How much was your first salary when you first came to America?

[pedroh 21]

my first first job was mickey d's, only worked there fore a month.. and i think i got 400 dollars total..

then the shack.. last year I made like $16k.. now I think I'm makin a little more... cuz they pay plan changed.. but I measure my salary per 2 weeks.. since we're in commission and always competing for who gets the higher check..

so in a good bi-week.. I can get a thousand dollars, the only thing is, not everymonth has good weeks lolol..

[m_and_m20 0]

Sofware Analyst

$120k a year so i can say i got lucky 1st Married the most wonderful man on this planet and Landed a nice job in par with what i was doing in India, just more responsibilty. It took over a year, so many interviews so to everybody that's out there and still job hunting, be patient, take a course or 2 to update your skills( employers like to ask what have you been doing) at least you get somethign to tell them!!!

Good luck everybody!!!

Ok, i want to be the first one to say it....DAYUM! makes that year of searching worth it, huh!

[JimiInLove 0]

My wife graduated from a college in peru in hotel & restraunt administration. They honor her degree here but cant seem to find a job that pays anything in that area. I don't know maybe its because she is a recent immigrant or what.

Unfortunately the hotel and restaurant industry is notorious for offering long hours and low pay all over the world. I have a similar background to your wife and I got out of hotels because of those two reasons.

Now I'm here in the US my darling hubby doesn't mind what, or if, I chose to earn money myself I still can't decide what kind of work to look for yet, or whether to go back to learning something new ... Of course I'll run out of my own exported money sometime or another and I don't want to have to rely totally on Kyle's money, even though he always says it's 'ours' now, bless him. So I'm pretty sure I will get my ### into gear one of these days. Still, right now I'm enjoying the luxury of just being married to him and not worrying about work.

All the best,

Sheila

My wife is currently enjoying the same luxury as you......However I wish she wasnt.

Its a bit hard to support 2 people off 40k

[rejane 1]

My first job was in a Arts Gallery... It was 10 dollars per hour + commission sales.

I just got a new job and now got 11 Dollars an hour + insurance+ monthly bonus... And some little bonus once a while.

So it s ain t bad at all...

[ChristinaM 0]

Its a bit hard to support 2 people off 40k

Try supporting two people on $22K a year. In Maine.

(I feel your pain, I really do.)

[*Robert* 2]

Do you mean when here legally, or illegally?!

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

My hubby's situation is not comparable to your wife's as he did not complete college in his home country, so I will use my co-worker as an example. He has a degree in languages from Uni in Albania. When he came here he had a hard time getting that diploma accepted here.

Here is how he went about earning a living:

1999...$6 per hour as a rack mover in garment district

1999...$6.50 per hour as bus boy

2000....$10 hr as receptionist file clerk at property management Co

2000....$12 hr as admin assistant at skin care company

2001 - hired by my company as receptionist and clerk -$40,000

2002 - promoted to my assistant - $47,000

2004 - I got a new assistant and he became website coordinator or some such thing - $55,000

2005 - given raise to $60,000

He is just on example - this in New York by the way. But where ever you are hang in there!!

You will find a good job!!! And even though its hard humble yourself...I find that when I did that I got rewarded with a better job. I remember the days when I temped for 10 bucks an hour with a law degree. Then I passed the bar and got my license and got a great job. Don't give up.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I am a lucky one. I was born 'Rich' and I'll die 'Rich'.

[Donal78 0]

My wife earns 40 k. We moved back from ireland where she earned at least 20k more. I cant wait to start work as its really tough supported two people out from her wage.

Im lucky that there is an abundance of IT support jobs in boston. Only problem is the commute as it takes an hour. The average wage is 40 - 50k for first level suport staff.

Does anyone know when i can start looking for a job as i wont get my ead until first or second week in august.

[misskiya 0]

Its a bit hard to support 2 people off 40k

Try supporting two people on $22K a year. In Maine.

(I feel your pain, I really do.)

AHAHA ok now try supporting THREE people off of just UNDER 16K a year (PS, that's GROSS, try it after taxes)

Edited May 26, 2006 by misskiya

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Very little compared to what I was getting in the UK.

32k gbp (approx $50k)

No car in LA = take whatever you can get. In my case a job in a bookstore for $7.50/hr.

Currently temping in NYC - making double what I was before.

[Ban Hammer 13,633]

I am a lucky one. I was born 'Rich' and I'll die 'Rich'.

i started off with nothing and i still have most of it

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Its a bit hard to support 2 people off 40k

Try supporting two people on $22K a year. In Maine.

(I feel your pain, I really do.)

AHAHA ok now try supporting THREE people off of just UNDER 16K a year (PS, that's GROSS, try it after taxes)

16K gross for a household of three? What kind of income tax did you pay on that, where and why?

In 2005, personal exemption and standard deduction for two was 16.4K. That would reduce a 16K gross income to nothing in terms of taxable income for a household of 2. You're talking abut a household of three...

Edited May 26, 2006 by ET-US2004

[almaty 19]

$5 ..moving lawns age 12...us citizen ...sanita ..staying home..taken care of me is a full time job

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

My first salary in the US was in the mid 20's. That was ten years ago. During my first year of employment alone, I had about 25% worth of raises. That's what I love about America: Hard work, a decent network of professional acquaintances and friends coupled with a little bit of luck every now and then can get you places you never even dreamed of growing up.