Job search advice

[nivesito 0]

Hi everybody,

I would like to ask you to share your experience in a job search.

I'm in Fairfax, Virginia. I got my green card and now I'm loking for a job. Even before I got my green card I started to applay for jobs. Until today I probably applied for about 80 positions and at 5 different employment agencies (2 month period)...nothing. I have Bacherlors in Business from Croatia and 3 semesters of Masters in International Management in Germany. I came here before I was able to graduate. I speak fluently English, German and Croatian. I can get by with my Spanish too

Most of the positions I applied for are entry level, nothing big.. I'm not sure what I'm doing here. People I know here are working mostly in the goverment agencies and they would love to help but I'm not a US citizen or don't have experience working with the goverment.

I even applied online for JC Penny and some other Departement Stores, nothing. Should I apply in person? How is that different? I know everybody keep saying that what really counts is work experience acquired in the States. Will working in retail really give me experience good enough to find the job I want? I mean, my degree is in business, it's the same everywhere in the world. It's not something specific that I wouldn't be able to applay in the States.

How long does it take to find a job? Is it different for the immigrants? Does anybody have experience with the job fairs?

I would appriciate any experience shared and be sure I'm on the right track . I think this is a great place to ask

[Mononoke28 135]

Have you tried Monster, Careerbuilder or Hotjobs? Those are pretty good and you can apply online. Most stores watn you to apply online, and even if you go in person they have a computer at the store where you have to apply online anyway. How about a bank, maybe as a teller?

My husband has a degree in IT/Computer Science but he doesn't speak English and had to settle for a job at a chain store. It took about 1-2 weeks for them to call him for an interview, I went with him and he was hired on the spot. He started a week later.

It takes time but you have to remember that looking for a job should be your full-time job for now if you want to find something soon.

Good luck!

Diana

[nivesito 0]

Have you tried Monster, Careerbuilder or Hotjobs? Those are pretty good and you can apply online. Most stores watn you to apply online, and even if you go in person they have a computer at the store where you have to apply online anyway. How about a bank, maybe as a teller?

My husband has a degree in IT/Computer Science but he doesn't speak English and had to settle for a job at a chain store. It took about 1-2 weeks for them to call him for an interview, I went with him and he was hired on the spot. He started a week later.

It takes time but you have to remember that looking for a job should be your full-time job for now if you want to find something soon.

Good luck!

Diana

Thank you for your response, I appriciate it. The jobs I applied for I found on Monster, Careerbuilder, Washington Post etc. I guess it just takes time, I just need a little bit of an encouragement and info on how it is for the other people. I don't have anybody to ask here really, that's the problem.

I was thinking about applaying at the bank as a teller, that's a good idea but I'm totally scared about beeing a victim of a robbery or something like that, I know it's silly but I guess I can try that.

[doodlebugg 10]

Have you tried going to a career center in your area? Look up your unemployment department and they should have links to some sort of a career center. My husband's been going there to get advice on interviewing and sprucing up the resume but the best part is that they are connected with certain companies who periodically come in and interview people on the spot, which leaves out the whole submitting resume and waiting for them to call for the first interview thing.

The jobs are not always great but once in a while they do get some good opportunities, like for sales positions. Good luck!

[britbird 4]

I would suggest applying for a job at one of the many universities in the DC area - seriously, there are usually lots of openings in a variety of entry level positions, the benefits tend to be good, and the atmosphere is great (at least from my experience). If you can speak other languages, so much the better - try the language or foreign service/international studies departments.

Just off the top of my head, here's a short list:

George Washington

George Mason

Georgetown

American

Catholic

Howard

Not to mention all the graduate schools associated with them, and the state/community colleges.

Also, go to your local library and get a Resume writing guide - my US resume and my UK one look very very different.

[nivesito 0]

I would suggest applying for a job at one of the many universities in the DC area - seriously, there are usually lots of openings in a variety of entry level positions, the benefits tend to be good, and the atmosphere is great (at least from my experience). If you can speak other languages, so much the better - try the language or foreign service/international studies departments.

Just off the top of my head, here's a short list:

George Washington

George Mason

Georgetown

American

Catholic

Howard

Not to mention all the graduate schools associated with them, and the state/community colleges.

Also, go to your local library and get a Resume writing guide - my US resume and my UK one look very very different.

Thanks!!

I applied at George Mason University for a position as an Office Manager to work with international students. I would love to do that job and I hope I made that noticable in my cover letter I just have to wait now. But I'll try to search oppenings at other universities you suggested, thanks.

Considering my resume few people did take a look at it and they liked it. But with US resumes there is always something you could add or remove Writing the US resume I got the opportunity to remined my self what I actually did in my life, unbelivable how you can forget some things you did at your previous jobs.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I would also say that it's good to get a USC to look over your resume and application. Some of the words I use for instance don't mean any thing to an American. I often find that when my OH looks over my application letters or similar, he has quite a different idea of what should be in there.

