I’ve been living in the U.S. now for 2 months. Here in middle America life isn’t too different to my home, Australia, but there have definitely been adjustments. It’s not that I was unfamiliar with the culture before I arrived here. I’ve met Americans before, I’ve even talked to them on at least a weekly basis for over 2 years. Nor am I new to different cultures; I’ve taught English in Laos, visited New Zealand and Vanuatu and I’ve been to the U.S. for short periods of time 3 times last year already and last I checked Australia was the second most multi-cultural country in the world, but I’m still making adjustments.
I still have to concentrate to remember that I can legally turn right at red lights most of the time, which coin a dime is and, every now and again, that I get in the left side of the car to drive (although U.S readers should be relieved to know that I seem to have the right side of the road driving under control). I don’t consider myself slow at learning new things or even adverse to change, in fact I would say choosing to move here indicates quite the opposite.
I’ve even found myself creating little phrases and thoughts to adapt more successfully to this new life. For example, even though I have never used the Australian “G’day” greeting back home, I find myself every now and again using this well known greeting in relaxed situations to preempt the inevitable question, “So where are you from?” I’ve also noticed, in contradiction to my normal quite reserved and introverted nature, that when first interacting with people I talk much more than usual because people like the accent and seem to be more positive and enthusiastic towards me than if I simply answer with “Thanks”, “Yes” and “No”, that don’t show my accent as much. Although a few times, after an awkward silence, people have admitted not actually listening to the words I said cause they were enjoying the accent. Add to that the running around involved in organising (organizing – still adjusting) social security numbers, bank accounts, learning how the transport system works, joining a few new community groups and classes and it’s been an eventful 2 months accompanied with ongoing unconscious strategy adjustments.
Now consider those in job search, in particular the long term unemployed. Sure they’ve interacted with the business culture before, most have friends in that culture, most have even lived in that culture at some point in the past, but many have to consciously think about how their new job works regarding a myriad of tiny, although not complicated on their own, details such as reimbursement systems, break schedules, supervisor expectations, etc. In those first few months they are probably also dealing with organizing their new pay and the administrative legal paperwork required when starting a new job. On it’s own these things may not be much concern but all at once and it can take some concentration and strategy development to adjust. Depending on the candidates employment experience and social background this change can be less like travelling from Sydney, Australia to middle America and more like moving from remote Zimbabwe to New York.
Preparing our candidates for culture change is not only essential for them to secure a job, but even more importantly, to sustain the job. With enough practise a candidate can fake fitting into a culture for an interview but what happens if they then get that job? Do we set them up for short term success but long term failure? If we do I believe we haven’t done our job adequately. If we call ourselves employment or career specialists I believe our goal is our candidates’ employment and career success, not just job search success.

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