presentation queens library 05-18-2010
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© 2008, All Rights Reserved, Upwardly Global
Upwardly Global
Creating Economic Opportunities for Skilled Immigrants and Providing U.S. Employers
with Access to Global Talent
401 Broadway, Suite 800New York, NY 10013
www.upwardlyglobal.org
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Agenda
Overview of Upwardly Global– Why does Upwardly Global Exist? – Upwardly Global’s Client Profiles
Barriers to Career Reentry
Upwardly Global Impact
Partnership Models
Client Referral
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Introduction and Overview
A 501 c3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2000 with programs in SF, NY, and Chicago
Specializes in rebuilding careers for immigrant professionals. Recognized as thought leaders on immigrant professional talent inclusion by Harvard University, World Diversity Leadership Summit, and Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council
Recognized as innovator by Ashoka and John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award
Funders: individuals, foundations, employer partners
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Why does Upwardly Global exist? Global Leaders
Waspada IndonesiaAuditor
Manizha (refugee)AfghanistanPhysician
GraalBrazilArts Therapist
Faith KenyaSocial Worker
CristianRomaniaEngineer
EvelynEl SalvadorEngineer
Cashier
Waitress
Nanny
Home Health Aide
Barista
Housecleaner
= Invisible in US
Barista
Taxi Driver
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The Facts: Skilled, Educated but Underutilized
More than 1.3 million college-educated immigrants are unemployed or working in unskilled jobs
22% of all college-educated immigrants – or 1 out of every 5 highly skilled immigrants – are working in unskilled jobs– Construction laborers, babysitters, file clerks, etc
Another 22% are in semi-skilled jobs– Carpenters, electricians, massage therapist, etc
Brain underutilization is a reality
Source: Migration Policy Institute
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Upwardly Global Clients’ Profiles
Fully Work Authorized New Americans
University educated
Experienced Professionals
Migrate from developing countriesLatin American 39%Africa 23%Asia 21%Eastern Europe 12%Middle East 5%
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Barriers to Career Re-entry
Academic credentials and professional skills/ experience not recognized
Unfamiliarity with the characteristics of U.S. Job Search
Lack of U.S. experience and professional/social networks
Relicensing and certification
Language
Employers Lack Resources– Need sponsorship, lack of English skill and educational
background
Unfamiliarity with the U.S. Job Search Norms
•Resume Presentation
•Marketing Yourself
•Cultural Differences
Resume
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Provide details about what you did in each position, what you accomplished,
and the value you brought
Provide information about the ranking of the school you attended to help recruiters
understand the value
Common Resume Writing Mistakes
This resume is TOO SHORT! It does not give employers any idea of
about what this person has accomplished
Share information on skills AND accomplishments to demonstrate the
value you bring to the company
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Do not provide personal information (aside from
contact information)!!
This Resume is
TOO LONG (5
more pages!)
American employers
will only read 1 – 2
pages in order to
determine if they should consider the
candidate!
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Eguonor J. Onofeghara-Omoko Fully US work authorized ∙ No visa sponsorship required
OBJECTIVE To obtain a position as a legal or administrative assistant where I can apply my education and 4+ years professional experience in law SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Experienced in project planning, management, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation Excellent verbal and written English communication skills Team worker with superior interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and ability to work within strict timelines and
under pressure PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Receptionist/Litigation Clerk February 2002 – December 2005 E. A. Pippa & Co., Lagos, Nigeria A private law firm ranked in top 50 in nation, specializing in civil cases
Provided support to no less that 5 attorneys by keeping record of cases/files, preparing and filing pleadings, motions, and affidavits with the State High Court
Met one-on-one with clients and drafted age declarations and declarations for change of name Drafted motion to change venue for attorney transferred to alternate city, resulting in motion granted Conducted general word processing, scheduled and coordinated attorney-client meetings
Office Intern June 2000 – August 2001 High Court of Justice of Delta State, Ughelli, Nigeria This is the state high court which is equivalent to the superior high court of California
Worked directly with 20 or more active clients to draft affidavits Assisted court registrar with filing of pleadings and motions, such as ex parte motion, motion for judgment, and
motion for extension of time Assisted court registrar with administrative tasks, such as distribution of notice to appear in court, preparation of
court list, and affidavits OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE Sales Person Shibata Floral Company, San Francisco, CA (Part-time) January 2006 - Present
Administrative work: greet customers, answer questions, arrange flowers, clean EDUCATION Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree October 2001 – December 2005 (Diploma pending last semester of coursework) Delta State University, Delta State, Nigeria HONORS AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
First nominated Congresswoman for the Legislative Arm of the University of Benin’s Student Government (September 1999)
Prepared original paper—“State Prosecution of Offences: A Critical Review of the Power of the Attorney-General”—that is now a reference guide in the University of Benin’s main library
Selected Moot Court Registrar, Delta State University Students’ Court (June 2002-June 2005) Announced court cases during court session Endorsed filed court documents, such as ex-parte motion
TECHNICAL SKILLS: Proficient in MS Word, PPT, Excel and Power Point LANGUAGE SKILLS: Native English Speaker; Fluent in local dialect, Urhobo
Provide specific quantitative examples of the impact YOU had at the company. It’s OK to brag!
Include a brief explanation of what the company did (if not in the U.S.)
List your “survival jobs” in a separate category of your resume, after your professional experience
American Style Resumes are:
• Concise (1 – 2 pages is best)
• Results oriented
• Well organized and formatted
Marketing Yourself: Elevator Pitch
Who you are:
Hi, my name is _____________.
