Getting a Job in Florida/USA...

[timelena 0]

I sent out my resume today and already have an appointment scheduled for Monday morning. It's one more staffing agency, but still... Life is going on.

Good luck to you, aidan80!

[Donal78 0]

Hang in there aidan.Have you tried craigslist. I got a job thanks to that site. I start monday after being interviewed today by the recruiter and then the Helpdesk manager 20 minutes later. 2 hours later i got the job. Wohoo at long last our lives start. The money is slightly more than what i earned in ireland. So aidan keep at it esp job forums. You never know who is on those forums.

The best part is the job is in boston so happy days.

[Cygnet 0]

We live in Southern California and so can't help you with the whole Florida situation. But I was wondering, can your contacts from where you used to work before help you in any way? I mean, do you think your old boss/co-worker know of someone here in the US who can help you get leads? I ask this because this is what happened to me...

A week and a half before my interview at the consulate, I decided to send out seven resumes to dance studios here in California (I'm a ballet teacher). In my letter, I told them I would contact them once I get the visa. Anyway, I also asked one of my former mentors (from Canada), who happened to have lots of contacts around the world, for any leads in the US. One of the seven studio owners I sent my resume to happened to know her and called her to talk about me. Apparently, she (my mentor) spoke highly of my work in Ontario (having examined my former students on two separate occassions and knowing me from when I was in the teacher training program years ago). Anyway, I got a phone message from this studio owner here in California, and 2 days after arriving here, I was able to go for an interview and teach an audition class, and... get a little bit of work (she wasn't actually hiring but decided to give me a few hours of work every week).

Luck was on my side again with a second studio. Apparently, another studio owner was talking to the first studio owner who happened to mention me. When she realized she also has my resume, she gave me a call, too. After an interview and (yet another) audition class, she offered me a few hours of work each week.

I'm not working a lot... just a few hours a week. But it's okay for me this year. And by the way, I started working 2 days after getting my SS card in the mail.

I hope you'll find something soon. Good luck, Aidan!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

We’re in central Florida about an hour and a half outside Orlando. 40 jobs, good god! At least I know I’m not alone in being ignored for jobs! I thought discrimination was illegal ?

It isn't discrimination, rather employers are generally just too rude and/or lazy to even aknowledge getting your application in most companies, regardless of qualification, citizenship, etc. It can happen anyone.

40 jobs in two weeks seems pretty pro-active to me. I don't think you can just post your resume on Monster and expect the employers to come running. In the days before I even leave Germany, I am going to be sending out at least that many, more when I arrive and I am the USC. Sometimes, it can be a good idea to cold call businesses and see if they are offering any positions or just send to send them your resume just because.

I have to agree with Cygnet about networking. If you know anyone that might know anything, call them right now, even if you think it is an impossible long shot. I have been spending the past few days dusting off all of my connections to old friends, employers, and professors. I am surprised really at how interested they all were about hearing from me again and were willing to help as much as they could. Even though yours would be in another country, they may have connections to Irish/British-American firms in the state or country, for example, or just *know* the right people in the US.

I'd get a car. Seriously, right now. I am definitely getting one for my husband before he comes because I just can't see him getting a job without one, even a ###### one. It doesn't have to be the greatest thing ever (gods know my husband's won't be, but neither is the one I already have there), just something to get you there and back again until you can afford something better.

[aidan80 9]

Hang in there aidan.Have you tried craigslist. I got a job thanks to that site. I start monday after being interviewed today by the recruiter and then the Helpdesk manager 20 minutes later. 2 hours later i got the job. Wohoo at long last our lives start. The money is slightly more than what i earned in ireland. So aidan keep at it esp job forums. You never know who is on those forums.

The best part is the job is in boston so happy days.

Congratulations on the job Donal .. it’s good to see you’ve secured something, I’m sure there’s hope for me yet it’s only a matter of time.

I’ve no doubt I’ll have a job in some shape or form soon enough, I just sent out another 5 applications for positions that are open, it’s mostly office type work. I did however find one job just listed for a Network Technician quite close by and the cash seems to be very decent. It’s almost exactly the same post as I interviewed for not too long ago only in a different City with better salary. I’ll have to check out craigslist and stick out my CV again.. and have a search around.

We live in Southern California and so can't help you with the whole Florida situation. But I was wondering, can your contacts from where you used to work before help you in any way? I mean, do you think your old boss/co-worker know of someone here in the US who can help you get leads? I ask this because this is what happened to me...

