How can Ukrainians find work in the US tech market

Today we’ll share the summary of our latest event “How can Ukrainians find work in the US tech market” in collaboration with Restream. Hope you’ll find it helpful while looking for a job in a new environment. 

On February 1st Maryna Goushcha, Performance Marketing Team Lead at Restream, and Lesya Arnold, Founder of A-Players, covered the following topics during their discussion:

• Creating a CV

• How to organize your LinkedIn page

• Resources for finding a job

• Cultural differences: the US vs. Ukraine

• Salary negotiations

• Interview process and much more

To ensure your CV stands out in the job market, it's essential to follow some key tips:

• Shorten your older or less relevant experience and focus on the most recent one.

• Include keywords and industry terms from the position you’re applying to. Many companies use software to scan your CV, usually looking for these specific terms and keywords.

• Create it in 2 formats: pdf and docs. When applying through a platform, use a docs format. When a recruiter asks to send a CV, send a pdf.

• Proofread everything. Ask your friends for help, or use Grammarly.

• Write a CV for scanning. Even human recruiters don’t read but skim through CVs.

• Don’t include your picture, it’s not culturally common in the US.

• Describe your accomplishments clearly in a metric system, not the specific technologies you used.

• Add a link to your LinkedIn page. It doesn’t have a space limit. You can tell there everything about your experience.

Also, the presence of one or more points in a candidate’s profile helps to stand out:

• An experience is described from a product and business perspective, not just from a technical side.

• High GPA or incomplete education.

• Top university.

• The duration of work in each of the last three companies is not less than one and a half years.

• Positive recommendations in the profile.

• Entrepreneurial experience.

• Volunteer experience.

• Other rare qualities. For example, the experience of living in another country or knowledge of a rare language. Usually, this is the mark of this “extra” thing in a person’s character.

While looking for opportunities, utilize resources like LinkedIn, AngelList, Indeed, Glassdoor, specific company websites, and professional events. Volunteering helps expand your network. Remember that personal contacts are crucial in the job market. Try to make meaningful connections with people in the companies you are interested in.

It works better when you don’t tell directly that you’re looking for a job. Get involved in some projects and put them on your CV. When people ask what you do, tell them you’re helping with a project, but you’re also open to new opportunities.

Keep in mind the cultural differences in the job market:

• Ability to very brightly show your experience and achievements. It’s okay to start talking about it, no one will consider you too arrogant.

• Avoid telling personal stuff during an interview and while working in the company.

• Take into account a small talk culture. Research an icebreaker that will help start a conversation with a person.

Watch the full video recording of the event to learn more about salary negotiations, overcoming imposter syndrome, and tips on getting through an interview process.

P.S. Take the time to read Maryna Goushcha’s material on 5 easy steps to starting a remote (or not) job search. Finding the perfect job can be challenging, but with the proper preparation and resources, it can also be a rewarding experience. Hope to hear your success stories on this process soon.