We may be living in a global economy, but the fact remains: There are some subtle — and some not-so-subtle — differences between the way employment interviews are conducted in the United States and in Latin America.

To help you better prepare for U.S. interviews, LatPro took time recently to speak with two experts in the field of employment training: experts who have made it their business to coach Hispanic job candidates and employers in cross-cultural interviewing techniques.

Graciela Kenig is founder and president of LatinoWorkforce.com, an organization dedicated to finding and placing multicultural recruits into the workforce. Nelson A. De Leon is a bilingual recruiting consultant, and the owner and founder of America At Work.

For many job seekers, salary negotiation can be the most intimidating part of the employment search process. It can be even more nerve-wracking if you happen to be a foreign professional who is unsure about the “rules” of salary negotiation in the United States. While it may feel like an uncomfortable situation, U.S. employers are prepared for potential hires to negotiate compensation. By using some simple negotiating techniques, you can increase your annual salary.   

In most corporations and companies, work and tasks are organized first by function and then by position. Thus, compensation structures are tied to the organizational structure and its inner hierarchy. This means that companies place a relative value to any position according to the role it plays within the organizational structure. Unfortunately, many organizations don’t take the appropriate time or resources to review and readjust its organizational structure with its changing business objectives, and this can impact your salary.

If you’re a seasoned professional, then perhaps you’ve forgotten the importance of understanding the big picture of your job - how it relates to the business strategy of your department and ultimately your organization’s goals. This happens often, after all, we keep busy enough devoting most of our attention to day-to-day activities and “tasks”. It’s important not to forget about how our job fits into the overall organization.

FACT: About 95% of medium and large size organizations use job descriptions to analyze and determine a job’s value within the organization.

For some people, picking up the phone and calling a senior-level executive whom they don't know and have never met is about the most intimidating idea imaginable. We (often falsely) believe that this busy, important person won't want to talk to us. The truth is that no one gets ahead in this world without the assistance of others, and in order to get help you have to ask someone who is in a position to give it to you.

Career fairs are a great way to network with a variety of employers at one time. To help you make the most out of your job fair experience, we'd like to share some important recommendations from our career experts here at LatPro.com. By following these tips, you’ll be able to navigate job fairs effectively and confidently while making a great impression on employers!

When searching for a job, there is no such thing as an unimportant detail. Every aspect that you present to an employer should reflect a professional image.

So, if you're asking potential employers to contact you at an email like lovetoparty@hotmail.com or hotgirl22@yahoo.com, chances are you aren't making the best impression possible. Details like this shouldn't be overlooked -- they combine to create an overall picture of who you are. And while your love of partying may impress friends, it’s unlikely to be a strong selling point in your job search!

Networking can be done at almost any time and in any place. It is best done in a one-on-one setting, preferably face to face, but the phone can work as well. This is commonly referred to as an informational interview, one where you get the opportunity to interview a key decision-maker at a company where you would be interested in working.

Key Objectives of an Informational Interview:

1. You want to establish rapport with a key decision-maker at a company where you would like to work
   
2. You want to exchange information with them.
   
3. You want to get the other person's advice and reaction to what you have to say.
   
4. You want to extend your network of contacts.
   
5. You want to be remembered actively and positively.

Lets discuss each of these objectives in greater detail.

If your resume isn't being viewed by recruiters and employers as often as you'd like, the problem could be your Public Resume Title. Unlike your Private Resume Title (which is only visible to you), your Public Resume Title can be seen by employers. Like a good newspaper headline, it should convince recruiters to click on your resume for the full story.

A resume should be informative at a glance, targeted, brief, error-free and visibly crisp. Learn the common sense rules and key elements of the U.S. resume.