Australians job hunting in the United States – things you must know!

You’ve made the difficult decision to uplift your life and move across the world to America. It is really important to understand that job hunting in America can be very different to Australia. In order to best increase your chances of landing a job, you should be aware of these differences and ensure that you are prepared so as to best increase your chances. This article sets out some of the main issues you should take into account in your job hunting process.

1. Understand the E3 visa and be able to succinctly explain it.

Australians are in an enviable position as being the only country having access to the E-3 visa. If you’re planning on using this path to secure work rights in the US, it is imperative that you understand everything there is to know about this visa, its cost, how you can get it, how long it will take to obtain and that you are prepared to explain it to a potential employer.

The truth is, most employers know nothing about the E-3 visa. When an employer hears that you are a foreigner, they may quickly be turned off at the prospect of employing you for this reason alone. If you are well versed in the simplicity and comparative ease in obtaining the E-3 visa, you can quickly get a potential employer on board in supporting you in this process.

Remember, you don’t want a potential employer to put you in the ‘too hard basket’ simply because they favour another applicant who doesn’t need to jump through any visa/migration obstacles. 

You should start by providing this easy reference E-3 visa snapshot to your potential employer and then be prepared to ‘sell’ its main advantages.

If you feel you are not confident in explaining the E-3 process, check out our article HERE which explains the main components of the visa.

Another option if you don’t feel comfortable explaining the visa to your potential employer is asking your immigration lawyer to do this for you. This small investment may actually put your potential employer’s mind at easy and secure you your next position.

2. Your resume will need particular tailoring

Whilst your resume may have gotten you all the interviews you ever wanted in Australia, the truth is, it will need considerable amendment for use in America.

We have seen many very qualified people get disheartened after not being able to secure an interview after spending considerable time applying for jobs. For many of these people we have found that they have not spent time catering their resume to the particular nuances of the American market.

We always recommend to our clients that they hire a local professional resume writer to spend the time making these changes. The importance of this step is often overlooked but we cannot stress enough how important it really is.

You will find that not only will you need to make formatting and style changes (say goodbye to fancy styles and headings and that photo of yourself), but you need to be more succinct in your content (your resume length should be between 1 to 2 pages). In addition, in explaining your previous roles, you should focus more on achievements rather than responsibilities.

3. Networking is everything…, what you know is not as always as important!

The job market can be much more competitive in America so it is important now more than ever to brush off those networking skills and get out there and network!

Try to attend industry events and surround yourself with people already working in the industry. Speak to as many people in similar roles to see how they got to where they are and let them know you are currently in the market for a job.  You’ll be surprised at how much people are willing to assist once they have gotten to know you.

Try not to turn away any opportunity to network as you don’t know where that one coffee or lunch or training session may lead to.

4. Sell, sell sell – it’s expected that you sell yourself!

In Australia this concept is often really foreign to us. In America, however, you are expected to sell yourself to a potential employer. Spend time practising the ability to do this. Try doing it in front of a mirror or with a friend. It will feel strange at first but being able to confidently explain your skills and experiences to a potential employer, as well as why you are the person they would hire, will do you wonders in the job hunting process.

5. 1 step backwards may end up being 2 steps forward…

Finally, it is really important to understand that moving to a new country may mean that all of your skills and experiences are not immediately transferable. To compensate for this, you may find that you need to accept a position at a lower level or with less responsibilities than what you have been doing in Australia.

Whilst this can certainly be disheartening to begin with, sometimes taking one step backwards at first will allow you to propel your career in the American market. The last thing you want to do is spend months applying for a higher level job to find that you are not getting anywhere and then have to take a lower paying, or different level, job. If you do this to begin with, you may prove yourself to your employer and quickly secure a promotion at the level you were originally looking at.

Moving and living in America is exciting. Being aware of some of the differences in the job market and the application process is important to make your transition as smoothly as possible. We wish you all the best with your decision to move and welcome any queries in relation to the immigration process.

If you have any questions on the above, contact Zed Legal today at [email protected]