Jobs in the USA

[Anna C. 4]

Hi @ all,

I wonder how it works in the USA. When you applied for a job, did they acknowledge your education and work experiences from your homecountry? Did it help that you were multilingual?

My hubbie can't tell me and says everything will be fine, but I'd like rather to hear from you what happened to you!

I also wonder if anyone would employ me with a good job if I only have an EAD good for one year - will they believe that we will get a Greencard?

Thanks guys,

Anna.

[CarolineM 0]

Hi Anna.

My husband is from Australia. WWe sent his transcripts to an foreign evaluation company. They made a "translation" of his classes and degree and even converted his grades into a "GPA". It was a tad pricey, but totally worth it.

My husband got two job interviews, and two job offers within 2 weeks of starting his job search.

Hope that helps.

[yabasta 0]

Being multilingual is certainyl helpful with some jobs but not all jobs. I think Spanish is perhaps the most helpful second language in the States. I don`t speak it well enough though. So far my experience and education has not helped but i don`t think it hurts either. For applications i have simply been stating that x y and z are in the UK. I think it depends on what field you are looking in really. If you are skilled and it is clear that you are skilled then it won`t matter that your skill is non US. It might just be in some cases that you might need to gain a U.S. qualification but in most cases i think they will accept you on your foreign acuired skills. Sorry if i make no sense. It happens.

[Anna C. 4]

Thanks... So some of my certificates are in English as well as all my letters of recommendation. Hope that helps. I also hope that they'll know the univsersity of Munich since it is really big. My MA's in German, but the certificate is in Latin, and my hubbie's American BA is also in Latin for some reason; it seems to be normal...

I want to work again in my area of expertise, and that's marketing. For my other languages I have certificates of the respective countries where I stayed to improve my skills. I can't speak Spanish and I certainly did notice it is a helpful language in the states (actually the US is bilingual). I assume French and Italian wont help too much unless the company deals with Canada or is active worldwide.

Karo, can you tell me where you got your husband's certificates converted??? And how much did it cost? I thought actually that all the English speaking western countries used the same system of GPAs and BA's....

Thanks, Anna

[Anastassia 0]

Anna it all depends on many factors. Where I live (small town) they seemed to completely ignore my work experience and I kept hearing: "oh you are just starting", "your first job", etc, etc. and it was really driving me crazy. Just as if my foreign experience didn't count. I speak Spanish and had a few interviews where Spanish was required. I know for a fact (conversation with the potential employer) that they didn't believe me when I was saying I speak Spanish, but they never bothered bringing anyone to interview who could assess my skills in Spanish. Several times I was asked: "how can you speak Spanish if you are Polish?". Pretty dumb as far as I am concerned.

Also the references that were not local were not worth much. It took me three months to get a job and I found a good one, but at the time I was ready to give up.

I think that it would have been different in a big city. I live in a small town in Virginia where I get an impression that if you are not local, you are nobody. I certainly hope it's not like this everywhere.

Good luck

Ana

[dark faery 0]

I think a lot of it depends on your field for work, really.

My husband is from Australia- he has a bachelors in IT for his degree, a few years experience in running his own small business, had a job at his university as a technician for computers, and most recently after he graduated uni worked for a retail store in sales for 7 months.

He put in a lot of apps online and got only one call back (that was in a 3 week period, though) for an IT distributer, in sales- went to the interview and got the job. Salary, plus comission, and good benefits. We didn't have an evaluation of his degree.. all we had was his resume listing his education and experience and a very nice reference from his manager at his sales job in Australia. This is an international company and a very large one who just opened up an office near our house so they were in need of quite a few new hires.. so it kind of just depends on where and what you're applying for. I think for some fields, it's a REALLY good idea to get your credentials evaluated, others it just doesn't seem to matter as much.

Anyway, good luck with the whole job thing!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

What also helps is to see if your foreign references will write a letter of recommendation that you can give to the local employer. If it is in a foreign language, then have them formally translated. This will save them having to think about making a long distance phone call which they will not be inclined to do. Include copies with your resume instead of the list of references. Good luck.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Well in a big city like Boston... it is not so easy to find work... everyone here has a college degree and local references.... and it is very cut throat..... I have my degree from 20 years ago and lots of work history.. but nothing in the USA....

I was told a a few interview that it would take too long to get international references and I should try to get some work expirence here in the US first (####### did they think I was trying to do)... I ended up using a Temp agency just to get a refrence... the 3rd company I went to work for liked me so much they offered me a full time post.... I have been working for them now for almost a year... I did discover I am their only immigrant...

