Guillaume found his IT job in New York City, first under a J-1 visa, then switched to a H-1B visa. He was the first person I followed, and his journey gave me many tips and experience to create the service and tools I offer now on USponsor Me.
Here is our interview:
**The video is in French; activate the English subtitles directly in the video!!**
Discover how Guillaume found a job in IT in New York!
Sarah: Hello Guillaume!
Guillaume: Hello Sarah!
Sarah: Today, we are making this video to explain your journey to find a job in New York. I know you had several interviews in the city, and you were in a hurry because your girlfriend had been living there for about six months before you, correct?
Guillaume: Yes, we came at the beginning of August, and she started working in September. I went as a tourist, and my visa allowed me to stay for three months. I ended up going back to France at the end of October.
Sarah: Yes, that’s right. You never stopped looking for a job, even before you arrived in New York. Can you walk us through your interviews, explaining what you learned from them and how you did it all?
Guillaume’s story
Guillaume: My girlfriend found out she was leaving for New York around March, and I started my job search at the end of March/ early April. At first, I targeted French companies because they can help you at the visa level. The first issue you’ll probably encounter is the visa.
I interviewed with a French services company and a subsidiary company in New York. I first had a phone interview there, then a second one in Paris at one of their offices, and then a final one with the head of the department. After that, I got an offer, but it depended on them obtaining a mission there, so I very much believed in that offer.
I thought to myself, “Wow! I found a job after only two weeks. That’s incredible!”
I stopped looking for a job altogether.
As our plans to leave for New York drew closer, I wondered why that company took so long. So, I decided to start looking for a different position. I found different contacts with other French companies, but they didn’t work out because they didn’t need anyone. After that, I started looking into working for an American company.
I learned that the H-1B visa is the most traditional visa for working there. However, only a certain number of these visas are available per year. The application for an H-1B visa is due in April and then delivered in October.
Sarah: Yes, and since your main goal was to leave as soon as possible, and you were looking for a job at the beginning of the summer, you didn’t have time to wait until October of the following year to get a visa.
Guillaume: Those can be an issue. I decided I needed a J1 visa instead, which is typically used for those in internship programs. However, I was eligible under the trainee category, which applies to people with job experience. I went through two interviews that didn’t go anywhere.
How did Guillaume find a job in New York?
It is essential to know that Americans have very different cultures. They are very good at selling themselves but unsure how well they can perform on the job. The opposite is true in France, and in my case, even more so. I’m pretty shy, so selling myself as the best candidate was hard, but it was a good experience.
I kept looking and started to get a little desperate. I received many responses, but every time there was an issue with the visa, they would say, “No, we do not accept the J1 Visa” or something like that. So, I started turning in my applications in a way that didn’t make the J1 Visa an issue. I told them I had already found out and was with an organization that could sponsor my visa, which would be suitable for 18 months.
I tried to put a positive spin on it.
When I had to return to France at the end of October, I kept applying for jobs. Eventually, I found an American company co-founded by a Frenchman, and I applied for one of their job openings. I had my first interview there in French with the co-founder.
Sarah: That’s great!
Guillaume: After my technical interview in English, I waited for them to contact me. After a while, I followed up with them several times because I didn’t hear back. They told me they still had two or three candidates to see, but I finally received a positive answer around mid-December.
Sarah: It’s terrific that it ended up working out!
Guillaume: I sent all the paperwork to the sponsoring organization, and everything was completed by December 20th. I am currently waiting for my paperwork to leave for New York.
The interview process, in general
Sarah: You are also waiting for your embassy appointment, which should be scheduled soon. Regarding the two interviews you had while in New York, were those American companies?
Guillaume: Yes, they were. There was one I got in contact with before I left. They offered me an on-the-spot interview. When I first came in, we started to chat, and they inquired about my experiences, etc. Then they asked more questions about what I had accomplished… that all seemed normal, but suddenly, he told me: “Ok, now I am going to have you do an exercise on the whiteboard.”
Sarah: Yes, the infamous whiteboard exercise!
Guillaume: It threw me off; I never had to do anything like that when I had interviews in France. So, it certainly took me off guard.
I started a bit stocked and expected a negative outcome.
Sarah: Ok.
Guillaume: Then came the second interview. It started with a phone conversation, just like the interviews I’ve had in Paris. They asked questions about my background and also more technical questions. Then they gave me an interview… no. Wait, they gave me an on-the-spot interview with an exercise to solve at home. I preferred that because it gave me more time to think and work at my own pace, as you do in the real world. After that, I was summoned to the office for a 4-hour interview. It was a lot, and I met with the whole team.
Each time, they reviewed my background and accomplishments and then moved on to more technical questions, similar to the whiteboard problem.
Sarah: It seems like this process is pretty standard in the USA.
Guillaume: The second time was easier because I knew what to expect. I don’t know if my answers were correct, but they were open-ended questions that might not necessarily have a proper answer. Also, they may have been looking for someone with more experience than me because the job titles for both interviews specified “senior.”
I don’t know how many years of experience are required to make you a senior, and maybe during these interviews, they didn’t think I experienced enough.
The interview process with his French company
Sarah: Ok, and after those interviews, you interviewed with the American company that a Frenchman, correct, co-founded? Yes. So you had your first interview with him in French, and he also asked you to do some problem-solving exercises?
