work world in America

(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 16^th and 17^th 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.