A week and a half before my interview at the consulate, I decided to send out seven resumes to dance studios here in California (I'm a ballet teacher). In my letter, I told them I would contact them once I get the visa. Anyway, I also asked one of my former mentors (from Canada), who happened to have lots of contacts around the world, for any leads in the US. One of the seven studio owners I sent my resume to happened to know her and called her to talk about me. Apparently, she (my mentor) spoke highly of my work in Ontario (having examined my former students on two separate occassions and knowing me from when I was in the teacher training program years ago). Anyway, I got a phone message from this studio owner here in California, and 2 days after arriving here, I was able to go for an interview and teach an audition class, and... get a little bit of work (she wasn't actually hiring but decided to give me a few hours of work every week).

Luck was on my side again with a second studio. Apparently, another studio owner was talking to the first studio owner who happened to mention me. When she realized she also has my resume, she gave me a call, too. After an interview and (yet another) audition class, she offered me a few hours of work each week.

I'm not working a lot... just a few hours a week. But it's okay for me this year. And by the way, I started working 2 days after getting my SS card in the mail.

I hope you'll find something soon. Good luck, Aidan!

I wish people and or organizations I had worked with or for in the past could help me over here in Florida but they can’t, I’m a long way from home . Although back home I did a fair amount of freelance work outside my normal job and had no shortage of jobs coming from people or companies that knew me or recommend me and so on. I do know and understand the sometimes critical importance of networking.

I understand exactly what you’re saying, all I really need to do is.. well get my foot in the door and I’m sure I’ll be laughing all the way to the pub or the bank Unfortunately I couldn’t start working right away when I got here, I came in on a K-1 and didn’t go through JFK therefore didn’t have an EAD. The EAD I now have we could only apply for in April due to finical difficulties partly brought on by a small road accident and an incompetent insurance company + an entire garage full of people who “couldn’t understand me” even though 99% of other Americans can without a problem!

I’m sure I’ll get something quite soon, thanks for sharing your experience! It has given me some ideas!

[aidan80 9]

We’re in central Florida about an hour and a half outside Orlando. 40 jobs, good god! At least I know I’m not alone in being ignored for jobs! I thought discrimination was illegal ?

It isn't discrimination, rather employers are generally just too rude and/or lazy to even aknowledge getting your application in most companies, regardless of qualification, citizenship, etc. It can happen anyone.

40 jobs in two weeks seems pretty pro-active to me. I don't think you can just post your resume on Monster and expect the employers to come running. In the days before I even leave Germany, I am going to be sending out at least that many, more when I arrive and I am the USC. Sometimes, it can be a good idea to cold call businesses and see if they are offering any positions or just send to send them your resume just because.

I have to agree with Cygnet about networking. If you know anyone that might know anything, call them right now, even if you think it is an impossible long shot. I have been spending the past few days dusting off all of my connections to old friends, employers, and professors. I am surprised really at how interested they all were about hearing from me again and were willing to help as much as they could. Even though yours would be in another country, they may have connections to Irish/British-American firms in the state or country, for example, or just *know* the right people in the US.

I'd get a car. Seriously, right now. I am definitely getting one for my husband before he comes because I just can't see him getting a job without one, even a ###### one. It doesn't have to be the greatest thing ever (gods know my husband's won't be, but neither is the one I already have there), just something to get you there and back again until you can afford something better.

I know it isn’t discrimination, I didn’t mean that literally, it can be annoying sometimes being ignored that’s all . I can certainly understand that some employers may well be too “rude” or even lazy to take the time, at the end of the day they lose out on decent employees. I know it can happen to anyone, my wife a USC applied for a job sometime ago.. I applied for a second job (better paying + benefits) for her online, we never expected an interview and she got an interview and beat off some very stiff, older and more experienced competition to get the job . She got totally ignored for the first job which she was over qualified for anyway and ended up with a much better job.

40 attempts is very pro active I’d agree. As I said before I’m limited on the route my wife takes to work, I can’t just send resumes out in all directions if I could I would. Maybe your misunderstanding me.. I didn’t just post my resume on Monster and have sat waiting for a job to land on me. I’ve been sending in applications for open positions, for jobs that are there and have been ignored; I can understand being ignored when sending in a CV/Resumes but an application Although it’s been a while since I’ve needed to apply for a job (was in my last job 5 and a half years) and I’m still quite new to how things work in the US.

Getting a second car just isn’t an option, I don’t have a full license yet and there’s no way we could afford it. Unless we were to eat dog in order to save cash ! That’s a joke , I don’t condone the eating of small fuzzy household pets!

