Find below, the video interview with Alicia.
Thanks to my coaching, USponsorMe+, and our resume e-course, she found a job in the security field in Los Angeles.
She explains to us in this video how she did it.
**The video is in French, activate the subtitles in English directly in the video!!**
Sarah: Hi Alicia!
Alicia: Hi Sarah!
Sarah: We are recording this video today to explain to everyone interested how you found your actual job in Los Angeles. We’ve been in touch for quite some time because you took my courses last June.
Alicia: Yes, that is correct.
Sarah: Then you were starting to give up…I mean, you didn’t completely give up, but you began looking again in November.
Alicia: Yes.
Sarah: With the idea to get an H1B, and finally, in December, at the end of the year, you called me. You seemed utterly overwhelmed, at the end of the rope. You didn’t know what to do anymore, and I told you in January that I could help you. We started our private coaching sessions, and now here you are! So we are in July, it has been a few weeks since you arrived already, about 3 weeks?
Alicia: Yup 3 weeks.
Alicia’s story
Sarah: Great. Can you please introduce yourself quickly? Tell us where you worked in security quality before your job in Los Angeles. What was your previous position?
Alicia: I was a Quality Control Supervisor for 8 years at the Marseille airport in France. The company I worked for closed, so I lost my job and decided to leave and go to New Zealand. I was there for almost 3 years, and then I came here because of my boyfriend. He is from New Zealand, got a Green Card, and lives here now. So, I needed a job in Los Angeles that offered a Visa sponsorship.
Sarah: You were not married…
Alicia: Not yet, he is not my spouse at the moment.
Sarah: That is why you weren’t able to get a Green Card…
Alicia: Exactly…
Sarah: And at the time, you needed to find a job in security quality that would offer a Visa sponsorship. What is your educational background?
Alicia: I did my Master’s in France, baccalauréat plus four years. I got a Master’s degree in Quality and Environmental Security.
Sarah: Ok, Quality and Environmental Security. And you found your job here in the Security field, right?
Alicia: Yes, in industrial security. In New Zealand, I was also in the same field: Security and Quality Control.
Sarah: Quality is a bit different. Okay, you started your job search initially aiming for the H1B visa when we began our private coaching sessions.
Alicia: Yes.
Private coaching
Sarah: We reviewed all available American visas together and found that a J1 visa might be the best option for your job in Los Angeles.
Alicia: Yes, correct.
Sarah: Because a year down the line, you might get your Green Card.
Alicia: If I get married to my boyfriend…
Sarah: Yes, if you get married.
Alicia: And we intend on doing so. But first, I needed to get into the country with a visa.
Sarah: So we decided on a one-year and a half visa, the J1. We will then see what happens. That is why we realized that the J1 was much easier to obtain than the H1B. Right now, the H1B is pretty hard to get, so we reviewed together how to negotiate the J1 benefits with your future company. Okay. And what were you doing before our private coaching sessions to get a job in Los Angeles?
Target corporate sponsors in security quality
Alicia: At first, I applied to tons of job offers in security quality, and I only got one response and one interview. That ended up being negative because they were not offering visa sponsorship. So I kept applying to lots and lots of job offers. In December, after my vacation, I called you for help because nothing was working, and thanks to you, to USponsor Me, I got access to your large database and the resume scanning software, etc. Then, all of a sudden, I started getting more replies. It became easier.
Sarah: Yes, we reviewed that as well… Because of my methodology, you transformed your resume and cover letter to match the security quality in the US. Regarding our private coaching, we had sessions once a week, right?
Alicia: Yes.
Sarah: And I am sure that lasted at least 3 months?
Alicia: Yes, 3 months.
Sarah: We reviewed the ATS system together, and the methodology you applied was the networking one. You did a really good job on your networking—lots of networking! You worked hard on that. How did it go with your actual company? How were you able to find your job in Los Angeles?
Motivation and persistence: no give up!
Alicia: We used the USponsor Me database to identify companies, then entered company information on LinkedIn and selected French employees in security quality to contact. I reached out to them, and one responded positively. I exchanged emails with them for three weeks. After 3 weeks, I got an informal Skype interview before he introduced me to his boss. They wanted to ensure my motivation and skills. Every week, I sent a follow-up email on how I could help.
Sarah: You worked hard on the follow-up part, very hard!
Alicia: And how to relaunch them all the time, and also a bit because of the contacts in the database.
Sarah: We had you search for the person’s email so that you could contact them directly. If I remember right, you had already contacted the General Manager of that company. And he never answered you. But because you insisted and got in touch with another person just as we went over, to contact a first person, then another, and another one, etc. it works when you insist with people.
Alicia: And be sure to take lots of notes, and when you get an interview, write down the names of all of the current employees in the company because I had my first contact’s email address with their first name and last name. I was able to send them my intentions successfully.
Brand new position created
Sarah: That is great and essential!
In the end, what was so remarkable was that they didn’t offer you a job in Los Angeles from the job posting. But they created a position in security just for you.
Alicia: Yes, they had a need in this area. However, I never received offers for the positions I applied for.
Sarah: But at least we should say that with the networking—proactive networking, as I like to call it—, the only fact that you were able to reach someone on the phone helped move the whole process forward, and you found a job in security quality.
Alicia: They thought, “She is motivated, and we need help in this area. She has skills in this field,” so they made me an offer. They asked me if I would prefer working in the Quality or Security department, where am I the most skilled. So they called me back the next day to offer me the job. Not the one in the Quality department that I had applied for, but they offered me a position in Industrial Security, which I was very happy with.
