Dinara Kabieva won the Green Card lottery, after which she and her family moved to the States. She talked about the moments of adaptation and how she came to the position's analyst at Johnson & Johnson.
Dinara Kabieva, 33, Tampa city, Senior Financial Analyst at Johnson&Johnson, @dinara_murtazina
About moving
My family and I moved to the USA in December 2018. We participated in the Green Card lottery and won on the first try, so we decided to try our hand in a new country. Moving to the USA was a lifelong dream of the spouse since his only sibling lives here.
Now we live in Tampa, Florida. We are raising two children: Timur and Amelie. I work as a senior financial analyst at Johnson & Johnson.
About adaptation and difficulties
The brightest, but not the most pleasant impression, which was remembered and surprised, was the purchase of a car. The process can take a whole day. Because you, like at a bazaar, bargain for the best conditions for yourself. We spent about 12 hours at the dealership.
Even at first, the smiling and affability of Americans were striking. Here, compliments on how you look and what cute children you have are familiar.
For the first year and a half, we cooked in "our own juice": the arrangement of life, the birth of a daughter, the upbringing of children, the work search. There was neither time nor resources to search for an environment. Sometimes there was loneliness and "hunger" for communication.
Work on getting into the local rhythm
After three years, we found a company with which we spend time: celebrating holidays, birthdays. We feel like a part of society.
The healthcare system in the United States is complex. It is necessary to delve into what exactly the insurance covers and what is not, which doctors are in the "system" and which are not. Otherwise, you can get an invoice for a lump sum. Until now, before going to the doctor or calling an ambulance, we first think about whether it is worth seeking medical help or it is better to endure. Therefore, it is better to know your rights, and immediately figure out how the system works.
Work on getting into the local rhythm. Don't try to bypass the system — it doesn't works in the US. Sometimes it is annoying that everything here is strictly on paper, there is a lot of bureaucracy, but it organizes.
About development and career
Before moving, I worked for the Big Four as a senior consultant in the department of Investments and Capital Markets. Having arrived in the USA at the height of the pandemic, I started looking for a job.
The active search period took about three months. There was a fear that my experience would not be relevant, and my language level would not be good enough. The fact that I spent three years on maternity leave didn't add to my confidence either. Although I had no prerequisites for self-doubt: five years of work experience in the "Big Four", a master's degree in the UK, ACCA, and CFA certificates.
At first, I recommend figuring out how to make a resume correctly, collect your previous experience, on which platforms to look for work, and how to prepare for an interview. It is also important to believe in your strength. If necessary, improve the level of English. If possible, find a career coach who will sort everything out.
As a result, in 2020, I got a job offer in Tampa, in a private medical company as a financial analyst. After working in this company for almost a year and realizing that the same people live and work in the USA, I decided to return to the corporate environment. After a month of searching, I went through three stages of the interview and accepted an offer from Johnson & Johnson.
I am engaged in tutoring in finance and accounting. I like the corporate culture at J&J. Americans are terrible hard workers, but they know how to distinguish between working and personal time. At five o'clock in the evening, the office is usually empty. It is not welcome here when you send an email late at night, early in the morning, or on weekends, as this can serve as a source of stress for the recipient.
I work in an international team. My colleagues are from Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Due to different time zones, you have to attend calls from seven in the morning. But that's fine by me, because I know that I can sleep early these days. It doesn't matter to management whether you spent all eight hours at work, the main thing is the quality of the tasks performed.
How did the move affect
People in the USA begin to feel old much later than in our country. We went on a cruise where we saw a lot of elderly couples. They walked around holding hands on the ship, sitting in a cafe, and playing in a casino. It was obvious from them that they were happy. And my spouse and I are learning to be happy, to enjoy life.
