It’s been almost a full month since I’ve posted to this blog. Personally, I delete people I follow if they don’t post for a month, and I’d hate to fall victim to my own rule.
CatComm 2005 HQ, The Casa, site of my MBA internship
For those of you that do not know, in 2005, I created my own MBA internship, and worked in Rio de Janerio, Brazil with an organization called Catalytic Communities. CatComm as it’s commonly called, empowers community leaders in developing countries to share their ideas through social media.
They introduced a creative fundraising campaign this year that I couldn’t help but introduce to MBA in the USA readers. Simply buy a $10 raffle ticket, and you are eligible for a trip for 2 to Rio! Not a bad return on investment for students and professionals alike.
Two pieces of media stood out to me this weekend. Tim Ferriss introduced me to the upcoming film, Waiting for Superman, a documentary exploring the failing US primary education system. The movie trailer taught me that, among 30 developed countries, the US ranked 25th in Math, 21st in Science, and 1st in Confidence. #1 in Confidence. Why?
Today, I read a WSJ article highlighting how language impacts culture, the way we view the world. The article brilliantly shared research exploring how words and sentence structure reflect a culture’s values.
I connected the dots, and started thinking about my favorite American cultural trait, the belief that we control our lives and destinies. Americans value action, and truly believe that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything.
Impactful writing reflects these ideals. Write your MBA essays with confidence. Use action verbs to demonstrate your potential. Illustrate how proactive you will be in the classroom and beyond. Your essays will flow like a saxophone solo, beautiful music to waiting Recruiters’ ears.
As recruiting begins for the next class of MBAs, here are my top 5 ways to update your resume for American recruiters.
5. Remove your photograph.
Many countries prefer or even require a photograph on your resume. In the US, it’s just not done. Americans are very egalitarian, and aim to reward based on merit. A resume provides a vehicle for recruiters to form an opinion based on a candidate’s qualifications rather than their looks.
4. Transform “we” statements into “I” statements.
The US is a very individualistic society. American recruiters want to see what you have accomplished during your career, not what your team has accomplished. To be fair, team results are important, but strive to highlight your individual contributions or your individual contributions to the team’s success on your resume.
The world fascinates me. My greatest joys in life come from traveling; embracing cultures through food, drink, and dance; and meeting people from all over the world. I may be a cultural anthropologist at heart, but I studied business; combining the two creates my perfect career.
On the surface, culture is what you see. It’s what people wear, what they like to do, and even how they treat each other. Culture is so deeply rooted in each one of us that it creates our norms. Only when we interact with people from other cultures do we realize that our norms are not necessarily shared by the rest of the world.
Americans believe time is within our control. We plan, schedule, and practice time management. Many other cultures, on the other hand, believe factors beyond their control impact time and call for flexible schedules (e.g. traffic). When I arrived in Brazil for my MBA internship, I dedicated large amounts of time to planning my travel within Rio. Just because I didn’t speak the language or know anything about the bus system didn’t give me the right to be late for meetings!
I giggle now when I think about that young woman in Rio. I traveled pretty extensively prior to living abroad for the first time, but there is no substitute for the experience of actually living in another culture. I studied the cultural norms in books, and prepared to adapt my behaviors to suit the Brazilian workplace. However, the experience of actually being there: living, working, and playing, brought the learning to life, and elevated my understanding of what it takes to succeed in global business.
When you come to the US for your MBA, you will make mistakes; I once sat for an hour waiting to meet someone in Brazil after leaving 2 hours early to make sure I was on time. Give yourself grace. Research the cultural norms, identify how they manifest in US business, and adapt your behaviors to suit. Then, go about your life. The growth you will experience over the two years will be invaluable for your development as a global leader.
One of my favorite annual posts on MBA in the USA is the summer reading post published when Brandon and I spend beach week with my extended family. As you dedicated followers know, I’m a big nerd, or constant learner if you will.
I’ve read a lot of books since last year’s post; here are 3 of my favorites:
1. Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (Quick & Dirty Tips)
Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty, spins creative tales to spice up the world of US English grammar. She provides clear explanations with detailed examples of common grammar mistakes, and somehow makes that a fun read. I guarantee this book will improve your writing as you prepare your MBA applications and complete your coursework.
2. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
In Drive, Daniel Pink highlights new ideas to motivate employees and encourage innovation in the workplace. He explores the world of US business and companies find the greatest success by moving beyond traditional motivators (e.g. money) to intrinsic motivators (e.g. autonomy). An excellent case study on the future of management, this book will be especially valuable for international students seeking to understand how to succeed in the USA.
3. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
Michael Gerber breaks down what it takes to run a successful small business. He introduces a concept I like to call the Success Trinity that is truly one of the most valuable things I’ve learned in business, and brings theories to life with examples carried throughout the text. This easy to follow book provides a solid guide for anyone interested in Entrepreneurship.
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