How Carmen Alvarado adjusted to US work culture after immigrating from Venezuela
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Carmen Alvarado immigrated to the US from Venezuela in January 2014. She moved around the country before landing in New York, and graduated from the LEAD program held at Chatham Square Library in May 2017. “It was the perfect program at the perfect time,” she says. Below, Carmen talks about adjusting to the city and US work culture, and surrounding herself with a supportive group of women.
What was it like trying to find work when you arrived in New York?
I had my papers ready to start working, but I wasn’t aware of how different the American environment was. Everything I knew about how to get a job wasn’t appropriate to use in the US. Back in Venezuela, the resume, for example, needs to have a picture on it and you do not have a page limit. Also, networking is not as important there as it is here. In Venezuela, you qualify for a job depending on your resume and nothing else. However, finding a good job in the United States is a real challenge.
How did you discover LEAD and what made you try it?
I have had the opportunity to live in several US cities, and I always find amazing programs offered by the libraries in every city. In New York, I went to the library looking for a reading group, or something interesting to do with my time, and I found the LEAD program. I was looking for a job and looking for friends who shared the same interests that I had, and I found both with the LEAD program.
How did LEAD help you adjust to US work culture?
By joining the LEAD group, I was able to change my resume to the US format, thanks to the advice of the many successful women I met. The best advice I received was that I should have a one-page resume, but I should not limit my LinkedIn profile. So I added all my experience to my profile, giving as many details as possible about my career, and immediately started getting a lot of feedback from companies.
What has your work experience been like since participating in LEAD?
Throughout the program, I was getting ideas to improve myself and prepare for the American work environment. It was so helpful, that after three weeks in the program I was already working as an account coordinator for a small company on Wall Street. It was a part-time job with no benefits. After getting this job, I took time to polish my LinkedIn account. I also started networking and asking for advice from women I met through other activities offered by New Women New Yorkers.
I was called to some interviews, and after a few months I received two offers from two companies. The company that I was already working for created a new position for me. Another company on Wall Street offered me a CFO position. Of course, I took the second offer.
What has it been like adjusting to living in New York?
I actually did not like the life in NYC. I did not like the trains that are too dirty, and the streets are too crowded. There were a few things that I loved, like Central Park, Bryant Park, and Battery Park. I moved just a month ago to Jersey City, where I can have my car and a parking lot under the building where I live. There are less crowded streets, nice neighborhoods, and the PATH is clean and filled with really polite people. I still travel to work in Manhattan during the week, but my free time I spend in New Jersey.
How do you spend your spare time?
I love cooking. Every week I try to make new recipes and learn how to cook something new. I always exercise in the gym, two to three times a week, to lift weights mainly and sometimes to take bootcamp classes. I always do crafts. I like knitting and sewing, and I am usually involved in a project for my house; right now, I am working on renewing the chairs of my dining table. I love learning new things. I also enjoy movies and reading a good book. There are many places in New Jersey that I enjoy too, like the Hudson Mall, Newport, and Secaucus.
What advice do you have for other women who are considering LEAD?
The LEAD program should be mandatory for every immigrant woman in every state of the US. It doesn’t only help you with your career, but it also helps you to make friends and to improve yourself. I met beautiful and successful women who inspired me. The LEAD group that I graduated with still does meetings. We keep in touch and help each other as much as we can.
We were all in the same moment of our lives, sharing the same experiences, with the same needs, and it helped us to bond and made us real friends. There is so much in common among us that it was impossible not to make friends.
Click here to learn more about LEAD and LEAD For New Moms, and to sign up.
Communities thrive when everyone is equipped with the tools for success. New Women New Yorkers believes in the vast potential that every immigrant woman coming to New York has to contribute to our city, regardless of her national origin, cultural background, or educational level. Donate today to our campaign Support Immigrant Women to Enter the Workforce: https://support-immigrant-women.causevox.com
