Discover how Lola found a job in robotics in New York City
Sarah: Could you please introduce yourself quickly, including your job, your background, your skill set, and the education you have received?
Lola: Absolutely. I will graduate this year from my engineering school in Paris, and I have already done two internships in robotics: one in China at ABB, a multinational company, and one at Texas A&M University in the USA.
Looking for a first job in robotics
Sarah: So you were seeking a job in the United States? When did you start your search?
Lola: I started on January 1st, and for four months I tried hard, at least six hours a day.
Sarah: And it worked! You told me you had already received an offer on March 28th?
Lola: March 28th. I was going to give up on April 1st because I felt like I was wasting my time, but in reality you need to keep working until the end. That is what pays off.
Sarah: You helped yourself. How did you proceed? What tools did you use?
Lola: I started with nothing, since it was my first time looking for a job and I had only done internships. I searched directly on the Internet, where I found Work With No Borders , and that taught me everything - how to write a resume, how the ATS works, how to make your resume detailed and targeted to a specific job. It really helped me organize my job search.
Sarah: Where did you finally find a job?
Lola: In New York City, in Manhattan, at a French company.
Sarah: A French company! A small company?
Lola: A smaller company, but one that gave me a job with more responsibility, as a Technical Project Manager. That was really what I was looking for - either you target a large company and get a job with fewer responsibilities, or you find a smaller firm like this one that's exactly what you want.
Finding the right visa
Sarah: How did you finally find it?
Lola: To find a job in the US, the biggest issue is the visa. You have to know how to figure out which visa to look for, and it was thanks to Work With No Borders that I knew which one to target. At first I was going for an H-1B, but as I kept searching and speaking with your organization, I realized I could get a different visa through a French company.
Sarah: So you completed your profile on Work With No Borders ?
Lola: Yes, I completed my profile, and it populated the potential visas I might qualify for. I had spent a long time searching online and reading legal texts, and I didn't know where else to look. Your visa algorithm was terrific, because I had never asked myself that question or considered that visa.
Landing the E-2 visa job in robotics
Sarah: The E-2 - you proposed it to them? Did they say yes?
Lola: Yes, and they accepted. It's a local contract rather than a VIE.
Sarah: So you'll be able to stay...
Lola: Two years, or as long as I want. The fact that it wasn't a VIE also let me negotiate the job offer directly with HR.
Sarah: I imagine your salary is at the same level as the other employees?
Lola: Yes, I am well paid, as at French companies. The good thing is we have many advantages, such as social security covering vacation time and time off, and they also take care of a few trips home per year - benefits I wouldn't have gotten with an American company.
Sarah: What would be your advice to someone who dreams of working in the US?
Lola: The biggest issue I faced was that there were too many options, too many companies and job offers. So target what you want - be precise, not all over the place. There's no need to apply for a million jobs.
Have one specific objective and stay motivated
It was Work With No Borders that allowed me to stay motivated and keep working - they didn't let me give up. I got my job offer on March 28th, and my deadline was April 1st.
So go until the end. Everything is possible, really, until the end. Without help it's hard to stay motivated after so many negative responses, because you often feel alone - but that's how it works for everyone. So don't give up. Also, the French have excellent math skills. Don't let people impress or intimidate you - these are assets that companies look for, and there's a lack of them in the USA.
Sarah: Thank you very much, Lola, for this interview. I'm sure it will help others.
Lola: I hope so!
And what about you?
As Lola did, are you also working in the US under an E-2 visa? If so, how did you do it? Was it easy?