Anyone's husband not fluent in english and trying to get a job?

[LaGreenEyes 0]

My husband now has his EAD, but is nervous about the job search because his english isnt yet really really good. He's been here for 5 months now, and has improved so much, but said he feels he isnt quite ready for job interviews yet because he doesnt want to be ashamed. He says he refuses to take a job washing dishes or doing the stuff that people with NO english skills do, and of course I would never expect him to do that. He spends about 4-5 hours a day studying english with TV, CD's, dictionary, books etc. He was in the IT industry in Panama, last job was a manager of the IT department of the lottery, tech support kind of stuff. He also worked in the wireless industry for 3 years there also, so it's not like he has a lack of skills. In Dallas area where we are, there is a plethora of jobs that's for sure. He told me that he thought I was pressuring him to run out and get a job now, when I had sometimes been looking at stuff and showing him different jobs. I was merely trying to support him and show him all the opportunity that was here so he wouldnt worry when the time came and show him that I knew he is a smart man and can handle any one of these entry-level positions that are everywhere. If you were in this situation with your husband how did he handle it?

[patricks 0]

My wife's first job was a cashier at large supermarket. There were a lot of other foreign nationals both male and female also. Also, Is he interesting in working for the post office? He'll have to pass an exam.

[LaGreenEyes 0]

My wife's first job was a cashier at large supermarket. There were a lot of other foreign nationals both male and female also. Also, Is he interesting in working for the post office? He'll have to pass an exam.

Yes, actually he probably would be interested in the postal svc, anything to get his foot in the door to somewhere that has major computer systems. Start at the bottom and work your way up! I don't see him working in a supermarket though, he'd want to sample all the food! I would see him working at Computer City or something like that, though.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

My wife's first job was a cashier at large supermarket. There were a lot of other foreign nationals both male and female also. Also, Is he interesting in working for the post office? He'll have to pass an exam.

Yes, actually he probably would be interested in the postal svc, anything to get his foot in the door to somewhere that has major computer systems. Start at the bottom and work your way up! I don't see him working in a supermarket though, he'd want to sample all the food! I would see him working at Computer City or something like that, though.

There ought to be plenty of businesses in the Dallas area that target the Hispanic customer base. His foreign language skills along with other expertise and a good English base should work fairly well for him.

Good Luck!

[yogib37 3]

I used to live in Dallas area. I think he is kinda shy. I am sure he can find a good paying job that is skilled. Even some company may required the person applying for the job to speak spanish.

I am sure he will be fine and he should spend some time looking for jobs. Maybe he apply for the job and the hiring person is also from Panama.. so he should try. Their is a lot of spainish speaking people in Dallas area.

Yogi

[luvaLimey 0]

In the IT world, tech support is the entry-level thing you'd be doing. It would be something to

#1: get him some real US work experience

#2: allow him to network with other people in the industry and

#3: give him something to put on his resume so that he can contuinue looking for another job as well.

In on of my last jobs, I worked with a man from Colombia. his english wasn't perfect, but he was valuable to my employer becuase he spoke fluent spanish. There are so many tech support companies that need bilingual reps. He may not think his English is good enough, but if he can get an interview, most tech support places just want to know if you can troubleshoot something.

[Veiled Princess 1]

What language does your husband speak? If it's something really common like Spanish I would think he could find a decent job without even speaking fluent English. I know at some larger companies in certain areas, one doesn't even have to speak English at all because they deal only with the Spanish speaking customers. Maybe he could get a job at a tech support desk taking the Spanish speaking calls (if that's his language)?

He probably speaks better English than he thinks anyways. I know my husband thinks his English is so poor but the truth is (and I tell him all the time) his English is really so great. Sometimes I think he speaks better English than me

[lilsnobunny 0]

Maybe he could get a job at a tech support desk taking the Spanish speaking calls (if that's his language)?

i was going to suggest that. Even if it's not Spanish. I myself, work customer service for a large television provider, and i know that places like that will actually pay you more if you can speak another language fluently. There are alot of people I work with that just get Spanish calls all day, or even call customers back who speak arabic, chinese, french, german, russian.. etc...

that might be some sort of start for him at least.