Sarah: I’m glad you were pleased with it! How about the visa? Did you inquire about it, and what was the outcome of your job in Los Angeles?
USA Visa: J-1 or H1B?
Alicia: Yes, they had already done this with another candidate, the person I was in contact with at first. But it was a long time ago, so they were unsure how to proceed. So when I got my interview for this job in Los Angeles, they were a bit worried about it, and about the fact that it was for only an 18-month contract. They were well aware of the J1 and all the possibilities afterward: first, the J1, followed by the H1B.
Sarah: Yes, it is true that after the J1, it is a possibility, so it is always a good idea to position yourself that way.
Alicia: In my situation, they said there was very little chance that the H1B lottery worked for me. That is why they were a little concerned by the H1B and that it was easier to start with the J1. Once you are in the company and have proved yourself (in security quality), there is always a way to get the H1B.
Sarah: Yes, companies are usually opposed to the H1-B. Because it is still a lottery, and you are still not sure to get that person in. So the fact is to start with a J1 and have a history working at this company in security quality for a year and a half…
Start with a J-1 visa to get a job in Los Angeles
Alicia: Yes, that’s correct. They do not want to train someone (in security quality) only to see them leave, except if they are incompetent or it just doesn’t work out. I think J1 is a great alternative as well.
Sarah: Yes, you are right. It’s a good solution. Were you able to negotiate a visa with the company that would allow you to work in Los Angeles with all the benefits?
Alicia: I told them they didn’t have to sponsor me. I was lucky enough to have a long-term project (besides my job in Los Angeles) and could tell them that my boyfriend and I would get married and get the Green Card. They felt good about this. But I still believe that I could have convinced them of this project even if I didn’t have my boyfriend as a backup plan. I could have told them that we could accomplish a lot in the Industrial Security field in 18 months and add improvements to their company. So that’s it. Also, as a J1, we are paid less than regular employees…
Sarah: Yes, it is a little less than the regular salary.
Alicia: So it did interest them.
Private coaching advantages
Sarah: What did you think of the private coaching? Because at first, you told me that you only had 3 months because your boyfriend was leaving within those 3 months, and finally it took 4 months, 4 months and a half to find a job in security quality. It was a bit over 3 months, but I must admit that 3 months is not a long time to accomplish that! So what did you think of our private coaching sessions, and the fact that we had sessions every week? I helped you with how to network.
Alicia: It really helped me. It was a fantastic support because each week, when you apply daily to many job ads, it can become difficult. It takes a lot of time, and I was also working a regular job on the side, so it wasn’t easy. And to get a boost is nice. There were always news to share, some weeks were calmer, sometimes I received lots of emails. It can be very stressful, so it was a relief to have you and our meetings at the end or in the beginning of each week to recap so I could know which way to go. It helps a lot and gives you the energy to keep going. Yes, and to see that you were on site and were able to maybe check out the company or even just an outside look at the situation that can help—it does help.
Alicia’s advice
Sarah: Okay, so what advice would you give someone seeking a job in Los Angeles or in security quality?
Alicia: Don’t apply everywhere and to everything. It’s not meaningful…Use the database, the database is the base of it all. Also, go to the job platforms where you can find open jobs, and network because there is always a new company, and it is essential to keep an eye open on what is around. Use LinkedIn too, because LinkedIn will help you to network: you can enter the name of a company, and it will suggest other companies in the same industry. Especially if you search in a specific industry, department, or field.
I was searching in the aviation field, and I discovered many other companies’ names that you can find in the database. And see if they offer a sponsorship for a job in Los Angeles. Then, be organized and do not apply everywhere and for anything. Try to get in touch with the person after a first try. When you apply for job offers, utilize what we discussed in the coaching course on how to contact people. To be honest, the way to get in touch with potential employers was to use it a lot with the American people, but with the French as well because we are all immigrants, and they understood the situation better. So I just went for it straight up. I was still very polite, saying, “OK, here is my story.” It was warmer than Yes, voila! They understood better, that is all. It was easier.
Start by contacting French people
Sarah: We looked at recent statistics when you told me you responded better with the French than the Americans. And now I advise everyone looking for a job in Los Angeles or security quality that if there is a person of their citizenship, they should contact them first. We indeed used what you used both ways. We went over two main things in our private coaching sessions: how to find the database companies and how to find them on LinkedIn
Alicia: Yes, we used that. And another thing, there is no need to contact HR because… It’s only one more resume for them, so it is best to contact first the employee in the field in which you are looking for a position. They will then call HR directly or the General Manager or whoever, but yeah, I believe that the HR staff is usually the most distant person with you because, in reality, they are not the decision-makers, so if they need someone… they will search for them…
Here’s a job in your pocket with a US visa
Sarah: So in your case, you went directly to the person who made the decision, the General Manager. No, actually, through the person who put you in touch with the General Manager, so they could themselves see the value you could add to their company, so they ended up being the ones who needed you.
OK. I imagine you are happy to be here.
Alicia: Yes, very!
Sarah: Is everything ok over here? Is your mission in security quality going well?
Alicia: Yes, great!
Sarah: So, listen, I would like to thank you, Alicia, for sharing your time with me and doing this interview!
Alicia: My pleasure.
Sarah: I hope it will help everyone who is looking to find a job in Los Angeles, or in the USA in general. I hope to see you soon.
Alicia: See you soon!
Do you want to read more stories about people who found jobs in the USA? Check out the stories of Amandine, who found her job in Miami in marketing communication, and Lola, who saw her career in New York in robotics.
