Self-promotion
Be assertive and confident; don’t be afraid to talk about your positive attributes.

Directness in communication
Eye contact is important in the American culture; it communicates respect and confidence.

Self-disclosure
Be prepared to answer questions about your personality and work style.

Career self-awareness
Be prepared to tactfully answer questions about your long-term career goals and the possibility of returning to your home countries or staying in the U.S.

Individual responsibilities in finding employment
In the U.S., it is the responsibility of the individual to look for and obtain a job, as opposed to the cultural norms of collectivist cultures.

Informality in the interviewing process
The U.S. interviewing practice commonly encourages openness, light humor and exchange of information.

Punctuality
American culture adheres to time and punctuality, so arrive at interviews 10-15 minutes early.

Visa issues
Be prepared to explain to or teach the employer about your visa status and what is required to remain in the U.S. To do this, you must be very knowledgeable of your status and the means to maintain and/or renew it. (Refer to “Job Search Preparation” for more information on how to address this issue.)

Beliefs/Customs
If prompted to do something that is against your religion e.g. females shaking hands with males, custom or belief, politely explain to the interviewer that it is against your beliefs to do so. Do not compromise your beliefs.

Legality of questions
Some questions, such as personal questions about your marital status, religion, etc. are considered inappropriate in the U.S. and could be used as evidence of discrimination Find out what these are and decide what you would like to do with that information.

Practice, practice, practice
Reading over commonly asked questions, speaking in the mirror or with someone else is very helpful both for confidence and speech.
Use our Virtual Mock Interviewing program   
Additional interviewing help

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