When Joanna Zhou moved to the United States from China in 2013, she didn’t expect to have to start her career over.
“We hadn’t planned on coming to the U.S.,” she says, reflecting on the move she made with her husband. “His job needed him to be here, so I had to quit my job to follow him. I couldn’t start my U.S. job search for over a year because I was waiting for the government to approve my work status. And the search itself was a painful one — it took over a year as well.”
At the time, Joanna didn’t know about Upwardly Global. She didn’t have access to the resources or community that she is now a part of. But in 2020, while working at Cummins, she discovered Upwardly Global through a corporate volunteer program. That moment would transform her personal and professional life.
The Immigrant Recruiter Insider
Two keywords keep coming up as Joanna describes her professional career in the U.S.: immigrant and recruiter insider. That dual identity has defined her new life in America.
“Immigrants, refugees, non-native speakers … we don’t just need job search tips. We need someone who understands our journey and who also knows how the system really works.”
From 2019 to 2024, Joanna spent five years working in the corporate recruiting department of a Fortune 500 company. “We needed to hire up to 20,000 employees a year globally. My job was to figure out how we could do that faster and more efficiently. That experience gave me the chance to actually see behind the curtain. Why were certain hiring decisions made? Why did some people get picked over others? For many immigrant job seekers, there’s a massive gap between what they think matters and what actually matters.”
Drawing on Personal Experience
Since 2020, Joanna has helped close to 100 immigrant and refugee professionals through Upwardly Global, drawing on both her personal experience and professional expertise.
“When job seekers share their stories with me, I can look them in the eyes and tell them, ‘I get it. I’ve been there. I understand your pain.’ Our shared experience immediately builds trust, which helps them take my advice and greatly improve their own job search.”
Joanna also noted that volunteering opened new pathways for herself professionally and personally.
“It may sound like I had everything figured out before I signed up with Upwardly Global, but volunteering here is what helped me realize the value of being both an immigrant and a recruiting insider.”
Launching Bold Bridge Careers
Today, Joanna is the founder of Bold Bridge Careers, which teaches non-native and immigrant job seekers how to better communicate their value to American employers. She launched the company after seeing a critical need. “The people I worked with at Upwardly Global all spoke excellent English, but they all said the same thing: ‘I don’t know how to talk about myself so Americans can understand and appreciate my value.’
“It’s a huge struggle this group faces. They have the professional training, work experience, and language skills — everything needed on paper to succeed in their job search. But they’re at a disadvantage right from the beginning, without the network of family, friends, school alumni, and former colleagues that their U.S.-born counterparts have been building for years.
“More importantly, their skills often don’t translate well into the unspoken norms of the American job search process. Our goal is to help them in these areas — to make a good first impression when networking, highlight the most important parts of their resume, help their interviewers feel comfortable, and ultimately show their true value.”
Building Relationships With Trust
Through her business and her continued volunteer work, Joanna is helping non-native job seekers bridge that gap. Her commitment is rooted in empathy and a growth mindset.
“It’s about building relationships, building trust. You don’t have to be the most technically skilled candidate to get hired. In many cases, if that person likes you, trusts you, and thinks you can do the work, that can be enough to win the job. But how exactly can you do that?”
Joanna encourages job seekers to view every application, every interaction, and even every rejection as a chance to improve. “As long as you’re improving, good things will happen.”
Looking to the Future
As Upwardly Global celebrates its 25th anniversary, Joanna also shares her hopes for the organization’s future:
“My first hope is that Upwardly Global continues to advocate for the people we serve,” she says. “The team speaks up, even when it’s difficult, and that means a lot to this community. The state of the economy, politics, and social issues can all have huge effects on companies and people making hiring decisions. Upwardly Global can better help job seekers understand the ‘bigger picture’ of their job search to help them adjust to these constant changes.”
Her second wish is focused on the organization’s volunteers: “I’d love to see more ways for me and my fellow volunteers to connect, learn, and grow together.”
Self-Discovery and Personal Growth Through Volunteering
Joanna’s story is a testament to the power of lived experience, generosity, and purpose.
“Being a volunteer isn’t just about helping others. It’s about self-discovery. I think Upwardly Global has helped me even more than the many job seekers that it helps every day — learning my strengths, finding my own voice, and knowing that I can really help people who are struggling. That’s something no paycheck can give.”
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