Edited June 4, 2006 by lilsnobunny

[Veiled Princess 1]

Maybe he could get a job at a tech support desk taking the Spanish speaking calls (if that's his language)?

i was going to suggest that. Even if it's not Spanish. I myself, work customer service for a large television provider, and i know that places like that will actually pay you more if you can speak another language fluently. There are alot of people I work with that just get Spanish calls all day, or even call customers back who speak arabic, chinese, french, german, russian.. etc...

that might be some sort of start for him at least.

Yah, the bank I work for has an entire loan department that speaks nothing but Spanish. I had to call an insurance company in Florida once to verify insurance for a customer and the insurance company was Spanish. I mean they answered the phone in Spanish and asked me "How can I help you?" in Spanish. It wasn't until I shyly said, "Um, I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish" that they were like "Oh I'm sorry, How can I help you?" LOL I was so embarrassed.

[babybunny 2]

My husband now has his EAD, but is nervous about the job search because his english isnt yet really really good. He's been here for 5 months now, and has improved so much, but said he feels he isnt quite ready for job interviews yet because he doesnt want to be ashamed. He says he refuses to take a job washing dishes or doing the stuff that people with NO english skills do, and of course I would never expect him to do that. He spends about 4-5 hours a day studying english with TV, CD's, dictionary, books etc. He was in the IT industry in Panama, last job was a manager of the IT department of the lottery, tech support kind of stuff. He also worked in the wireless industry for 3 years there also, so it's not like he has a lack of skills. In Dallas area where we are, there is a plethora of jobs that's for sure. He told me that he thought I was pressuring him to run out and get a job now, when I had sometimes been looking at stuff and showing him different jobs. I was merely trying to support him and show him all the opportunity that was here so he wouldnt worry when the time came and show him that I knew he is a smart man and can handle any one of these entry-level positions that are everywhere. If you were in this situation with your husband how did he handle it?

I would push him out the door tell him to work!!! there are alot of jobs in dallas. I live in dallas

and there is alot of jobs in the hispanic market. he dont have to wash dishes. thats bull doo doo

if he is saying thats all he can find. my ex < hispanic > just landed a job working with american airlines

translating- in reservations as a superviser. great benifits excellent pay.

[Yodrak 7]

LaGreenEyes,

Whether the fear of interview is due to language skills or something else, the best route to success is practice and experience. The sooner he starts, the sooner he will have a job. He may find that language is not the barrier he fears it to be, but even if it is he can only overcome the barrier and get a job in an interview.

Yodrak

My husband now has his EAD, but is nervous about the job search because his english isnt yet really really good. He's been here for 5 months now, and has improved so much, but said he feels he isnt quite ready for job interviews yet because he doesnt want to be ashamed. ...

[LaGreenEyes 0]

I have showed him some of the posts here and he is encouraged, I think some of his fear is that while living here in Texas there is lots of job opportunities, he was afraid that he would be labeled or stereotyped into the "illegal immigrant" group and into those type of jobs I guess if his english skills werent up to what HE thought an employer might want. There is so much contreversy regarding all this right now and unfortunately there are some real rednecks out there that don't know the difference between the legal and illegal immigrant. Thank god at least as far as we have seen they are few and far between. He's had some questionable experiences here in our area, but has learned now to just shake it off. He told me today he wants to go to the library tomorrow to get the last in a series of english cd classes he has been studying, and plans to go to a big job fair on the 21st of this month. Thanks everyone for all the advice and encouragement!

[groomit 0]

Hi People,

I'm very interested in reading this post because i'm gonna settle down in Chicago, IL very soon, so obviously i'm kinda anxious about process of getting a job over there.

I have about 9 years work experience (maintenance, customer service, project leader), operational english, some knowledges in spanish that need to be refreshed, native french and lao ethnic.

Have an equivalent of associate's degree.

Just wanna know if anyone around Chicago area has any feedback about job search for foreign people ???

Thx for sharing ,

Groomit

[Ladylethal 12]

I am scared too, I am fully fluent in English, but the thing is, my fiance is puerto rican, and we´ll be speaking Spanish there. I know a bit of Spanish, but not a lot, and am scared of not being able to get a job ´cus of it.

[groomit 0]

hummm...anybody has feedback about getting a job in USA?

Groomit