(11320061)
Work:
Practice and Attitudes
·
Cross-Cultural
Implications of the Job Search
“Job
hunting” in the United States or in American organization is a challenging
experience for American, but it is also challenging experience for people from
other countries. A personal contact such as a friend or relative, can be help
in informing someone of a job opening and possibly helping the job applicant
obtain an interview. However, this kind of “connection” does not usually affect
hiring call. Even you have many connections, it does not mean that you will get
the job easily. Most of immigrants in
the United States put too much hope into the connections, therefore some of
them shock when they have upon arriving in the United States. Because most of
institutes in the United States such as the government, schools, and even job
placement centers do not hand people jobs on “silver platters”. Or in other
words, the institutes do not allow someone to get work very easily or without
having work for it.
·
Step
to Finding a Job
To find a job in
the United States is not easy. The foreign visitors or new immigrants should
receive some additional training if their skills are not marketable in the
United States. After that, the job search consists of a minimum of four steps:
-
Preparation
Preparation is one of steps that should fulfill by
foreign visitors or new immigrants if they want to find a job. Preparation
involves identifying skills and the range of work one is capable of doing. This
contains locating all possible sources for learning about job. It seems like an exercise before they join
with the company that they are interested in. From this preparation someone can
learn about a job and know about their ability. If we translate, preparation is
like doing volunteer work.
-
Networking
Most of people usually find
a job based on their education, work experiences, ability, and performance at
an interview. In this step the job seeker should find people who have similar
interest in job. In other words, the purpose of networking is to get a job
easier through the acquaintance. If the job seekers want to know their ability,
they should follow some activities such as participating in professional
organization and doing volunteer work. Once again, having the contact makes the
job seeker easier to get a job. However it does not ensure that they will get a
job.
- Resume development
Resume
development is one of steps for finding a job in America. It is the most
important ways to “sell oneself” or to promote ourselves to the prospective
employer. A resume contains the summary of professional goals or objectives,
education, previous jobs, accomplishments and etc. Sometimes, it also include a
little information about personal interest and hobbies. The content of resume
should be attractive and factually. If there is someone who greatly exaggerate
or lies on a resume can later be fired, especially if the worker do not has the
skills claimed.
-
The
interview
The
last step of finding a job is interview. Interview is a meeting in which
someone asks you question to see if you are suitable for a job or course. Small
talk in the beginning of interview is important, the answer from job applicant
can show how easily the person can converse. The employer will not accept the
employees if they looks unfriendly or unsociable even they are the most
qualified. Not just a smile and handshake are expected in the interview, but
also a good appearance is needed in this part. During the interview, a
supervisor will give some questions to the job seeker. In some people from
other countries, sometimes they have difficulty in answering the question because
their cultural perspectives. In American interview, applicant must learn to
present or promote themselves in the attractive way, such as asking some
questions to the employer, it shows that they are interested in the job.
·
Employer
– Employee Relationships
The
relationships between the employers and employee in America is casual nature.
For example subordinate often call their superiors by the first names. Many
foreigners from other countries feel difficult with this costume. However, the
usage of “Miss” or “Mr.” is very unfamiliar to American. This usage will convey
a position of subservience which goes against the American cultural value of
egalitarianism. However, subordinate is not equal to the boss, because the boss
has more power, earns a higher salary and can make decisions about hiring and
firing.
·
On-the-job
Communication Skills
The
differences of culture can cause the difficulties of communication at work.
Most of foreign employee especially Asian employees do not confess or deny if
they do not understand with the explanation of the supervisor. In the contrary
Americans will confess if they do not understand with the explanation of the
supervisor. This is because the Asian culture is different with the American
culture. The difficulties of communication also happen when Asian employees
cannot convey their ideas or opinions. It is because the Asian employees
consider that offering an opinion to person who has higher status is not
appropriate. If an employee becomes passive in the meeting, it means that
person is not contributing to the meeting or do not understand the material of the
meeting. Usually, Americans use brainstorming to express many ideas on a given
question or problem. This technique is used to collect the ideas of the group
without stopping to discuss. In brainstorming, narrowing down and eliminating
ideas are common happen. However for other people especially from other
countries who do not like with blurting out ideas will feel uncomfortable with
this brainstorming technique.
·
Time
Considerations in The Work World
Time
consideration in the work world is important, especially in American culture.
Promptness and punctuality is expected in American work place. It means that
people who keep the promptness is dependable or trusted and people that do not
keep the promptness seems like unreliable or untrusted. In American business
culture, arriving ten minutes late is considered rude. However, it is different
with Latin America culture. In Latin America culture, arriving thirty to
forty-five minutes late is not necessary seen as disrespectful. In many
countries, employees feel free and can stop working if the boss is not around.
It also happen in the United States but American (especially professional) is
different. American (usually professional) does not waste the time.
Pleasantries
is not part of American culture. However, it is contrast with other countries
way. In American business culture, someone will know each other if they do
business. In the contrary, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Asian culture
where social and personal relation often must precede business relations.
American time has been characterized as a river flowing quickly away from
people. In the other hand, in other parts of the world time is seen more as a
pool of water that does not go anywhere.
·
Workaholic
Workaholic
describes people who are as addicted to their work. This makes the employees
have little time for leisure or personal relationships. There are some
different point of views about workaholic. From some people point of view,
workaholic is important in society because they are very productive. In other
hand, workaholic will have problems of mental stress, because they do not much
time to take a rest. Most of workaholic life style will have bad impact to
personal and family life. Usually, workaholic people are in their twenties and
thirties. However some of people in mid-life change their priorities and
realize that they do not have to prove themselves through their work
accomplishment.
·
The
“Work Ethic” and Materialism
The
attitudes toward work in the United States were influenced by the work ethic.
Therefore. Most of people in United States do work hard and become successful.
This ethic itself was from puritan colonist from England. Puritan is a member
of an English religious group in 16th and 17th centuries who
believe that self-control and hard worker were important and that pleasure was
wrong or unnecessary. The puritan believe if they get success they are among
God’s and will go to heaven. However, the main motivation for work today is
achievement. The orientation of achievement is ‘to do’ or ‘to make’ which is
the result of American materialism and the outcome of the work ethic. Success
brings material rewards which can be proof of hard work.
·
Reaction
Work
The main
motivation of work is to earn a living. The rewards that people receive in
their work influences the people attitudes. For example corporation president
uses work to obtain material goods. In the contrary, a new teacher uses the job
to look for intellectual stimulation and personal gratification at work, even
she is not highly paid. In the United States, one’s job is an important faces
of personal identity. Since American society places a stronger emphasis on
doing that on being. In addition, what some “does” helps to determine that
person’s prestige. Usually, people have two opposing feeling at the same time.
Sometimes, they will glorified and belittled the people’s job.
