Time 2 Get a JOB - team effort

[thongd4me 69]

I included a poll with this thread, but answering the poll is not mandatory.

My wife had a long & distinguished career - 26 years as a teacher.

She has excellent letters of reference from the last 2 school directors she worked under.

She has been searching online (and I have too) for a suitable job, which at first will

probably NOT be in the same field. We are also putting in applications for her at

local stores. So far it's just in the beginning stage as she just got her SSN.

She is very apprehensive about the fact that her English is not perfect - I feel it's

excellent for a Thai and that many job seekers in the US have poorer English

than she does.

Still, she has expressed the wish for me to come with her on any/all job interviews

because she feels insecure about going it alone as this is a very new experience

for her. I try to tell her that they don't want to see me. I already have a job and won't

be coming to work with her. She knows I have been helpful at her doctor's appointments

and feels I should do the same with the job search. The only problem is that I work

full time and she has to strike while the iron is hot when she gets a lead - I won't

always be able to get off work.

Anything to share/contribute on this topic? :thanks:

Edited August 10, 2010 by thongd4me

[Darnell 8,479]

if she's looking for a job as a teacher - she should move quickly - as it's the final stages of hiring for teachers in school districts.

if she wants to be a teacher in a school district, she needs to get the 'state or local' certifications, as well.

Failing any certs, she can fill in as a substitute teacher during the academic year, but must 'sign up' now-ish, to be a substitute teacher. The prerequisites for being a sub aren't as strenuous as being 'full time'.

The local school district 'knows all' - suggest a day trip into the main office, today or tomorrow.

[thongd4me 69]

if she's looking for a job as a teacher - she should move quickly - as it's the final stages of hiring for teachers in school districts.

if she wants to be a teacher in a school district, she needs to get the 'state or local' certifications, as well.

Failing any certs, she can fill in as a substitute teacher during the academic year, but must 'sign up' now-ish, to be a substitute teacher. The prerequisites for being a sub aren't as strenuous as being 'full time'.

The local school district 'knows all' - suggest a day trip into the main office, today or tomorrow.

She did express interest in working in a school as that is what she knows best,

but because she taught Thai and is not certified to teach anything here, she would

have to look for a support position or as a teacher's assistant.

Good idea to go to the main office; that will go on the "list" of things to do.

I told her to go to the local school which is a 5 min. walk but she seems

to think that me being there can help her chances. I strongly doubt that.

[Kang Lang 7]

nothing meaningful to add as we were in the unique situation of my husband having lived here before and already having a job when he returned. i do wish you good luck though.

[Miss smarty pants 84]

Still, she has expressed the wish for me to come with her on any/all job interviews

because she feels insecure about going it alone as this is a very new experience

for her. I try to tell her that they don't want to see me. I already have a job and won't

be coming to work with her. She knows I have been helpful at her doctor's appointments

and feels I should do the same with the job search. The only problem is that I work

full time and she has to strike while the iron is hot when she gets a lead - I won't

always be able to get off work.

Anything to share/contribute on this topic? :thanks:

My opinion is that having you with her at any potential job interviews will reflect poorly on her. She needs to have the confidence and independence to do it on her own. You can not go to work with her and potential employers will not appreciate your presence.

[Darnell 8,479]

she thinks you need to be there for any job interview? ouch !

time for her to join a local toastmasters guild, work up her skills -

see http://www.toastmasters.org , find a local guild in yer area.

IMO, toastmasters is GREAT social networking environment for finding unpublished jobs, as well.

[thongd4me 69]

My opinion is that having you with her at any potential job interviews will reflect poorly on her. She needs to have the confidence and independence to do it on her own. You can not go to work with her and potential employers will not appreciate your presence.

Yes this is my point exactly. It's been 8 months since her POE

and she had 3 minor operations in the last few months

so we were late in the AOS application and she just got her SSN.

She's been an absolutely fantastic homemaker & wife but she

does have the need to work outside the home as she has done

since her 20's. I support her fully in this but I've had my head

handed to me more than once because I told her it would be

easy to find a job in the US. Being unemployed doesn't suit her

but the job-hunting process is so new that she is getting a little

frustrated even if we have just started looking in earnest.

Easy to find a job is a relative statement - there are many countries

with more than a 10% unemployment rate and this current situation

is unprescedented since the Great Depression.

even

[thongd4me 69]

she thinks you need to be there for any job interview? ouch !

time for her to join a local toastmasters guild, work up her skills -

see http://www.toastmasters.org , find a local guild in yer area.

IMO, toastmasters is GREAT social networking environment for finding unpublished jobs, as well.

Thanks about the toastmasters - I have always been curious about them;

one of my former supervisors was very active there; she was a French citizen.

My wife has her first interview July 18 at a local Macy's (shoe expediter; read inventory engineer).

She had no idea what that meant but I picked it from a list of openings and I think it fits

her profile of hard worker, good organizer and responsible employee without the need

for extraordinary linguistic skills. I believe she would be managing inventory with some

kind of hand-held wireless device.

She asked me to be there and I firmly said no, because she knows how to get to

the store (it's walking distance) and I would NOT be admitted to the interview; if I

was, it would be considered a negative. She understands that she may not get

this job, but she will be able to make a positive presentation of herself and her

skills so that they may find something else that would be more suitable.

The poll is still open - let's have some more responses

Edited August 11, 2010 by thongd4me

[Nik+Heather 121]

I had a couple of ideas. I also liked the Toastmasters suggestion.

perhaps you guys can find some career services type organization, who will put an experienced eye on her resume and even conduct mock interviews with her. I'm sure there must be similar services, I had mine in school. They even video taped the mock interview so we could watch it later and they could give me feedback about different things.

My other suggestion it sounds like you've already done. Just pick out some sort of throw-away (are there such things these days!) job to just get the experience at the interview.

I felt very badly that I couldn't help Nik much with his job hunt. I interviewed once and was offered that job within a month of seriously starting my search. Of course, it was 2006...so...

I also gave two answers to your poll, one for how much time had passed since POE and getting the job (9 months) and how much time had passed since AOS and getting the job (3 months). There were different levels of effort applied to the job search before and after receipt of the green card.

[thongd4me 69]

I had a couple of ideas. I also liked the Toastmasters suggestion.

perhaps you guys can find some career services type organization, who will put an experienced eye on her resume and even conduct mock interviews with her. I'm sure there must be similar services, I had mine in school. They even video taped the mock interview so we could watch it later and they could give me feedback about different things.

=>> The local school district has free adult education for language learning as well as occupational skills.

My other suggestion it sounds like you've already done. Just pick out some sort of throw-away (are there such things these days!) job to just get the experience at the interview.

I felt very badly that I couldn't help Nik much with his job hunt. I interviewed once and was offered that job within a month of seriously starting my search. Of course, it was 2006...so... =>> I'm very actively helping her with the job search, telling her yea or nay with job websites and helping her fill out the forms in correct English. She is likely to believe sites that promise the sky and in the end are only trying to sell you training or some kind of work-at-home scam. If you contact a major corporation and they have a work-at-home plan it's the real thing but other than that it's pretty much nonsense.

I also gave two answers to your poll, one for how much time had passed since POE and getting the job (9 months) and how much time had passed since AOS and getting the job (3 months). There were different levels of effort applied to the job search before and after receipt of the green card.

Thanks for your input.