Frequently Asked Questions

Do Upwardly Global Candidates require visa sponsorship?

No. Upwardly Global only presents candidates who are fully authorized to work in the United States. Upwardly Global does not present candidates with H1, F1 or other conditional work authorizations. You will only be required to complete an I-9 for Upwardly Global hires, just as you would for US citizens.

Can Upwardly Global Candidates communicate in English?

All Upwardly Global Candidates have good written and spoken English, most candidates have very good written and spoken English. English is the native tongue for some candidates, particularly those from African countries or India. Many candidates did some or all of their university work in English. We will not suggest a candidate with less than excellent English for a position that demands excellent communication skills. Immersed in an English-only environment, non-native speakers adapt quickly.

Do their degrees ‘count’ in the United States?

Yes. All Upwardly Global Candidates have at least a Bachelor degree (50% have a Masters or higher), from an accredited university. Many Candidates have graduated from the top universities in their home countries, schools that may rank higher than US institutions. You can ask a Candidate to present a degree evaluation that states equivalency. World Education Services is our preferred credential evaluation service.

Where are Upwardly Global's jobseekers from?

We have worked with 300 jobseekers from 55+ countries around the world, with an emphasis on Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics. Click here to read more about Jobseeker demographics.

What if the Candidates have little or no US work experience?

All Upwardly Global Candidates have worked in professional environments for at least three years (average of seven years in their home countries). Most Candidates were employed at global companies or engaged in international commerce and are accustomed to international professional standards. For example, GAAP accounting principles are taught and practiced in many countries.

Why have some Candidates been out of work for 9 – 24 months?

Immigrating to a new country is a turbulent and difficult experience. Upon arrival in the US, Candidates need to address the basics: finding an affordable place to live, a survival job to pay the bills, school for their children, etc. Often Candidates have been working, but will not list their survival jobs in the service industry, so as not to distract from their relevant professional experience.

Can you give me examples of the kinds of jobs Upwardly Global jobseekers have when they first come here?

One jobseeker with a PhD was a part-time cashier at a grocery. One with seven years of experience in finance was in housekeeping at a hotel.

Can doctors and other professionals really practice again in the U.S.?

Yes. The relicensing/recredentialing process is long, bureaucratic and difficult, but not impossible. Upwardly Global helps navigate the maze of red tape by connecting immigrant professionals to people who know the shortcuts.

What are their strong points? Why should I promote them to hiring manager or colleagues?

That’s the trick with every candidate, isn't’t it? Foreign-born Candidates are competitive with native-born candidates, and offer many unique benefits because of their international backgrounds and experience. Here are a few issues to consider when presenting a candidate:

• Skilled talent is hard to find, Upwardly Global Candidates have the skills. Recruiters are competing for a shrinking number of available skilled candidates and need to ‘be on the lookout’ for new sources of talent. Foreign-born candidates represent a pool of mature, seasoned and ambitious talent.
• Diversity. Most companies are struggling to build a diverse workforce. Upwardly Global Candidates immigrated from Asia, Africa, and Latin America and contribute to diversity goals.
• Knowledge of ethnic markets. The ethnic market in the United States is the 6th largest economy in the world - and it is growing. Upwardly Global Candidates are from these ethnic groups and are well equipped to understand and serve these growth markets.
• Globalization abroad, globalization at home. Outsourcing, the Internet or immigration, we live in a global economy. Retaining a culturally competent workforce with global experience is essential to companies’ survival in the 21st Century.

The candidates seem overqualified for the positions we offer.

True. Many candidates held positions with greater responsibility in their home countries than the positions they are currently seeking. Candidates realize, however, they will need to make some sacrifice to get their careers back on track. Foreign-born candidates tend to be grateful and loyal to employers who ‘took the chance’ on them.

If they are so qualified, why can’t they find a job?

Our Candidates ask us the same question! The chief barriers to employment fall into five areas that we address in our Jobseeker Workshops:

• Lack of networks. In the US, most jobs are found and landed via personal connections and referrals. The situation is the same in other countries. In many cases Upwardly Global Candidates were well connected in their countries of origin, but do not have professional contacts and networks in the United States.
• Resume presentation. In the United States, a Candidate’s resume is his or her personal sales brochure. Recruiters look for specific elements and are accustomed to a familiar, often brief, format. In other countries, the resume may have a different role in the recruitment process, and the format and length may be different. Unless they come from a reputable source, such as Upwardly Global, candidates are often dismissed on first review because the resume does not follow familiar format.
• Self promotion. We know the interview as a time when candidates should sell themselves. In many cultures, however, unabashed self promotion is seen as brash and frowned upon. Foreign- born Candidates may have different communication styles that can be misconstrued by interviewers as a lack of self confidence.
• Misconceptions. The most common reason foreign-born candidates do not advance quickly in the recruitment process is that they are – in a word – foreign. People are unfamiliar with their accents, their resumes, their university degrees, their foreign employers, and their choice of words. Many of us subconsciously dismiss quality candidates because they are an unfamiliar entity.

What is the difference between a refugee, an asylee and immigrant?

The terms refugee and asylee are interchangeable. They are people who have fled their homelands after being persecuted for their gender or their ethnic, religious, political and/or racial backgrounds. Unable to return to their countries, they resettle permanently in the U.S. to rebuild their lives and careers.

Immigrants come to the U.S. for a variety of reasons: to join family, to marry an American, to experience new freedoms and opportunities or to escape difficult situations in their home countries.

We prioritize services for refugees and asylees, but we also serve unemployed and underemployed legal immigrants.

How do immigrant professionals find Upwardly Global?

Community agencies, ESL schools and teachers refer underemployed immigrants to Upwardly Global. As well, we have a very high referral rate from past jobseekers.

Upwardly Global jobseekers are educated and experienced. Are things really so tough for them?

"Tough" is a relative term, but yes it is. Refugees and asylees, in particular, have experienced a great deal of loss. They have often lost family members and friends, homes and possessions. When they get to the U.S. that loss continues. Because they don't yet know the American system or have any contacts for networking, they lose their ability to work in their career fields. They take jobs that they're terribly overqualified for, and sink into the class of the working poor, barely able to make ends meet for their families. Those with children rely on Food Stamps and MediCal. Their education and experience is all they have. Upwardly Global helps them use their talents to support themselves and their families.