career advancement and networking after moving countries -->PART II!

[Tarumba 9]

Hi everyone! I posted a desperate question back in 07/09. And I just posted a couple of replies regarding this, but I don't think people have seen them, so I want to tell you how I did go around my problem of having a degree and still being only able to get a gas station job.

There is a branch of the Peace Corps called Americorps. Inside this branch, there is another one called Americorps VISTA. The program is for any citizen or resident that has either a degree or extensive experience.

Advantages:

* HIGHLY respectable work experience (It will look awesome on your resume, universities love it in applications for financial aid, and it's what they would call "respectable American work experience")

* They have a smallish grant of 5 thousand dollars towards any student loan or new university enrollment, provided it is a proper university (some universities abroad are also accepted)

* They have a huge amount of opportunities, I met a rocket Scientist who had gotten a job in West Virginia, a Marketing graduate, an environmental engineer who had also gotten a position and all of them had a job that somehow related to their careers or what they wanted.

* If you already have a student loan, they paralyze the interests for the whole year of service.

* You get one year of preference when applying to any Federal Job.

* Once inside, they provide free training (they sent me to this awesome hotel in Atlanta, with classes, meals and absolutely everythign paid for) They have courses and training in several things including Grant Writing, Resource Development, fund Raising and they are all paid for by the government

* It is a program started by JFK

Disadvantages

*The stipend is supposed to be according to the level of poverty in your state, you get 900 dollars a month and THAT IS IT. You cannot get another job, and you are committed for a whole year in this.

And well, think about it,. In my house, my husband is the tofu bringer, and we can live with his income. So we can afford the 900 dollar stipend, and let's face it, I wasn't making a lot more at the gas station.

Also, in my personal experience, I got a job as an Interpreter coordinator and legal assistant (I want to go to Law School), so I am getting all the knowledge and practice I need, I am meeting people from all over the world, and I contribute to resettle refugees in their new homes in the USA. It's an awesome job, the atmosphere is fantastic, and they have already told me they plan to hire me properly next year, so I think I'm set, hopefully. since I speak Spanish, they are sending me to an otherwise very expensive training that will have me certified as a Interpreter in Health and Legal environments by AHEC, and that's huge. After that, they will send me to a Grant Writing course, possibly out of state. So I may be getting 900 a month, but in reality I'm getting so much more!

Please consider this, last time I posted my question about being desperate about my career many people replied saying they were in the same situation. Consider this and even if you choose not to, there is nothing worse than not trying...! I'll keep you in my mind and hope that you get the careers you dreamed of! Good luck to us!

Ask me all the questions you want, there also other branches inside Americorps, or you could even join the Peace Corps! (it's for two years) We have friends (husband and wife) that lived in Ukraine for two years as part of the Peace Corps.

Edited March 4, 2010 by Tarumba

[Y&E 12]

Thank you for this advice. I will look into this when I get to the US. I've been sitting here at work wondering what sort of a job anyone will let me do when I get over there!

[littlecrazyangel 1]

Ty for your help, in 3 months I will have to look for a job

[Otto 83]

Thanks for sharing.

** Several months ago, Ewok introduced a forum "Finding Work in America" where this thread would be helpful. Moving thread from "Moving..." to its new home.

[letty 1]

Hi Tarumba,

I'm so happy for you that things worked out for you! I remember your post of July of 2009 and are happy that things have moved up for you.

I'm still in the same situation, having a job I hate, not even getting responses for any other job I apply for, and still struggling getting accepted into a community college (after I gave up on University after 1.5 years). I have been so desperate that I started to apply for jobs back home to see if something opens up there.

It looks very promissing what the Americorps offers. I looked on their site but sadly only could find programs which are about 5 hours from here. Relocating is not really an option with my husbands job. Thanks for sharing your experience and I keep looking and hoping something opens up closer by.

Letty

[redBlue 1]

Hi everyone! I posted a desperate question back in 07/09. And I just posted a couple of replies regarding this, but I don't think people have seen them, so I want to tell you how I did go around my problem of having a degree and still being only able to get a gas station job.

There is a branch of the Peace Corps called Americorps. Inside this branch, there is another one called Americorps VISTA. The program is for any citizen or resident that has either a degree or extensive experience.

Advantages:

* HIGHLY respectable work experience (It will look awesome on your resume, universities love it in applications for financial aid, and it's what they would call "respectable American work experience")

* They have a smallish grant of 5 thousand dollars towards any student loan or new university enrollment, provided it is a proper university (some universities abroad are also accepted)

* They have a huge amount of opportunities, I met a rocket Scientist who had gotten a job in West Virginia, a Marketing graduate, an environmental engineer who had also gotten a position and all of them had a job that somehow related to their careers or what they wanted.

* If you already have a student loan, they paralyze the interests for the whole year of service.

* You get one year of preference when applying to any Federal Job.

* Once inside, they provide free training (they sent me to this awesome hotel in Atlanta, with classes, meals and absolutely everythign paid for) They have courses and training in several things including Grant Writing, Resource Development, fund Raising and they are all paid for by the government

* It is a program started by JFK

Disadvantages

*The stipend is supposed to be according to the level of poverty in your state, you get 900 dollars a month and THAT IS IT. You cannot get another job, and you are committed for a whole year in this.

And well, think about it,. In my house, my husband is the tofu bringer, and we can live with his income. So we can afford the 900 dollar stipend, and let's face it, I wasn't making a lot more at the gas station.

Also, in my personal experience, I got a job as an Interpreter coordinator and legal assistant (I want to go to Law School), so I am getting all the knowledge and practice I need, I am meeting people from all over the world, and I contribute to resettle refugees in their new homes in the USA. It's an awesome job, the atmosphere is fantastic, and they have already told me they plan to hire me properly next year, so I think I'm set, hopefully. since I speak Spanish, they are sending me to an otherwise very expensive training that will have me certified as a Interpreter in Health and Legal environments by AHEC, and that's huge. After that, they will send me to a Grant Writing course, possibly out of state. So I may be getting 900 a month, but in reality I'm getting so much more!

Please consider this, last time I posted my question about being desperate about my career many people replied saying they were in the same situation. Consider this and even if you choose not to, there is nothing worse than not trying...! I'll keep you in my mind and hope that you get the careers you dreamed of! Good luck to us!

Ask me all the questions you want, there also other branches inside Americorps, or you could even join the Peace Corps! (it's for two years) We have friends (husband and wife) that lived in Ukraine for two years as part of the Peace Corps.

thnx for the gr8 info!.

so do they have a job for all the fields or are they specilized on some areas only?