Guillaume: No, that one went a little differently. The second interview was the technical one. That one was with the head of the department, and she followed the same structure: she asked me about my background and then asked more technical questions. But there wasn’t a test.
I believe the fact that there was a Frenchman in the company helped because he understood the culture, and that made it a lot easier to share my views.
Sarah: Yes. And since you mentioned that, can you please remind us what your job title is? I know it’s in the IT department, but what position exactly?
Guillaume: Yes. I had an IT job in France, and my position there was Study Developmental Engineer, and specifically for software like Java in the US, this position is called Software Engineer.
What job strategies did Guillaume use?
Sarah: So, were all these applications spontaneous? Or were they ads that you applied for?
Guillaume: When I started looking for jobs in French companies, I applied more spontaneously because they didn’t advertise any openings. However, American companies had more openings, and I responded to many of these offers.
I had everything ready to go. Although I took the time to tailor my resume and cover letter to each job offer, I still sent loads of them out.
Sarah: Do you have any idea how many job offers you answered?
Guillaume: A considerable amount! Probably more than 50. I don’t even know.
J-1 visa details
Sarah: Regarding the J-1 visa, did you pay for it? Did you prepay and get reimbursed after talking to the company? How did the job in New York work out?
Guillaume: Since I pitched the visa uncomplicated for the company, I paid for it all. The price depends on the duration of the training. In this case, it is 18 months and costs about 2800 euros. That doesn’t include health insurance, which the organization provides.
Sarah: What is this health insurance? Is it the same as immigrant insurance?
Guillaume: I think it’s a local contract they already have.
Sarah: Ok, and your J1 sponsor offers this health insurance.
What organization sponsored you?
Guillaume: I used Intrax. At one point, I was looking for trainee organizations that offered trainee jobs. That was because I told myself I couldn’t find a job, so I signed up for these organizations and saw job offers that could interest me. But when I got in touch with them, they told me that this kind of training is usually paid very little or no. I wasn’t looking for that, but this organization was very responsive. I went through them when I discovered I had been accepted into my company.
Sarah: With the J1 visa, there are no wage standards. So, in your case, it was a real job, and you could negotiate the right salary based on your experience?
Do you see yourself working in IT in the USA or New York, just like Guillaume? Let’s find out which visa you need here!
Guillaume: I didn’t ask for anything when they called to tell me I had gotten the job; he told me what my salary would be and told me it was what everyone on the team was paid, so it seemed fair to me. I didn’t feel like I should negotiate for more, but later on, he told me that I still had a year and a half left, so for my wages, it would not be possible to match up the other team members’ salaries as I was going to be only a trainee so he lowered it a little. But the salary is still decent when you include my training bonus.
Sarah: Very good. How about the other team members? Are they all Americans?
Guillaume: I never asked, but yes, I believe so.
Company’s sponsorship background
Sarah: So you are the first J1 employee at the company? Have they done it before?
Guillaume: No, I am the first one. It’s a pretty small start-up.
Sarah: They may never have had any requests for it.
Guillaume: I do not think they knew about this visa because he questioned me about it. They weren’t used to filling out this type of paperwork, and there were quite a few exchanges with the sponsor.
Sarah: You helped them out by finding a visa organization yourself. You contacted everyone to fill out the paperwork and worked hard to ensure that your employer didn’t have to do much to get you your visa.
Guillaume: Yes, and now I understand why American companies do not necessarily want to hire people who need visas. Overall, it’s much more work…
J-1 and then H-1B?
Sarah: Their visa process is more complicated, and even though the J1 visa is the easiest to obtain, you still had to fetch the information. Even if we don’t know your future intentions, would it be possible for you to switch to an H1B?
Guillaume: Let’s say the organization I went through wouldn’t like this idea at all. It’s an exchange program, and the assumption is that I’ll return to France to apply the new skills I learned while in the USA. Based on my internet research, changing from a J-1 to an H-1B visa is still possible, but the process requires a lawyer.
One year after this interview, Guillaume obtained an H-1B visa sponsored by his company.
Guillaume’s professional background
Sarah: Regarding your professional background before the United States, what diplomas do you possess?
Guillaume: I have an Engineering Diploma.
I entered the workforce in 2008. I worked for a service company for 5 years and then decided to work for myself for a year and a half. After that, I started looking for a job in the US.
Sarah: So you were a freelance worker in France for a while?
Guillaume: Yes. I was self-employed.
Sarah: Ok, is your IT engineering diploma a master’s?
Guillaume: Yes, that is right.
What about retirement and 401K?
Sarah: Just one last question.
Can you save for retirement via a 401K in the US or France?
Guillaume: No, nothing like that is included in the J-1 visa program. Often, this is considered a “benefit” offered in addition to salary. They didn’t mention it for the job in New York, so I plan to save money on my own—that’s just the way I have to do it!
Sarah: I am not contributing to my 401 (k) and retirement at this time, but it is okay for 18 months. This can be an essential issue for a more long-term job. We are all done. Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Guillaume: I think we covered it all.
Sarah: Very good. Thank you very much for this interview, Guillaume.
Guillaume: You are welcome.
Sarah: I’m sure it will be invaluable for anyone who wishes to live and work in the United States.
Find all the other success stories. Are you looking for an IT job in New York City? Tell us your story in the comments below!