Kezzie

Edited August 23, 2006 by Kezzie

[Reba 2]

It may be difficult for you in Charlotte Anna. Another former VJer ended up not even moving to the US at all (despite getting the green card) because she could never find a job in Charlotte where her hubby lives. She's been looking for over a year now, still nothing. I think her GC will be revoked soon!

You may seriously want to consider a temp agency or two. Heck, I'm Canadian and I went to one interview here in Hickory and the guy said to me "we weren't sure you'd be able to speak English" Some people just really have no clue.

Plus, North Carolina unemployment rate is fairly high. If there's a job open there's about 400 applicants for it, and unfortunately, unless your skills are glaringly better than others, they'll pick the local first. Sad but true.

Don't give up tho. I've been here nearly 2 years and suffered 3 "subsistence" jobs until I finally found something that may be tolerable. I say "may" because I only just started a new job on Monday this week.

[hockeygal 0]

I just want to say, that all of your stories scare the ####### out of me!!! I keep reading horror stories in every topic! And here I have spent months convincing my guy who worries that it will be fairly easy for someone with all my experience and glowing references to find a job. Oy!

Edited August 23, 2006 by hockeygal

[Anna C. 4]

Thanks for all your answers... But how stupid can employers be to ask a Canadian if he/she speaks English?! Why don't they ask me if I spoke German???!!! Jesus!

Sounds pretty tough out there, and I cannot get started until my EAD will be issued. The worst case scenario is that we will move. Hubbie promised me that we will move if I don't get a job. And I don't want to wait tables - it's an honorable job, but that's not a long term option for me. I attended 5.5 years college, worked so much in Munich and New York and spent my spare time to study foreign languages - I want to have a real job!!! It wouldn't be satisfying.

My hope for the Charlotte area is the German network. There are about 150 German companies operating in Mecklenburg county. Maybe they can help, I'll meet them September 7th. Also I have a contact at an advertising agency, had to work with him when I was in New York. Still, I feel pretty devasted about the job situation.

Reba, do you mean they just don't want non-Americans or are they so hardcore that they even don't want non-NC's???

So after whenever it may be obtaining EAD, they next nightmare will start.... Sigh.

Anna

Edited August 23, 2006 by Anna C.

[Cdnwmn 0]

I believe it depends on where you reside.

I've been here for over 4 years now. Now while I admit I didn't go out and pound the pavement daily looking for a job, I did apply for many jobs over those years. I either didn't hear from these companies or had interviews and was told "thanks but no thanks." On one interview with a high school for a secretarial job, I was asked if all of my experience was only from Canada. (I had done work for a School Board back in Canada). I knew right then and there that my chances of getting the job were out the window.

I had applied for stocking shelves at Christmas time with two stores only to get rejected. Same stores that were crying out for help, complaining they can't get enough help at Christmas time. I did manage to land a job with Walmart but that turned into a disaster. Earlier this year I got hired by a State agency but it didn't work out.

Last Thursday I applied for a job through a temp agency. I went in on Monday to get tested and interviewed, Tuesday I was told to report the Health & Welfare office on Wednesday morning.

I was told (and this by USC's themselves) that this State discriminates on age. Whether this is true or not, I don't know. I'm 47 years old. At times I believe these companies didn't want to be bothered with a "foreigner" but once again can't verify that. Anyhow I got this job, went in today and really like it (already). I figure this is a stepping stone to landing something permanent in the future. I only wished I had done this a lot sooner - went to a temp agency.

Never rule out a temp agency.

[Reba 2]

Reba, do you mean they just don't want non-Americans or are they so hardcore that they even don't want non-NC's???

Anna

some companies just don't want immigrants, full stop. Whether you have a 10 year green card or not. This may be different in Charlotte, but around here, immigrants are not well liked.

[Anna C. 4]

I assumed that there are always companies which only hire locals. Sigh. Thanks for the temp agency tips, I will contact them. Hubbie looked up some agencies for me. I will let you know how it will work out when my EAD will arrive (it *should* arrive within the next two months).

I'm not sure about age discrimination, it surely exists and can happen to younger and older people. A company in Germany last year didn"t want to hire me because I was too young in their eyes. They said they wanted someone with more life experience. So it can happen anywhere to anyone. Still it is disappointing.

Good luck for your job search and please keep all of us posted!!!!

THanks, Anna.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Anna C.

[Anastassia 0]

Reba, I hope you smacked that guy