We’re living on only my wife’s pay cheque at the moment. We have no credit, my wife spent sometime away from the US while at university and then more time with me in Ireland and doesn’t have much of a credit score I have a little or no credit here as I and my SSN are new. Anyway I want to avoid credit like the plague if at all possible.

Credit was one thing we overlooked.. We found it almost impossible to rent an apartment when I first got here because my wife didn’t have enough of a credit score alone and I couldn’t legally work to start with. Someone out there must like us because we ended up renting a small but very decent house in a very normal (not rich and not poor area) for less than what an apartment would have cost in a not quite a nice area.

Thanks for the response and for giving me some ideas! I’m sure I’ll nail down something soon, it’s good to see I’m not alone in the battle for a job!

[Peggy 1]

I was really lucky finding a job I like here in the US.

I put my name in for one job and got hired, and I really like it.

What I like most about it as you have lots of chances to move up within the company.

Also we get bonus's five times a year.

I have been at my new job for 6 months now, and I advanced to a new position after 4 months.

Good luck to everyone finding a job they like.

[Anastassia 0]

Yes, let's face it, it is DISCRIMINATION, let's not pretend it isn't. I thought it was only here (Virginia) like this. It took me 3 months to find a job after maybe 50 CV's and only 3 interviews. I had an impression that I was just being ignored. People here must lie a lot about their experience and qualification because potential employers did not seem to believe what they were being told. Example: a requirement for one job was Spanish and they asked me "how can you know Spanish if you are from Poland?" Can you guys believe a question like this ? It's none of their #$#%%# business how I know it, I thought it made no difference how I knew, right ?

Of course, nobody will admit it, but how would you call it if people who are less qualified get the job just because they are American ?

But you will find something, I feel for you though, it's really hard and annoying.

Don't give up.

Ana

[aidan80 9]

Yes, let's face it, it is DISCRIMINATION, let's not pretend it isn't. I thought it was only here (Virginia) like this. It took me 3 months to find a job after maybe 50 CV's and only 3 interviews. I had an impression that I was just being ignored. People here must lie a lot about their experience and qualification because potential employers did not seem to believe what they were being told. Example: a requirement for one job was Spanish and they asked me "how can you know Spanish if you are from Poland?" Can you guys believe a question like this ? It's none of their #$#%%# business how I know it, I thought it made no difference how I knew, right ?

Of course, nobody will admit it, but how would you call it if people who are less qualified get the job just because they are American ?

But you will find something, I feel for you though, it's really hard and annoying.

Don't give up.

Ana

I honestly don’t know if it is or if it isn’t discrimination. At times I admit it can feel that way, but it could also have nothing to with discrimination and could be just getting ignored by employers. It can be very confusing; I’d prefer to stay optimistic where I can.

What ever it is, it’s annoying to think people put in a lot of work into their CV/Resumes and applications, follow up with phone calls and still get no response. Alternatively like my only interview so far, I was offered a salary on the phone.. I showed up for my interview, arrived early, dressed nicely with certificates, references in a folder ready for display and I showed them. Interview went very well I thought? I was shown around the office where the technician’s stations would be and told we’ll be in contact next week. Two weeks later I’m still searching for a job! It may very well be I was the wrong personfor the job or the fact I didn’t have a full drivers license only a learners license, although I was told driving wasn’t and wouldn’t be critical. It could also be the the interviewers talked about another employee from Europe who had to go home and had problems with citizenship. I should have just showed my EAD and told them how long, hard and how much money it took just to come here... but it didn’t occur at the time.

In your case it could very well have been discrimination, in my case I’ll never know the real reason I didn’t get the job. If I’m lucky I’ll get the standard copied and pasted “thanks, but no thanks” letter in the mail in a month.

I agree it is hard, very annoying and frustrating but I will get something in the end.

Thanks for the response!

[Canuck Carrie 1]

I know it may not be ideal, but now is when the holiday retail hiring starts. There might be something close to you that will get you out of the house and put a little $ in your wallet as well as getting you some more American experience.

[aidan80 9]

I know it may not be ideal, but now is when the holiday retail hiring starts. There might be something close to you that will get you out of the house and put a little $ in your wallet as well as getting you some more American experience.

I was sort of thinking the same thing; Christmas starts early here doesn’t it ?

Part of the reason I was sending CV’s/Resumes and or application to the big chain stores in this area. At this point I’m certainly not being picky and am not aiming at only what I can do or only what I want but also at everything else that I could do and would do. Making some money at this point is a lot better than making no money!

Thanks for the idea!

