Overview

Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were able to see beyond cultural differences to hire the upstart foreigner from Genoa, Christopher Columbus. Columbus proposed to navigate their ships across the Atlantic Ocean to Asia. He never reached Asia, but his discovery made Spain one of the most prosperous nations in the 16th century. Whether the message from this is that you can t trust foreigners or that foreigners are the source of a nation s innovation and growth might be debated. However, the voyages did change the world. Is a potential Columbus being passed over in your organization s recruitment and retention efforts?

How do you go about getting a job? If this is your native country and culture, you have a pretty good idea of how to make a good impression on a potential recruiter and company. You may have researched it or invested in professional help with your r sum on how best to present yourself. We know that being hired for a professional job, unless it is directly through a personal connection, requires a complex combination of education, work experience, interpersonal skills, networking, and motivation, all put together into a professional presentation.

Similarly, the newcomer wants to present him- or herself in the best light and typically relies on past experience and learning for guidance. For some, that may mean focusing entirely on the incredible university attended; for others, trying to build rapport and gaining the interviewer s trust; and for still others, first pointing out one s prestigious family background.