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4. How to prepare or train yourself for job? Time commitment, strategy ?

This post is part of the series: Everything you need to know about How to get a Job & face interviews in US. Once you decide the company to join after looking at all the criteria and asking your employer questions and finally negotiating the salary . Once you commit to an employer, then it is your duty to plan and study. This post will give you an idea…

First, you have to understand where you stand…You have to evaluate yourself your current situation. The best thing is to look at an existing resume that is already out in the market in the technology you wish to pursue.  If everything seems greek and latin for you, then you have to work harder. Many people try to switch their careers. They might have a Electrical, civil or mechanical background, but they want to get into IT career and make some good money.  For those, making that kind of switch it is more challenging….needs an extra mile effort from you J

Typical Consulting Job preparation  Plan

TimelineTask / Goals
First  week· collect the resources for the technology you are preparing

· Setup computer with software. Install software and other applications you might need access

· Find mentors for you to guide you. Talk to your friends and get numbers of someone who work in that technology

· Collect some good resumes from recruiters.

Second Week· Go through resume and pick everything that you do not know.

· Create a plan with each thing you do not know and allocate an hour or more time for each topic.

· Talk to someone who is working and get the important topics. Talk to more than two people. Get different ideas. Take their advice. People are willing to help you. You JUST HAVE TO ASK !

· Note the topics you get from mentors and create a time line. Plan every detail. As someone said, “failing to plan is, planning to fail”.  If you do not have a plan, you do not know what you have to do. Learning new technology is an Ocean, just pick and lean what you need to than everything. That’s why advice is key.

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

· Four weeks are good enough to lean anything to an extent you can clear an interview.

· Do not try to learn everything to 100%. Perfection is not key in Consulting.

· Go back to the old resume and by end of seventh week, you should be comfortable to know what a term means in the resume. The idea is to know it to a basic level.

Week 8· Create resume.

· Send resume to mentors or people you have talked

· Setup mock interviews on phone with Mentors or someone you know.

· Ask your friends to find someone to help you with interviews.

· You will find out in your mock interview how much you lag

· Refine resume and send back to mentors for comments.

· By the end of Week 8 you should have a final resume in hand.


Week 9

· Send resume to your Sales department in your company.

· Ask your sales person to tell you before they submit to anyone. Be it vendor or client

· Take vendor calls.

Week 10· Take vendor calls

· Refine or customize resume for requirements to highlight your skills.

· Hopefully you get a client interview here. This is your luck and your skill to clear the interview or screening of vendor.

Week 11· Client interview is scheduled.

· If you get here, you have fair chance at least 75% to get job unless you screw up totally or your luck is very bad…

· Hopefully you clear the client interview and start working

The above is my version of plan…everyone has their own thoughts and they prefer different approach…It worked for me, so I am sharing with you all….

All of the above can be condensed or expanded based on the technology. You can be ready in 6 weeks or 5 weeks or can take 15 weeks…Its up to you to pick up the technology and plan your time. The key is the TASKs or GOALS in the table.

Good Luck !

If you have any questions, drop a comment…

   

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4 Comments

  1. Hi,
    I got my H1B picked in the lottery but I do not have a project because of covid-19 impact. I need some job offer to submit my documentation. How can I find an employer who can wait for me to join after the H1B approval, by giving a job offer now?

    Reply
  2. Hi,

    I am working for an indian company, and I got my H1 Visa and will be travelling within one month. My husband also coming with me as dependent in H4 visa. He is a post graduate in MBA (Marketing and sales) and working in Marketing and Sales stream.

    qn1) Is it possible for him to get a job in marketing and sales stream?
    qn2) How to find out consultancies offering jobs in marketing stream?
    qn3) After selecting a consultancy, petition filing will be on Apr 1, and will get the work permit by Oct 1, so your above “Typical Consulting Job preparation Plan” should start from Oct 1 or Apr1?
    qn4) Once he get H1 visa, H4 visa will not be valid, so if he couldn’t find a job there, he need to return back to India? How long he can stay there with H1 visa and without job there? Or can he stay there as my dependent?

    Thanks
    Swathi

    Reply
    • Swathi,
      1. If they offer positions that require at least Bachelors degree (I am not sure about it)
      2. You can search on job sites (dice, monster) or online search or network of friends/colleagues/family
      3. Didn’t understand the question
      4. Once his H-1 is approved, he will have the job w/ the company who have sponsored his H-1. They need to pay him irrespective of whether he has a project or not. Staying w/o pay results in accumulation of out-of-status. He needs to start getting paid ASAP or go back to H-4 status (by filing COS) or leave US.

      Reply

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