering at my Church and with local charities gave me the boost of confidence I needed and let potential hirers know I was looking. I was very vocal about my immigration status and my looming job hunt and this paid of for me. I have actually gotten 2 (dream job!) interviews so far on the back of local volunteering and I know that my name has been circulating.

Image: gethiredbootcamp.com

My advice for standing out whilst volunteering? Approach the people in charge, let them know your skills and offer them your help including in areas where you have trained. For me this meant doing some extra Admin work for a charity in my spare time. I never dreamed it would invoke a job interview 3 months down the line, but I was remembered and it did. Plus I got to hone my skills Stateside, added to my resume and gained another US referee! Be genuine and sincere with your time though, if you are serving with a charity do it because you are blessed with the time to spare and simply trust that your work ethic and your approachability will allow you to shine to those who need to see it!

I hate to say it but now is the time to be prepared to take work that is under your skill set. Sometimes relocation means starting again in our careers, as well as in our personal lives and although (thankfully!) this is not the case for everyone, for many it truly is. Take a step back and reassess your skills, your professional joys and your passions. This may be the time to take a leap into something new or to reignite your love for the profession you entered into.

Later on I will talk a bit about transferring University qualifications but until then best of luck to all you job hunters! Go get 'em!