So a verbal offer is not, is not an offer. Basically, you need to have something in writing to really understand what the offer is. What is it that I could accept? Because a verbal offer doesn't go into detail about the actual salary, the actual title of the role, the benefits. So, there is a job description for this role, right? And that is there, But then the ultimate offer letter will contain all of the details about everything that you would need to accept or to ask more questions about before you accept. So, the thing that Robert and I are working on now is moving from a verbal offer to a formal offer.

And so this, so the call -- the meeting yesterday, which was this like a two-hour long interview with the number two and then the message, that verbal offer came in that meeting. And so, the question is what's the next step? And so, the next steps we're going to take in this situation is to write, of course, write thank you letters and we're going to write thank you letters to...

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.180

[Stuart] I am so excited to be here with

Pativee Vanadilok, she's an immigration attorney.

00:00:04.180 --> 00:00:05.260

[Pativee] Hi, everyone!

00:00:05.260 --> 00:00:08.060

[Stuart] She has been instrumental

in helping change the lives of

00:00:08.060 --> 00:00:12.340

so many international students in

terms of helping them process their next

00:00:12.340 --> 00:00:16.080

steps, as far as staying in the

United States, working.

00:00:16.100 --> 00:00:16.660

[Pativee] Yes, yes.

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[Stuart] Thank you for being here, Patty.

00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:21.100

[Pativee] Thanks for inviting me.

I love it, Stuart.

00:00:21.100 --> 00:00:22.980

[Stuart] You're so welcome, I'm so honored.

00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:27.160

[Stuart] So, one of the questions we

wanted to address and it's timely because

00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:31.360

we are here...

(00:00)
When people agree to network with you, they're all often offering to extend a helping hand, right? “Here's a young talent here, a developing talent. They want to meet with me and they want to learn. I want to help that. I want to facilitate that learning.” And it, it often helps when you're networking -  and this doesn't matter if you're in China or in the US:  when you're networking it's about the other person, right? It's about learning about the other person at the same time because that person wants to help you. We want to make it easy for that person to help and often the best way to do that is to have a specific ask or a specific request or to have a goal that you can share.

(00:44)
So the, there is one kind of networking which is , “hey, it's great to meet with you. It's, I want to know about the industry” (basic research) and then it's another level to say, ”hey, this is my, this is my five year goal or this is my two year...

Start / 0:00

[Stuart] Hey, everybody! Stuart Bradley here. I have a privilege visiting with Nalini Mahadevan. She is the principal and owner of MLO Law LLC. Nalini, I am so happy to be here with you.

[Nalini] Thank you! I was entering the United States as a non-STEM person. Once I finished my studies, then I would have one year opportunity of one year to work for an employer.

[Stuart] That's the OPT.

[Nalini] That's the OPT -- that's the optional practical training.

[Stuart] Does the choice of work for OPT...does that need to account for a specialization if you're to any, to any degree you said, if we're STEM or not STEM...? If I want to stay here and maybe work for the H-1B, does my choice of where I work on OPT matter?

[Nalini] Where you will go?Nope it doesn't matter but, but your OPT, the OPT needs to...

 [Stuart] We're trying to do our proper marketing here. Where's our MLO logo.. here we go, all right.

[Nalini] So OPT, in general, means that you only...

Hey, we're getting "off the cuff"  with me, Stuart Bradley. Do you know that there is a secret language spoken by hiring and HR professionals about referrals?

Yeah, we're going to talk about referrals and we're going to talk about the things that are unspoken about referrals. And if.... and if you're not hearing it and you're going to and you're in the dark, you're going to be looking for a long time. Let us change that.

There are two kinds of referrals and this is something that no one's ever going to tell you, but I will. There are two kinds of referrals. The first one is a referral from a senior director or "senior" person in an organization. The second referral comes from a "junior" person. So somebody who's below director level. So we think about what senior and one junior. Let's take a look at that for a sec.

All right. We got in the typical organization: analysts, associates, specialists... then we go onto say directors or vice or vice presidents, then two senior vice...

Jack Ma lays out his career advice: 

"So if I were giving advice to young people, when you graduated from somewhere, you look for a job. The first job is the most important, not necessary that the company be one that has a great name. You should find a good boss that can teach you how to be a human being, how to do things right, how to do things properly and stay there. Give yourself a promise: 'I will stay there for at least two or three years'. Then you can start to move"

#jackma #careeradvice

Usually we reach out to people only when we want something. 

It's natural...it's human behavior.

But, this is what one Fortune 500 recruiter has to say about that:

"If there is one thing I would like to tell folks, it is this: don't just network with me when you want something."

"Sure, you can reach out to me on LinkedIn during recruiting season, but you'll be just one of 1000 other people doing the same thing."

She went on to explain that she definitely has times when she's not busy - when she's bored - and having a conversation would be much better. 

Human behavior is to reach out to people only when we are in dire need or fear for our future, or it's convenient to do so.

Check out this group of job seekers below.

90% of people before this job fair did not reach out to any of these employers. After the job fair, they will not stay in touch. The job fair is probably the only time most of these people think to reach out and introduce themselves.

If you want to discuss a...

Focus on the CFA exam or spend time getting a job? 

Do you need a CFA designation? 

For what? 

I spoke about this at a recent CFA Society Presentation: 

There are certain jobs that do require a CFA designation. These are jobs far down the path of the "CFA track". 

The VAST majority of jobs - even on the "CFA track"  DO NOT require you to have a CFA designation.

I joined a top wall street hedge fund without a CFA designation. And I was managing a $300 million portfolio of public equity investments. Sounds like a CFA designation type of job, right? Did I didn't have one to get the job.

So if you think.... but Stuart... I need......
• To pass my Level 1 first
• To pass my Level 2 first 
• To get more experience

You can say it....
But that DOES NOT make it true.

People like to think that study is a good substitute for looking for a job. The result is that during the best times to get a job, our old habits tell us to lock ourselves away and...