Do you dream of making a future for yourself in the United States? It is often said that the U.S. is the land of opportunity – but only if you know how to maneuver the country and its culture.
Here are some tips on how to make the American dream a reality:
Study English
If you´re coming from a different country and dream of making a life for yourself in the United States, you´re going to need to have a good grasp of the language. Communication skills in English will be highly valued if you want to get a good job. If you plan to move to the US to study or work, improve your English skills – it will open many more doors for you in the professional world. Your native language will also be valued, bilingual job applicants often stand out to interviewers!
Work hard
The American dream does not come easily, it requires hard work and persistence. Americans are taught at a very young age that if you want something, you must work hard to get it. This is the life philosophy of many Americans. This is to say, you must study and develop your skills, be creative and proactive, accept and learn from criticism, work long hours and lower job positions with the hope of moving up, and never give up in the face of rejection or challenges. It may take time to get where you want to be, but with effort you may achieve it.
Network
If you want to make the American dream a reality, you will most likely need connections. Networking is important in today´s world. Networking is meeting and staying in touch with people who are good contacts to have in your field of work. LinkedIn is a helpful website for this. There are also networking events where you can go and meet people and exchange information that could be beneficial to your job search or for your entrepreneurial interests. One more important part – be persistent and always follow up if you want to maintain a connection.
Be punctual
Being on time is very important in the United States. If you have a job interview, be punctual! Arriving late is viewed very negatively in the states, especially in the professional world. If you show up late for an interview, it will most likely lose you some points with the interviewer. People who continually arrive late to work in the states are at a high risk for losing their job. If you want to make the American dream a reality, make an effort to be on time.
Study a highly skilled job position
The most difficult part of moving to the United States is getting a visa that allows you to work and reside in the country. Unless you marry an American or have family there that can help you with a visa, your chances of being able to reside there are based on your capacity to be hired by an American company. In order to have this opportunity, you will need to have unique skills that will make it worthwhile for a business in the United States to sponsor your visa. If you have knowledge and experience in a highly skilled profession you could be eligible for a H1-B visa. Here is a list of some professions that could give you the opportunity to reside and work in the USA: http://www.h1base.com/content/h1boccupations.
Do you have anything to add? Any personal experiences? Share what you think one must do to make the American dream a reality in the comments!
