Post on 19-Apr-2018
Agenda
World Education Services (WES) Paul Feltman
Upwardly Global Sherazade Langlade
Department of Labor Sinae Christy
Human Resources Perspective Greg Chartier
Personal Experience as an Immigrant Entrepreneur Pedro Coelho
Questions and Answers
Information Tables in Lobby
A national organization of community colleges and other organizations that are committed to supporting immigrant education through their innovative programs and services. CCCIE is housed in the Gateway Center at Westchester Community College CCCIE’s mission is to raise awareness of the important role community colleges play in delivering educational opportunities to immigrants, and to promote and expand the range and quality of programs for immigrant students among community colleges around the country.
Current Initiatives include: Supporting Highly Educated/Highly Skilled Immigrants as they seek to reenter their careers in the United States
Barriers to Success
– More than 1.4 million college-educated immigrants
in the U.S. are unemployed or working in unskilled
jobs. This represents 1 out of every 5 highly
educated immigrants.
5 © 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
About World Education Services
• WES’s mission is to foster the integration of individuals educated outside the U.S. into academic and professional settings
• WES is a non-profit organization (NGO) since 1974. Has served 750,000 individuals from all countries
– Primary Service: Providing evaluation reports so that legitimate academic credentials earned abroad are understood and fully recognized
– Immigrant Resources: Providing clear advice and offer links to the best available online resources and community programs - www.wes.org/info
– Community Engagement: Providing training and resources to community organizations, developing partnerships, circulating a monthly newsletter highlighting community initiatives
6 © 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Choosing a Credential Evaluation Service
• Your international education, once evaluated, can be
recognized and accepted by academic institutions, licensing
boards and employers
– YOU DON’T HAVE TO START OVER
• Each institution/agency/employer sets its own rules regarding
recognition and acceptance of foreign education
– NO SINGLE STANDARD APPLIES
When choosing an evaluation service….
– Know your goal (School, Employment, Licensing
– What instructions does the recipient provide
– If given a choice of services, consult www.naces.org
to identify a reliable evaluation service
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© 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Evaluations for Education
Some universities perform their own evaluations and will not accept an evaluation from an external service like WES
Many universities will accept and/or require a WES
evaluation
Once a university receives an evaluation, the institution will
ultimately decide your eligibility for an academic
program
Universities set a clear limit to the amount of transfer credit
they will accept
University Admissions
10 © 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Evaluations for Licensing
Credential Evaluation Certification from
professional association
Supplemental courses and/or
English language requirements
Work experience/internship
Examinations Fingerprints, fees,
citizenship, etc
11 © 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Licensing is state regulated with separate boards for each
profession. Licensing requirements can include:
For more information on licensing in New York state visit: The Office of Professions at www.op.nysed.gov OR
Careers for New Americans at www.CareersForNewAmericans.org
Evaluations for Employment
• “Market” your education!
• Highlight the U.S. equivalency on your resume
• Employers may ask for a credential evaluation
and have a preferred service
• Employers may not be familiar with credential
evaluation, so it is important that represent your
evaluation to potential employers
12 © 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Thank You
For more information and resources,
visit our website www.wes.org/info
Please feel free to contact WES at
nyc@wes.org
13 © 2009 World Education Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
© 2007, All Rights Reserved, Upwardly Global
How to Use your Foreign Degree in
The U.S.
Workshop for Immigrant Professionals
© 2007, All Rights Reserved, Upwardly Global
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Upwardly Global (www.upglo.org)
• Non-profit organization founded in 2000 with offices in NY,
SF and Chicago
• Helps skilled immigrants, who meet our eligibility
requirements, rebuild their careers in the U.S.
1. Job Search Program
Free 7-week or 4 full days workshop
Expectation to commit to a high level of communication with Upwardly
Global staff
2. Employer Network Program
Connections to employers in your field
Success Stories
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Before: Babysitter After: Immigration Lawyer
Before: Cab driver After: Design Engineer, Con Edison
Before: Unemployed After: Professional Recruiter JPMC
Before: Security Guard After: Accountant, AJWS
Before: Unemployed After: PR Director, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Before: Cook After: Evaluater, WES
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Working with UpGlo to Re-Start your Career
Minimum qualifications
– Full, permanent work authorization
– Minimum of a BA degree from outside the US
– Arrived in US within the past 5 years
– Have at least 2 years of experience in field
– Highly motivated in your job search
– Able to commit to the program
Apply online! www.upwardlyglobal.org
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Traits of U.S. Job Search
From experience, here’s what we know…The job
search is DIFFERENT in the U.S.:
Fast and Competitive
Networking
Focus on self promotion
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Job Search Tool Box: Resumes
Employers will only spend 20 seconds
reviewing your resume! Your resume must
quickly show:
• What you are looking for
• What value you bring
• What you are capable of
UPGLO ACTION ITEM: Update your resume in
the American style
“After I updated my resume, it
was much more clear what kind of
job I wanted. My resume is now
results oriented and easier to
read, and really highlights my best
accomplishments. After I
updated it, I started getting
calls and interviews!”
-Nataliya, Ukraine
American Style Resume
Concise (1 – 2 pages is best)
Results oriented
Well organized and formatted
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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
American Style Resumes are:
• Concise (1 – 2 pages is best)
• Results oriented
• Well organized and formatted
Include a brief explanation of what the company did (if not in the U.S.)
Provide specific quantitative examples of the impact YOU had at the company. It’s OK to brag!
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List your “survival jobs” in a separate category of your resume, after your professional experience
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How do Americans find Jobs?
Slice 1 Slice 2
Slice 3
Networking – 77% !!
Newspaper ads – 15%
Internet Job Boards – 4%
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Networking
Where
• Personal network – school, church, community
• Professional Association events/meetings
• Job Fairs/Conferences
• Classes/Trainings
How
• Informational Interviews or “Meet for coffee”
• Short phone calls
• LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com)
UPGLO ACTION ITEM: List 5 people you will talk to or places you will go to start networking in your job search
Gaining U.S. Experience
Volunteering or Internship
– Gain experience in U.S. workplace
– Gain new skills
– Help address gap in resume
– Build your professional network
– Develop references
– May lead to full-time position
Where to look?
– www.idealist.org
– www.volunteermatch.org
– http://nyjobsource.com/nyinterns.html 27
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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).”
UPGLO ACTION ITEM: Practice Your Pitch
New Resources for Regulated Professions
Careers for New Americans (www.careersfornewamericans.org)
– outline the steps to follow to qualify for a
professional license or credentials
What are covered in the website:
– How the profession is organized in NY
– Eligibility for Licensing
– Tests
– Time and Costs
– Other Careers and Credentials
– Beyond Licensing
– Important Links
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