Relocating to the United States can open up new career opportunities, but it also requires adapting to different labour market, business communication practices and American workplace culture. Elina Omarova, a Kazakhstani woman born and raised in Astana has shared in an interview to El.kz journalist her experience of finding first job in the United States, submitting 200 job applications and attending 30 interviews. Today, she works in global marketing consulting and helps Kazakhstanis navigate the American labour market.
Could you tell us about yourself?
I was born in Astana and lived there until I relocated to US. I currently live in the United States and work as a marketing professional.
I started my career in startups, helping companies develop their marketing strategies, then joined an organisation supporting startups, where I helped young teams raise their profiles, connected them with journalists, wrote articles about their businesses, took photos and, of course, actively managed social media accounts.
Today, I am involved in global marketing campaigns consulting. In my free time, I run an Instagram blog and help people find employment opportunities in the United States. I share information about available opportunities, practical tips and common mistakes to avoid. My own journey was far from easy, so my goal now is to make the process at least a little easier for my fellow citizens.
What motivated you to move to US? Did it happen unexpectedly due to certain circumstances?
It was mostly due to circumstances, but eventually it became my own decision. I first moved to the United States to study and didn’t plan to stay there long-term. At the time, four years of university seemed like a very long time. However, just a month before graduation, I received a good job offer and decided to stay. That’s when I made the decision to build my career here.
What is the most challenging aspect of immigration?
An identity crisis. You may have lived in the United States for many years, but you never feel completely at home.
And when you return to Kazakhstan, you realize that even there, you no longer feel completely at home.
This is a common experience among people who have relocated abroad.
How did you find your first job in the United States? How many applications and interviews did you complete before receiving your first job offer?
Many of my university group mates received job offers as early as the autumn of their final year, and I also wanted to graduate knowing that I already had a job.
In reality, my job search lasted almost a year. I started submitting applications in August and did not receive an offer until April. During that period, I applied for between 200 and 300 positions and attended approximately 30 interviews. It felt like trying to shoot a basketball into a hoop blindfolded from a distance of 100 metres.
Although I had excellent grades, three internships, and four years of work experience on campus, and I was confident that the process would be quick and easy.
The most important lesson I learned that year was not to take rejection personally and keep looking.
How does an American CV differ from the resume format commonly used in Kazakhstan?
In the United States, the most important thing is to build a clear professional narrative based on measurable results. People from Kazakhstan often send me their CVs, and I notice that they tend to list their responsibilities: preparing reports, writing code or managing social media accounts. This is not enough for an American employer.
Employers want to understand why you performed those tasks and what outcomes you achieved. Consider the difference between saying “prepared monthly reports” and “analysed monthly reports, identified areas for improvement and helped increase sales from 50 to 100”. The second example immediately demonstrates your understanding of the business and the value you contributed.
What role does networking play? How can you build professional connections when you do not know anyone?
Let me share my own experience. While at university, I regularly attended networking events for students and employers. At one of these events, I met a recruiter from a major cybersecurity company.
I started the dialogue by telling that I am from Kazakhstan. It turned out that she loved travelling and that Almaty had long been on her travel wish list because of its natural beauty, so we had plenty to talk about.
At the end of our conversation, I asked her to review my CV. She covered it in red ink and gave me advice that I still apply to my resume today. Some time later, she hired me for my first internship at an American company.
I am very grateful that I stepped outside my comfort zone and spent two hours at that event. This experience taught me that in the United States, it is important to network with everyone. You never know who might have a vacancy or who will be the first to think of you when an opportunity arises.
How to use LinkedIn effectively?
It is actually quite simple. LinkedIn is primarily a social networking platform, and its search algorithm relies on keywords. Recruiters use a technique known as boolean search to identify candidates by entering a job title or area of expertise together with a location, for example, “B2B Marketing + Miami”.
I always recommend spending just one hour improving your profile. With the help of AI, this can be done much faster, and the results can be remarkable.
What are job interviews in the United States like, and which questions are most commonly asked?
The questions are usually standard: “Tell me about yourself”, “Why do you want to work for our company?” and “Tell me about your experience in this field”, as well as technical questions in order to assess your understanding of the role.
However, I believe that the most important thing in an interview is creating a comfortable atmosphere. Candidates are not the only ones who get nervous; recruiters and hiring managers do too. If you build a good connection, you can still get a job offer even some of your answers aren’t perfect. Ultimately, employers first look for people they would enjoy working with, and only then consider everything else.
How does American workplace culture differ from that in Kazakhstan?
American workplace culture tends to place greater focus on work and less on personal life. Work-life balance is less pronounced here, and for many people, work comes first.
On average, employees receive around 15 days of paid annual leave. Some companies offer unlimited paid time off, but in practice, employees often use very few days because they fear being dismissed or having their annual bonuses reduced for taking “too much time off”.
Do you ever feel like returning to Kazakhstan?
Very often. I miss my family and have to miss almost all major family occasions. Since annual leave is relatively short, I rarely get the opportunity to visit. I really enjoy being in Kazakhstan and would love to spend more time there.
What expectations do people have when they move to the United States, and what tends to disappoint them?
I think many people are surprised by how much they have to work, study and constantly push themselves before they can finally take a breath and relax.
The first couple of years are the most difficult because you have to learn almost everything: how to obtain a driver’s licence, complete official paperwork, access healthcare, navigate the health insurance system, rent accommodation and communicate with people. There are a number of details to understand, and even parking regulations require constant attention.
It is only after several years that you begin to understand how things work here Not everyone is prepared to wait for so long.
What do you like most about living in the United States?
The opportunities and the standard of living. You get the feeling that the whole world is open to you. And when you travel to other countries, everything seems affordable after experiencing prices in the United States. It is a rather pleasant feeling.
Who, in your opinion, should not move to the United States?
People who are not open to the world around them. If you are open to new experiences and do not shy away from unfamiliar situations or people, you will learn something new. Those who avoid interacting with others miss out on a great deal.
Which one book or resource has helped you most in your career?
"Stories That Stick" by Kendra Hall. It is a book about how to tell stories that people want to listen to.
The ability to tell stories, connect with people and understand what to say and when has helped me advance in my career. This skill has opened many doors for me. After all, doing well in a job interview is essentially about telling a story that helps someone you have never met understand why “you are the person we need”.
We tell stories all the time: when meeting new people, standing in a queue at a shop or talking to colleagues and managers. The book is very easy to read and teaches you how to engage people from the very first words. Once you master this skill, you can achieve almost anything.
