You Asked Us Archive

Question:
How does someone deal with looking at the employer straight in the eyes without getting nervous? I have that problem, I get really nervous, I start sweating and my eyes wander a lot.

Answer:
First I would ask you to practice. There is no real way to overcome nervousness, but there are a few things you can do that will create a sense of safety that could make you feel a bit less nervous. Since you mentioned interviewing, you should begin by engaging in mock interviews - great practice for the nervous person. You can utilize experts that might know you personally to engage in a mock interview to help you work out the kinks in your representation of yourself. Memorize some things about the work you have done and practice saying them out loud, that way - if you feel nervous, you can still speak to your experience.

Ask yourself why you are nervous. Is this the last job you will ever encounter? If it isn't the job of your dreams, take it in stride and enjoy the conversation. Managers are just as human as you are and your interview of them is as important as their interview of you. If you only allow yourself to be interviewed, you will not see the big picture and miss out on some of the key questions you should ask in order to see if the role is a true fit for you.

If your hands get sweaty, you should carry a small towel in your purse or pocket and subtly use it right before you shake your interviewers hand and again before the interview is done and you are about to shake their hand again. If your brow begins to sweat, ask for a glass of cold water (they usually ask if there is anything you need and in your case you should always ask for a glass of cold water).

Question:
Hi. I recently graduated from my Master's in Counseling and have been applying for Academic Advising / Study Abroad positions in different universities all over the US. Although these positions typically require only a BA, I haven't been offered a job yet. I have had several interviews (at least 10), mostly phone interviews. I often wondered if the fact that I have an accent and my condition of permanent resident play a part in my finding a job. What am I doing wrong?

Answer:
Phone interviews are tricky - and can be nerve wrecking. Employers use this as a method of ruling out those less qualified for jobs, so they are not at risk to drain time away from the right candidates. Unless the job requires strong communication skills, your accent should not be an issue. The idea that a person can speak and understand two languages is still hard to grasp for those that only speak one language. From what I can see in your note to iHispano - an accent is not apparent. Though it may seem strange to point that out, an accent can sometimes be detected in written work, as most people write the way they speak even after spell-check. That being said, it appears you have good written communication skills and should rule out the issue of an accent.

Permanent residency is another issue all together. This truly depends on the employer and/or the individual recruiter. It matters much if that the employers understand these issues well enough to make a decision on you versus another candidate?

Seek the advice of a career counselor and in the meantime ask yourself the following questions to determine whether or not you had some control over the interviews. Do you have the years of experience that equate to what the employer is seeking? When speaking of the interview itself, did you stand out above the rest (even on the phone)? Did you emphasize to them the benefit of having a bilingual individual within their organization? Were you well prepared and did you answer the questions clear and concise? Did you develop a good repoir with the person on the phone? Were you upbeat and engaging or nervous and quiet?

Question:
I am trying to target Hispanic / Latino brand management and/or marketing position in the US mainland from Puerto Rico. I have over 9 years of solid branding and consumer package goods experience locally and internationally. I have interviewed with Miller Brewing and Wells Fargo (they have invited to their respective headquaters) but have not made an offer yet. How can I improve my chances of getting a job offer even though I am not living in the Continental US. As you probably know Puerto Rico is a territory of the US and it is considered the fourth largest Hispanic Market. I want to exploit my bilingual skills and branding / marketing skills as well. I need advice. Thanks

Question:
Puerto Rico has become great recruiting ground for the U.S. as of late. Employers that find it difficult to find US based Hispanics in the US, find that they can easily relocate someone from the Island for very little money and in fact have already started promoting and creating job fairs on the Island seeking people just like you. Being in Puerto Rico is no longer a disadvantage to finding a job in the US, as has already been proven to you with your two job interviews. To go a bit further and hopefully help you with your question, you may need to re-assess the way you relay your desire to come to the US, to those Employers that do not understand that Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US and that most of the schools in Puerto Rico teach English at a very young start - just one fact that makes the Island predominantly bilingual - you may have to write it more clearly on a cover letter or speak of your desire in an interview.

