The keys to international success

International Success… getting started:

1.Learn foreign languages – an asset you will use all your life
2.Never forget that you are a guest in the other country, even if you experience a violent situation
3.Adapt to local practices, even if it seems long and tedious; try to understand before judging
4.Pay close attention to details
5.Constantly check (and double check!) that you have understood correctly
6.Forget what seems “obvious”
7.Work VERY hard


International Success… how to negotiate easily:

8.When the contract has been signed, expect it to be renegotiated the next day
9.To get what you want, always keep a few aces up your sleeve until the end of the negotiations; do not make all your concessions at once
10.Learn to wait
11.Go slowly to advance quickly; things have to be ready at the right moment


International Success…what is unadvisable and the necessary qualities:

12.If you are someone who always wants to understand everything and have everything fit a pattern, an international career may not be the best fit for you!
13.If you want people to be direct with you and tell you the truth, you will probably be uncomfortable in a lot of countries: choose your zones of activity based on your personality.
14.If you are usually in a hurry to obtain your objectives, you will have trouble performing well internationally
15.if you are naturally patient and perseverant in obtaining your objectives, you will succeed better than your colleagues who are in a hurry and less resistant
16.If you are outgoing and friendly, you will fit in faster than those who are more reserved.
17.Do not hesitate to be firm in your beliefs and requests, while at the same time staying flexible and accommodating
18.If, in addition, you express yourself simply and tactfully, you will have an international advantage
19.If you enjoy subtle relationships and unexpected situations everyday, then you are going to love working in an international environment!


Finding a job in the United States… 6 key steps:

1. Be sure your resume corresponds to American standards. Many of the résumés that we receive are simply translations of French résumés – that is not enough!
2. Research the American press and the Internet in order to find a list of companies that correspond to your goal
3. Send your résumé and an unsolicited application to all the companies that correspond to your target.
4. Ancipate in networking events: 90% of all jobs in New York today are found via networking! And if the number is lower in other regions, the principle remains the same. Do not neglect these events – they really are important.
5. Fiends and acquaintances know what type of job you are looking for. Tell them what industry and what region you are interested in so that they can have their network work for you too.
6. Follow up by phone within a week if you have not heard back about your application. Be sure the company has received your résumé; ask where they are in their recruitment process, and if other positions will become available in the coming months…
7. Be active in looking for your new job. It is not enough to send out hundreds of résumés and then wait for something to happen.

For more information, consult the http://www.focusoncareer.com site. You can find information on:

• How to write an American résumé
• The main differences between a French and American résumé
• How to write a cover letter for the United States