Got inspired to write this post after seeing a conversation in a group chat with some former colleagues from
@base
Getting into U.S. based companies, especially as a global builder, is much harder than people realize.
As an immigrant, I quickly realized that nobody cared much about my previous work experiences or multiple college degrees from the ‘developing country’ I came from.
In fact, I didn’t even start getting meaningful responses until I began using my husband’s English last name, which was a lot more readable.
Good thing that ‘developing country’ also taught me great survival skills. I was used to being bold, proactive and persistent so I can create my own opportunities.
For example:
* While in high school, I saw some kids selling newspapers for an environmental activism group. I picked one up, called the number, met the guy coordinating it, and got my ever first job: selling newspapers on the street.
* While in college, I walked into an airline office and told them I wanted to work there. Started out as an intern which later turned into a short contract role until I graduated.
All my web3 jobs happened similarly.
* I told
@jessepollak that I wanted to work at base. Spent more than 6 months working for a role that didn’t even exist and kept sharing my progress. When we finally made it official, I didn’t even have to interview anyone, just some background checks.
So, here’s the tl;dr if you’re looking for your next role & having trouble breaking in:
1- Find a mission you care about, decide what role you want to play and start doing the job before you’re hired to do it.
2- Be bold and take action. Don’t wait around for someone to tell you what to do, but also don’t be afraid to dm/call/email anyone. They’re just humans.
3- Always keep your receipts and be able to prove your impact. Without real impact none of it matters.
Good luck! 🍀