Form a list of all of the companies that fall under the greatest brands to work for. An example would be Kraft, General Mills, Coca Cola, Home Depot, New York Life and Xerox. Create this list based on their product and financial reports, not based on location. All of these groups have a strange home (location), but in each you will find a strong Puerto Rican community attached nearby. All of the companies that I have listed above can be found on our website and many have jobs specifically tailored to your background, apply online - it is highly affective! Finally, join an affinity group. If you are an MBA, join the Puerto Rican Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBA's - Read about the success of this particular group when they joind up with Goldman Sachs to recruit from Puerto Rico

If you are not an MBA, find an affinity group that services Puerto Rico. The American Marketing Association may have a group in Florida that services Puerto Rico, you may want to call them and find out a bit more or have them push you in the right direction.

Ultimately, you are on the right track - your interviewing with stellar companies, please be patient, you dont want to take the first china egg that plops in your lap, anyway. If you havent lived in America, please keep us abreast of your progress, our experts can run some due dilligence on the land for you and find a community that might better suit your needs or the need of your family once you haver received an offer and I have no doubt that time is around the corner for you.

Question:
I work for a wonderful company, I've been a good employee and been advancing in my career, I want to advance even further but don't have a degree. Currently I take all kinds of on-line courses that the company offers and participate in events, will I have any chances of getting a higher position if my competition has a degree?

Answer:
Absolutely! There is no substitute for on the job experience. Having a positive outlook, getting to know the right people in your organization and understanding what upward mobility means at your company will put you steps ahead of the competition. Though I strongly advocate education and applaud your efforts to stay current in your field through the completion of courses offered by your company, your love for your company will create the passion necessary to fortify the growth pattern you anticipate. Bottom line, Managers recognize talent and loyalty and usually reward that behavior with promotion. Your probably closer than you think.

Question:
Hello; I'm a Native Spanish Speaker from Argentina who's been teaching English as a Foreign Language for 20 years. I'd like to know if there's a possibility of finding a job online. I'm interested in teaching Spanish Conversation classes online or any similar job.

Answer:
Your new search sounds very entrepreneurial. It sounds like you have the making of a great idea and might just need a little direction. Jobs online would be under translator, tutor or interpreter. Your qualifications seem strong, but very specific. You may want to consider private tutoring. Several executives seek private tutors to come to their office at convenient times. As I'm sure you are aware, not all Hispanics had the privilege of growing up in a two language household. Expand on what you have learned and the people you have met. Use your network, join a group like the American Translators Association http://www.atanet.org/ and begin networking with people who have similar interests. If you don't have the time, visit their website and find the chapter closest to your area. If they don't have a chapter, create one, it would be to your benefit and would create fresh new credibility for you.

Question:
My friend is interested in working for a courier company in the US. Can he get any kind of work visa? He had been working for FedEx.

Answer:
If he currently works for FedEx in another country, he may have an opportunity (depending upon his position and status within the company) to transfer to a unit within the US. This is more likely to happen if your friend is in Upper Management. His best bet is to contact an advisor or someone in Human Resources to discuss his aspiration/goal to go to the US. He may find that there is a position available that he would not have known about otherwise.

There are other options, but they require years of patience.

Question:
How do I know if an offer is good enough?

Answer:
I would factor in location and the amount of money you were seeking and ultimately check a salary website. Salary websites aren't always very accurate, but they give you some type of gauge. One resource is www.salary.com

Question:
I'm from Argentina but I'm living in Chicago. I need to find a job but my main problem is that I don't speak english very well. I can read and translate what I read. I don't know where to look for a job in which I don't have to use a lot my English or at least I don't have to use it as a main language. I'm have a bachelor degree in Business Administration.

