Alicia's Story
Alicia worked as a Quality Control Supervisor for 8 years at Marseille airport in France. After her company closed, she relocated to New Zealand for nearly 3 years before moving to Los Angeles to be with her boyfriend. She holds a Master's degree in Quality and Environmental Security and needed visa sponsorship to work in the United States.
Private Coaching
Through Work With No Borders 's coaching program, Alicia shifted her visa strategy from H-1B to J-1, which proved more feasible. The coaching involved weekly sessions spanning approximately 4.5 months, focusing on resume optimization, ATS system understanding, and networking methodologies.
Target Corporate Sponsors in Security Quality
Initially, Alicia applied to numerous positions with minimal responses. After accessing Work With No Borders 's database and resume scanning software, she began receiving more interview requests. She used the database to identify companies and found French employees in her field on LinkedIn to contact directly.
Motivation and Persistence: No Give Up!
Alicia identified her target company through the database and LinkedIn. She contacted French employees at the organization, exchanged emails for three weeks, and underwent an informal Skype interview. She maintained consistent follow-up communication, demonstrating her value and motivation.
Brand New Position Created
Rather than filling an existing posting, the company created a new Industrial Security position specifically for Alicia after recognizing her skills and motivation.
USA Visa: J-1 or H-1B?
The company was initially unfamiliar with visa sponsorship but recognized the advantages of the J-1 visa pathway, which allows for a potential H-1B transition afterward. They appreciated that J-1 sponsorship cost less than a standard employee salary and provided flexibility regarding her future Green Card prospects through marriage.
Start with a J-1 Visa to Get a Job in Los Angeles
Companies typically prefer J-1 arrangements over H-1B due to the lottery system's uncertainty. Establishing a work history with a company through J-1 sponsorship improves prospects for future H-1B sponsorship.
Private Coaching Advantages
Alicia described the weekly coaching sessions as providing crucial emotional support and strategic direction throughout her 4-month job search, while she simultaneously kept another job.
Alicia's Advice
Her recommendations include: "Use the database, the database is the base of it all"; avoid applying indiscriminately; leverage LinkedIn to discover companies in your industry; contact employees directly rather than HR; and consider reaching out to people of your own nationality first, as they better understand immigration challenges.
Start by Contacting French People
Statistics supported Alicia's observation that contacting employees from her own country proved more effective than approaching American contacts first.