What you can do:
I have __ years of experience in/as a __________(field/profession).
What you are looking for:
I am looking for a position as a _____________where I can apply my skills in (skill #1), (skill #2), (skill #3). I would like to work for __________ (type of organization/company – be specific).”
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Dominant American Values
“Typical” U.S. Corporate Value
Alternative Value UpGlo T.I.P
Individual is valued: Independence and decision-making are important. Individual recognition is expected and appreciated. Privacy is honored.
Group is considered more important than the effort or recognition of the individual
Job seekers will often use “we” instead of “I” when sharing accomplishments. Suggest job seekers to provide information about their specific role in the project.
Informality is the norm: almost everyone uses first names.
Permission is needed to use first names; some never use first names.
Job seekers may be perceived as stiff as he/she probably believes it is important to be formal in interviews. Let job seekers know he/she can call the interviewer by first name.
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“Typical” U.S. Corporate Value
Alternative Value UpGlo T.I.P
Competition and ambition stimulates high performance.
Harmony influences communication and personal ambition is frowned upon.
Job seekers come across as passive, relative to their U.S. counterparts. Direct job seekers to focus on the ways they have been able to bring a team together for a group success instead.
Direct communication is expected; saying what’s on your mind is important.
Directness and open criticism are considered offensive and people often use intermediaries to approach others.
A job seeker’s examples may not demonstrate the directness generally expected in the U.S. workplace. Suggest job seekers to frame answers around accomplishments and achievements.
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Dominant American Values
“Typical” U.S. Corporate Value
Alternative Value UpGlo T.I.P
Each person is expected to have an opinion and express it freely. The right to challenge authority is highly valued.
Deference is given to persons in power or authority. Authority is highly respected and rarely challenged.
Job seekers may find it difficult to give examples of times that they challenged authority. Direct job seekers to share a time he/she advocated for a project in order to understand the approach he/she has taken in situations when challenging was accepted.
People are measured by what they do.
People are measured by family and origin.
Job seekers may use personal accomplishments in their examples during an interview. Specify that employers are looking for professional examples.
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Dominant American Values
Networking and Obtaining U.S. Experience
Networking and Obtaining U.S. Experience
Volunteer or internship opportunities– www.voluntermatch.org– www.idealist.org
Networking– Where
Professional Association events/meetings Job Fairs Classes/Trainings
– How Informational interviews
(http://www.quintcareers.com/informational_interviewing.html) LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com)
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Career Path for Skilled Immigrants
www.careersfornewamericans.org
www.welcomingcenter.org
www.careeronestop.org
The Bookkeeping Center – www.tbkc.org
Kaplan Medical – www.kaplantest.com
LaGuardia Welcome Bank Center
Bnai Zion Foundation – www.bnaizion.org/retraining.php
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Upwardly Global Program
Job Seeker Program • Identify, Screen and Select
• Job Search Tools: Resumes, cover letter, marketing pitch
• 8-week workshop series with practice built-in
• Individual coaching by UpGlo staff
• Matched one-on-one with Industry Mentor
• Direct referral to Employer Network companies educated a
bout immigrant talent pool
• Feedback and support throughout placement process
Employer Network Program • Education: Cross-cultural recruitment training
• Engagement: Employee volunteer opportunities to improve
cross-cultural communication skills and awareness
• Employment : Our candidates provide practice and experience
moving foreign-born candidates through the pipeline
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Upwardly Global Impact
NY economic impact– Coached more than 800 skilled immigrants from 100
developing countries
– Placed more than 200 skilled immigrants with an average starting salary of ~ $40,000 with benefits
• Income increase of $20,000
– Engaged employers as partners to work towards systemic change
– Partnerships with 50 community organizations
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Sample Placements
LEGAL
- Paralegal (Colombia) Akst & Akst Law
- Senior Contract Officer (Kenya) JPMorgan Chase
- Legal Assistant (Nepal) The Myers Law Firm
NONPROFIT/SOCIAL WORK
- Program Associate (Bhutan) Int’l Center for Tolerance Education
- Research Associate (Uzbekistan) Committee to Protect Journalists
- Staff Therapist (Poland) Psychotherapy Institute
EDUCATION
- Science Teacher (Somalia) San Diego Unified School District
BUSINESS
- Marketing Manager (Thailand)CSAA
- Relationship Manager (India) Citigroup
- AdSense Coordinator (Peru) Google
- Benefits Accountant (Mongolia)McKesson Corp
- Associate (Philippines)KPMG
- Consulting Analyst (Iran)Accenture
TECH
- End User Support Analyst (Romania) Memorial Sloan-Kettering
- Tech Project Manager (India)JPMorgan Chase
SCIENCE
- Organic Chemist (Eritrea)PowerVision
- Analytical Chemist (India)Biokey
- Post-Doc Research Associate (Mexico)
Lawrence Livermore Labs
ENGINEERING
- Well Planning Engineer (Nigeria)Halliburton
HEALTH CARE
- Anesthesiology Tech (Haiti), Brooklyn Hospital
- Medical Resident (Vietnam)
Coney Island Hospital
- Nurse (Philippines)SF General Hospital
Referring your clients
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Minimum requirements:• live in the U.S. less than 5 years• have full, permanent work authorization• have minimum of Bachelor’s degree from outside the
U.S.• have at least 2 years of working experience in field• possess computer skills and at least intermediate
English proficiency
Direct them to Upwardly Global’s Websitewww.upwardlyglobal.org to complete a simpleonline application.
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Thank you
Q&A