Answer:
First, you may want to start with Hispanic Companies or companies that have strong presence in Mexico and Latin America. You should begin with a search on companies like Proctor and Gamble who have several offices inside and outside of the country. Your Business Administration degree is a great degree to have with this particular problem. Since your degree is so versatile, you aren't tied to any one category and you can apply for almost any job, including Sales.

Secondly, find a speaking coach or someone that can run a mock interview with you to teach you some of the words that you will have to utilize in an interview. Become as comfortable speaking about your experience and resume as you can - in English. You don't have to know the language to understand what it is you are capable of, you only need to know the translated words well enough to get through the interview.

And the last thing, never stop interviewing, you need all the practice you can get - take notes during your interviews, this is very acceptable, it also helps with nervousness, but don't forget to make eye contact, don't stare at your notes the entire time.

Question:
I would like to know how to get a sponsorship for working in the USA.

Answer:
You may want to find out about ex-pat positions available in your own country or begin by enrolling in a school here (in the US) to attain a F1 Visa, which will allow you to work part time allowing you to attempt the process toward a H1 or H1B Visa.

• Larger corporations utilize the services of companies like VisaNow.com
• To find out more about the types of Visas that can be obtained go to http://www.visanow.com/services_visadirectory.asp
• The Department of State is also a great resource on Visas

Question:
I am tired of looking for a job. I have been in Customer Service for the last 15 years and handled very hectic, stressful jobs. I have decided to look for a less stressful type of job as a Receptionist or Clerical. I also have a Certificate as a Phlebotomy but no one wants to hire without experience so estoy en un callejon sin salida. No way out. Can you help me?

Answer:
In your current field you are utilizing several of the skills necessary to acquire almost ANY job. The Clerical field could greatly benefit from your current skill set, but you will need to highlight these skills in your resume if you truly want a job in that field. From the employer's perspective, I understand the idea that you may not have experience in Phlebotomy just because you have obtained a certificate. This is a very sensitive situation and would require you to start over in order to go into this field; However, if you are interested in starting over, this could make for a very interesting career and one that you are obviously interested in as you have taken the time to educate yourself and obtain a certificate.

Ultimately, you will need to take on a more positive approach to your job search - it is a job to find a job! The concern I have reading your question is that someone will pick up on your belief that there is no way out. I realize you really don't believe this, since you are asking us for assistance, but if you don't believe you will get the job, there is a slim chance you can convince the employer that you are the right choice.

Question:
I have my resume done but I am not satisfied with it. Do you offer advise in this matter?

Answer:
We would be happy to offer our assistance and we have the qualifications to do so as well. Please send your current finished resume to AskTheExpert@ihispano.com and we will provide you with the necessary changes.

Question:
Hello, I'm transitioning from one branch in accounting to another and I just finish taking some classes; I'm finding it hard to find work in the new area because I don't have experience. It's frustrating also when you go to job agency and they try to reunite you with your past experience and you tell them that your no longer interested in that area and your transitioning, but they don't listen. What's your advice? I feel somewhat that I may have to settle for less in regards to money. Thank you.

Answer:
This really depends on what this new field is and the positions to which you are approaching. Employers looking at experienced hires prefer to hire someone who can hit the ground running, where employers seeking someone with only a few years of experience are more likely to want to train their people so they are molded into the culture.

Your best bet is to find some common ground between the two fields. Take a look at the skill requirement of each job and approach (more aggressively) those that match your skill set. If you truly feel that you have the experience in the particular position, your resume will speak for itself, as the skill set for the job will mirror your own and even this is enough to warrant an interview. If you have more experience in a particular industry, you may want to begin by approaching that industry first. Convincing employers that you are the most qualified will be difficult - instead go the approach of the most skilled to do the job.

A pay cut is not unlikely when we 'start over', but don't concern yourself with this until you are actually faced with it. The employer will ask you what your salary requirements are and if they really want to hire you, they will negotiate salary at the very end, so cross that bridge when you get there.