And of course it's good to have a second pair of eyes just for grammer and spelling mistakes!

[nivesito 0]

I would also say that it's good to get a USC to look over your resume and application. Some of the words I use for instance don't mean any thing to an American. I often find that when my OH looks over my application letters or similar, he has quite a different idea of what should be in there.

And of course it's good to have a second pair of eyes just for grammer and spelling mistakes!

Thank you everybody, I really appriciate your advice. I got a call to attened a pre-screening sesion for an airline job (customer service). It could be interesting and challenging job to do and they have good benefits, like flying for free. We'll see how that works out.

[Mononoke28 135]

Working for airlines can be challenging at times but the free airfare and buddy passes you get are priceless. I have a friend who's husband works at United and they fly to London and Paris for like $40, it's great. I also knew of a couple of guys who worked as baggage handlers part-time just for that same reason.

Good luck!

Diana

[catrocks 0]

Hi,

Glad you have a lead on a job! It's tough at the moment, and I can't help but think sometimes that people just throw my resume away automatically because I don't have any experience in the US. I've been on 4 interviews in the 3 months I've been looking but nothing so far. I try not to let it get me down - I tell myself that if nothing else, at least I'm getting experience at interviewing!

Another suggestion I have (this is my latest plan) is to get a part time (retail?) job if you can afford to do so, and send out a letter to companies you really want to work for saying that you will work for free part time in order to gain experience. Also, check out http://www.volunteermatch.org/ - I got a job once a week for 4 hours volunteering at a communications dept which is really the area I want to get into, so I'm able to get a bit of experience there and feel like I'm doing something good! I'm hoping someone will want to take advantage of my "work for free" idea, I mean who would turn down free work?? At this point I'm getting a bit desperate and discouraged because it seems my degree is not paying itself off yet

It's ironic and annoying when people won't hire you because you don't have experience, but you can't get experience because nobody will hire you! I don't know if it's specifically an immigrant thing or if it's just the job market at the moment.

Good luck with the airline job!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

It's ironic and annoying when people won't hire you because you don't have experience, but you can't get experience because nobody will hire you! I don't know if it's specifically an immigrant thing or if it's just the job market at the moment.

Good luck with the airline job!

That is a job market thing, believe me. USCs have the same problem at times.

My husband got a job recently though starting as a volunteer. He did such a good job as a volunteer that they just offered him a paid job a few days ago.

Good luck!

[nivesito 0]

Hi,

Glad you have a lead on a job! It's tough at the moment, and I can't help but think sometimes that people just throw my resume away automatically because I don't have any experience in the US. I've been on 4 interviews in the 3 months I've been looking but nothing so far. I try not to let it get me down - I tell myself that if nothing else, at least I'm getting experience at interviewing!

Another suggestion I have (this is my latest plan) is to get a part time (retail?) job if you can afford to do so, and send out a letter to companies you really want to work for saying that you will work for free part time in order to gain experience. Also, check out http://www.volunteermatch.org/ - I got a job once a week for 4 hours volunteering at a communications dept which is really the area I want to get into, so I'm able to get a bit of experience there and feel like I'm doing something good! I'm hoping someone will want to take advantage of my "work for free" idea, I mean who would turn down free work?? At this point I'm getting a bit desperate and discouraged because it seems my degree is not paying itself off yet

It's ironic and annoying when people won't hire you because you don't have experience, but you can't get experience because nobody will hire you! I don't know if it's specifically an immigrant thing or if it's just the job market at the moment.

Good luck with the airline job!

Thank you! I know it will work out good for most of us. It takes time, uf..anyway, good thing is that I can affored to look for any job which is not the case for a lot of people.

The thing is I don't have an experience in one field, I worked as Executive Assistant, then Accountant, and at the end Web Development Manager I have so many different skills but not enough for certain jobs. Anyway, I'll find my perfect job. I don't think it's the problem just for immigrants, maybe sometimes it's easier for US citizen because they can applay for some positions immigrants can't for example jobs with the security clereance or proofreading and excellent grammar skills.

Netwiorking is the most important thing not just in the states. In Croatia I got excellent job offeres just because I know a lot of people and they know me and that I would be invaluable asset to their company, same is in a lots of countries.

But, at the we all face a great deal of challenges in our lives and this is just one of them, although sometimes really frustrating

[nivesito 0]

Ok, this is horrible, I'm in the hurry and didn't have time to check for typos and spelling but you'll get the point

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

I am thinking you may want to leave your degree OFF your resume because you seem to be overqualified for some of the jobs you mentioned. They probably think you don't really want the job, and you'll be gone as soon as you get one that you're qualified for!

[catrocks 0]

I am thinking you may want to leave your degree OFF your resume because you seem to be overqualified for some of the jobs you mentioned. They probably think you don't really want the job, and you'll be gone as soon as you get one that you're qualified for!

sounds about right.

Edited May 16, 2008 by catrocks