[chri'stina 190]

We’re in central Florida about an hour and a half outside Orlando. 40 jobs, good god! At least I know I’m not alone in being ignored for jobs! I thought discrimination was illegal ?

It isn't discrimination, rather employers are generally just too rude and/or lazy to even aknowledge getting your application in most companies, regardless of qualification, citizenship, etc. It can happen anyone.

It's not discrimination. I agree! Discrimination could happen, not saying it never would. But I do not think that is why you are not hearing back from employers. My husband is Indian and never faced discrimination while looking for a job.

It doesn't matter who you are, a US citizen or greencard holder or EAD holder. Many employers do not contact you unless they want to ask you questions or interview you. If they get 100 resumes, and are seriously interested in 10 or something, they do not go and contact every person who sent a resume, in my experiences of applying for jobs. Some companies are more professional and will send you an email or letter thanking you for applying even if they are not interested.

I just wanted to say one more thing. I mentioned staffing agencies. But I am not talking of temporary placement agencies like Manpower or Spherion (unless they also have permanent positions available). I am talking about agencies that specialize in getting jobs for certain careers.

Kforce, Veredus, and the other I mentioned get contacted directly by companies who want to hire certain professionals(Like IT), who want their potential employees to be tested in skills and screened ahead of time, so they know they are getting someone who knows what they are doing. So first you would have an interview/appointment with the agency, who then will find jobs that meet your qualifications. They will then tell the employer they have someone who may fit well. Then you would interview with the actual company who is hiring. The agency will then be the go-between of the company and you, and will help you negotiate salary.

Many of the jobs that Kforce finds out about are not advertised in newspapers or online job searches because the employer wants to go directly through one of these agencies. So it's important to find out about getting connected to one of these agencies if you do IT work. These places would not benefit me personally if I was looking for a job, since my degree is not in anything they specialize in placing.

This may not be an option for everyone but for Sujeet this is how he is at his 2nd very well paying job in the US.

And sometimes the hiring process is not fast. That part is not fun either. From the initial contact from a potential employer to actually being hired could be a few weeks to a month around here it seems, for many career fields.

[aidan80 9]

We’re in central Florida about an hour and a half outside Orlando. 40 jobs, good god! At least I know I’m not alone in being ignored for jobs! I thought discrimination was illegal ?

It isn't discrimination, rather employers are generally just too rude and/or lazy to even aknowledge getting your application in most companies, regardless of qualification, citizenship, etc. It can happen anyone.

It's not discrimination. I agree! Discrimination could happen, not saying it never would. But I do not think that is why you are not hearing back from employers. My husband is Indian and never faced discrimination while looking for a job.

It doesn't matter who you are, a US citizen or greencard holder or EAD holder. Many employers do not contact you unless they want to ask you questions or interview you. If they get 100 resumes, and are seriously interested in 10 or something, they do not go and contact every person who sent a resume, in my experiences of applying for jobs. Some companies are more professional and will send you an email or letter thanking you for applying even if they are not interested.

I just wanted to say one more thing. I mentioned staffing agencies. But I am not talking of temporary placement agencies like Manpower or Spherion (unless they also have permanent positions available). I am talking about agencies that specialize in getting jobs for certain careers.

Kforce, Veredus, and the other I mentioned get contacted directly by companies who want to hire certain professionals(Like IT), who want their potential employees to be tested in skills and screened ahead of time, so they know they are getting someone who knows what they are doing. So first you would have an interview/appointment with the agency, who then will find jobs that meet your qualifications. They will then tell the employer they have someone who may fit well. Then you would interview with the actual company who is hiring. The agency will then be the go-between of the company and you, and will help you negotiate salary.

Many of the jobs that Kforce finds out about are not advertised in newspapers or online job searches because the employer wants to go directly through one of these agencies. So it's important to find out about getting connected to one of these agencies if you do IT work. These places would not benefit me personally if I was looking for a job, since my degree is not in anything they specialize in placing.

This may not be an option for everyone but for Sujeet this is how he is at his 2nd very well paying job in the US.

And sometimes the hiring process is not fast. That part is not fun either. From the initial contact from a potential employer to actually being hired could be a few weeks to a month around here it seems, for many career fields.

I have already signed up with and sent my resume to kforce and veredus. I’ve already been contacted by veredus to get additional information. I’ve honestly probably signed up with every other employment type site out there. I can certainly understand that things take time, when I applied for my wife’s job we heard nothing for a number of weeks if not a couple of months. All of a sudden she gets an interview and starts the next week if I remembering that correctly.

Thanks for the help, it’s very much appreciated!