Career

Adapting your CV to the US resume format (1 page, no photo)

British and European CVs get filtered out by US applicant tracking systems before a human reads them. This is the conversion: structure, length, what to remove.

Writing a US cover letter that gets interviews

A US cover letter that restates the resume gets skipped; one that answers why this role, this company, this person gets read. It shows how to write the single page hiring managers respond to, and how to handle a relocation or a career gap.

US job search: LinkedIn, Indeed, Handshake, niche boards

Cold applications through job boards are where most newcomers spend their time and see the least return, because referrals fill the best roles first. The fix is a search built around referrals, recruiters, and a clear answer to 'do you need sponsorship?'

Passing US job interviews: behavioral, technical, "tell me about yourself"

'Tell me about yourself' isn't small talk; it frames everything that follows, and most candidates squander it. This walks through the US interview loop, the STAR method for behavioral rounds, and how to field salary questions without boxing yourself in.

Negotiating your US salary in USD: base, bonus, RSU, sign-on

The first US offer almost always has room. Most newcomers don't push because they don't know the levers, base, sign-on, RSU refresh, relocation. This guide is the lever map.

Understanding US workplace culture: at-will employment, PTO, benefits

At-will employment means either side can end the job at any moment, and no statutory paid leave is waiting, which unsettles people from most countries. This lays out how PTO, benefits, reviews, and the unwritten rules of US offices really work.

Reading a US offer letter, W-2 vs 1099, benefits elections

The gap between your headline salary and your first paycheck can be a quarter of the number, lost to withholding, FICA, and benefit deductions. This breaks down W-2 versus 1099, the W-4, and how to read an offer letter and payslip line by line.

Building your US credit score from zero (Amex, secured cards, credit-builder loans)

A strong credit history abroad counts for nothing here; in US terms you don't exist, which shapes renting, insurance, even some jobs. Build a FICO score from zero the fastest legitimate way, and learn which products only waste your money.

LinkedIn profile optimized for US recruiters

US recruiters search LinkedIn with specific keywords, and a profile written for another market simply doesn't surface. Write the headline, About, and experience so the right searches find you and the first three lines earn the click.

Hunting US recruiters and landing referrals

Waiting to be found is slower than reaching out, yet a generic 'I'm interested' note gets ignored every time. This covers how to find the right recruiters and hiring managers, and how to write the short, specific message that earns a reply.

Building US-facing content and visibility on LinkedIn

Posting on LinkedIn quietly builds a reputation that brings roles to you, but performing for the algorithm just reads as noise. Themes tied to your expertise, a rhythm you can keep, and the post that earns credibility over reach: that is the approach here.

Networking from zero in America: events, alumni, professional orgs

Arriving with no US network is normal, and the small talk that opens American doors is exactly what many newcomers dread. Find the right rooms, start the conversation, and send the warm follow-up that turns a handshake into a contact.

Business English for US workplaces: emails, Slack, meetings

Fluent English and fluent US-office English are not the same thing; the gap shows in emails that read as too formal and meetings where you hold back. The polite-direct register Americans expect, Slack norms, and speaking up without overthinking it are the focus.

Clarity for non-native speakers: pronunciation and pacing

Being understood at work matters far more than sounding native, and a few stress and pacing habits carry most of the difference. Make the high-leverage adjustments, and learn how to recover smoothly when a colleague doesn't catch what you said.

Small talk and US workplace culture (what to say, what to avoid)

In US offices the kitchen and the elevator are where trust gets built, and the silence many newcomers keep there reads as cold. Safe openers, the topics to avoid, and how small talk becomes the real conversation: it is a learnable pattern, set out here.

Using ChatGPT and Claude to write better English at work

ChatGPT and Claude can sharpen your workplace English faster than any course, but paste in the wrong thing and you have leaked something confidential. It covers prompts that edit and explain so you actually learn, and the lines not to cross at work.