With my backstory, I have always been on the job seeker side. Knowing what that's like, I have always focused on giving you the best personal tips, information, and tricks from my experience so you can feel at ease when you apply for a job in the USA. But today, I found myself with a different point of view that may shock everybody.
Earlier this year — about three months ago — while trying to make the best of the Work With No Borders website, I noticed that I needed some help. I started looking for a Marketing and Communication Assistant to hire, someone with extra hands and brains to upgrade this project. Knowing that most of you reading this are looking for job openings, my first thought was to keep this job inside the family. So, I immediately posted two job openings and started receiving your feedback in no time!
I was shocked to see that people were excited to give me a hand in developing and expanding Work With No Borders . At least, that's what I thought when I started seeing your applications and emails accumulating in my inbox in response to my offer. But right after that, I realized that the reality was different. I found myself in a position not typical for me: I found myself in the recruiter's shoes for the first time.
And I am sorry to say that most of the applications I received disappointed me. I thought to myself: Am I doing enough to teach you how to showcase your strengths? Am I showing you the right way to present yourself to a recruiter? Am I giving you enough information to understand what a recruiter wants to see in a job seeker?
After all these questions, I can't describe how disappointed I was. I was even furious. So, after much consideration, I decided to see it as an experiment that would allow all of us to gain helpful and valuable information.
We will discuss the top five errors I saw on multiple applications that screamed "DON'T HIRE ME," and the most essential actions to fix them. Are you ready? Let's give it a whirl!
Mistake #1: My Requests First, What You Need Afterward
With this example, I want to talk about the many emails where I saw this "incredible" intro: "How much does it pay?" I often didn't even see a "Hello" or a "Goodbye" in the email.
Guys, it's pretty evident that if you ask this question before anything else, it's because you do not want to waste time applying for a job in the USA for a position with a salary that doesn't meet your expectations. I hear it, and I understand.
Let's be clear: just one etiquette blunder could cost you your dream job! Employers are picky about who they hire in today's competitive job market. If you don't understand and exhibit standard etiquette, employers will likely assume you are not professionally competent.
What conclusion could any recruiter reach pretty quickly after that? You want to know whether the salary will work for you, right? But the recruiter concludes that you have no real interest in the company you are applying to.
Personally, and like any other recruiter, I don't want to work with someone more interested in the paycheck than the job.
Lesson #1
A recruiter always looks for someone passionate about the work, the duties, the responsibilities, and the company. They will never give a second look to someone just looking for a "good salary."
So, if you don't see a salary range specified on the job opening and the salary is a must for you, don't ask how much it pays — and don't apply.
Mistake #2: You Are My Last Chance! I'm Desperate!
This is another example of a general case: showing your personal motivations before your professional ones.
Any recruiter can see what you want from the job miles away. And you make it so much easier when you put this on the front line of your cover letter: "I have the green card, and I'm afraid of losing it if I don't get a job fast."
Guys, this is terrible! Imagine how I, or any recruiter, would perceive that: this person applied to this job opening not because they wanted or liked it, but because they're desperate and need a job at all costs.
Do I want to work with someone who doesn't care about what I'm doing? Not at all.
Lesson #2
Do not treat the recruiter like a lifeline. If you show from the beginning that you have everything to gain and lean on this kind of "attention trick," I assure you the recruiter won't even open your resume.
Mistake #3: I'm Not What You Are Looking For… But Hire Me Anyway!
Here comes the third common mistake I found in the applications.
I was very clear in the job opening about which skills and aptitudes were needed for the job — things like WordPress knowledge and marketing automation were a "must." But for some reason, I found myself reading: "I'm pretty good at customer service…" — or resumes showing entirely unrelated skills.
Guys, this kind of resume isn't targeted at all. It isn't clear. You have to remember that I was looking for a marketing assistant, so I don't understand how those applicants thought they could help me with what I actually needed.
Let's be honest — does that make sense to you? Imagine going to the doctor because of an awful headache, and the doctor offers you medication to treat a foot blister you don't have.
The worst part is that you know what I do; some of you have followed me for two years. I'm Work With No Borders , and I need someone to help me manage sales pages, funnels, email marketing, and more.
Lesson #3
Clearly show the target position you want in your resume, and clearly explain in your cover letter why you want this specific position.
If you find a job opening that doesn't match what you're looking for, do not apply. The recruiter will not create a job for you from scratch. Be smart with your time; don't lose it on dead-end applications.
Mistake #4: I'm Interested, But I'm Not Going to Tell You Why
So, you tell me in your cover letter: "I am writing to express my strong interest in working at your company."
Ok, fine! But you don't prove to me why! Why are you interested? What do you love in particular? Work With No Borders is a J-1 agency in the USA — what excites you about joining us?
Lesson #4
Never forget to show interest when applying for a job in the USA or anywhere else. Prove and explain why you must be part of the company. At the end of the day, when a recruiter has multiple suitable applications, they will remember the person who is not only a fit for the job but is passionate about being part of the company's vision and mission.
Mistake #5: Please Give Me a Visa! Give Me a Visa, Please!
I have to say that when I created the job posting, I was very cautious about being transparent with you about the visa issue: I wrote in bold that I was not yet sponsoring any visa and that I could not take on any J-1 candidate for this position.
And what do people do? "I want to apply for a job in the USA. Could you give me a visa sponsorship?"
Lesson #5
If a company is pretty straightforward from the beginning about not offering visa sponsorship and not hiring J-1 candidates for a specific job, do not ask — it's already specified!
Most people go about getting job sponsorship the wrong way and then wonder why they are unsuccessful. You could be the perfect candidate for a job, but if the company does not offer visa sponsorship, it doesn't matter — your resume will be promptly dismissed.
To find an employer willing to sponsor you for a visa, you have to:
- Know which visa is the ideal one for you to claim
- Only search among companies offering that type of visa sponsorship/hiring
If this experience taught me anything, it's that you need to put yourself in the recruiter's shoes when you apply for a job in the USA — because, yes, recruiters are human, like everybody else. I strongly recommend doing this exercise now! I assure you, it will be handy in your job search.
Do you wonder why you haven't received a reply from recruiters? Share your thoughts in the comments!
About the Author
Stephanie Lydie Dubois immigrated to the United States in 2014, initially to New York, with her boyfriend joining three months later. Both were sponsored by their respective companies. Over the past decade, they've lived in New York, Los Angeles, and Texas. During their first five years navigating U.S. immigration, they submitted ten visa applications and secured six, including a green card. They now have a family and home in the United States.