A job in the US without a college degree

[Moomin 292]

On another thread, a poster alleged that without an EAD, that volunteering is also illegal.

Thoughts?

No, it's legal to volunteer, it's just not legal if it had been a paid position you applied for and you work for free until receiving EAD as some kind of contract. If you got hired as a volunteer and the company later on decides to turn it into a paid position, that's their business but occupying paid jobs in the US is not allowed without EAD.

[Sandra G. 5,043]

How about to work in U.S. Courts as an interpreter/translator?

http://www.uscourts.gov/FederalCourts/UnderstandingtheFederalCourts/DistrictCourts/CourtInterpreters/InterpreterCategories.aspx

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

No, it's legal to volunteer, it's just not legal if it had been a paid position you applied for and you work for free until receiving EAD as some kind of contract. If you got hired as a volunteer and the company later on decides to turn it into a paid position, that's their business but occupying paid jobs in the US is not allowed without EAD.

That makes sense.

Thanks.

[carton025 38]

The information provided in this reply is incorrect. You can obtain a SSN with the I-94 but it will be noted on the SSN card that it is only valid with DHS authorization. The document that allows you to work is the EAD card and you can only apply for the EAD card once you are married and file for AOS/EAD/AP. People need to research the information that they provide before posting as it just confuses the OP when being provided with misleading information. When filing for the EAD it will take between 60 to 90 days to be approved and mailed out to you. You can apply for your SSN within 14 days of your arrival into the US. It allows for Immigration to have your information added into the system. I applied for my SSN after 7 days and I received my first card within 5 business days. After I was married I went back to the Social Security office and had my name changed using a certified copy of my marriage license. After you receive your GC you can go back to the Social Security office and have the DHS authorization removed from the card as your EAD card will no longer be required.

FYI, my gal has her 2-year GC and the SSA will not remove her DHS authorization until after she has her 10-year GD. Your experience and lack of education may differ.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

FYI, my gal has her 2-year GC and the SSA will not remove her DHS authorization until after she has her 10-year GD. Your experience and lack of education may differ.

Go to a different office. This is wrong. They are able to remove it now.

[mikelor 0]

In order for you to work in the USA you must have an EAD (Employment Authorization Document). When You first arrive in the US, your passport should be stamped with an I-94, this will give you the ability to work in the USA for 90 days. After this, you can not work in the USA until you have filed the AOS (Adjustment of Status) process and have received your EAD and 2-year green card. It would be in your best interest to have your college transcript(s) evaluated by a credited education evaluation agency. As my memory serves me, there are 2(two) agencies in the USA that do this. Getting a job, good job, in the US is not that difficult, just time consuming.

As an example, my gal, a filipina, was unable to get a good job here in the USA until she got her 2-year green card. Your experience may differ.

Best wishes,

Sid

Hi, im wondering about this I-94 that you mentioned here. I don't have mine when i enter the USA, does that mean some will get it and some won't?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hi, im wondering about this I-94 that you mentioned here. I don't have mine when i enter the USA, does that mean some will get it and some won't?

The I-94 is a white card that should have been stapled in your passport.

[Golden Gate 530]

It is not so easy to get a job, as some people like to say. We are in a down economy right now. Many college graduates can't even get a job. Yes, you might be able to get a really crappy job, paying barely above minimum wage, which they will tax, and so you will actually make about $1.50 less per hour take home. If you are in a city, it might be easier than if you are in the country.

You have to be certified to be a teacher here. It isn't easy for you anymore if you are a foreign language teacher. You must have your bachelor's degree and teacher credential. They are continuing to cut teachers, so you must be highly qualified and have the specific requirements for that state. I didn't read all the posts yet, so sorry if I am being repetitive.

It seems that you have good work experience and references, so that is a plus. I think a lot will have to do with how you present yourself, how you put together your resume, and your persistence, and also if you are an assertive, outgoing type of personality.

Just be realistic, don't expect things to happen right away, and hopefully things will happen sooner than you expect.

I would try to see what jobs are out there in your interests ahead of time, to have some idea, but all the postings on the internet aren't necessarily the reality about what is actually available. We have contacted many places with absolutely no response, or you find that they need such and such qualifications - employers are getting very particular.

Temp agencies are a good idea, especially if you are in a city. To what city are you going?

Edited October 20, 2012 by Golden Gate

[Golden Gate 530]

Someone put down the alternative way to a teacher certificate. That is possible at Wayne State University which is near or in Detroit. However, just be aware that completing this takes time and money. School is not cheap here at all. Detroit Public Schools has been going through some major changes as it was in a state of emergency, so I have noticed several teaching jobs posted lately. You can go to Mireap.net to see their teacher jobs. There is also the USCIS there. You will want to look here for federal jobs: My link You are right on the border with Canada, so there is customs. Michigan has high unemployment in general, which you might already know. We live in Michigan, but the other side of the state.

[cassecouilles 3]

It is not so easy to get a job, as some people like to say. We are in a down economy right now. Many college graduates can't even get a job. Yes, you might be able to get a really crappy job, paying barely above minimum wage, which they will tax, and so you will actually make about $1.50 less per hour take home. If you are in a city, it might be easier than if you are in the country.

You have to be certified to be a teacher here. It isn't easy for you anymore if you are a foreign language teacher. You must have your bachelor's degree and teacher credential. They are continuing to cut teachers, so you must be highly qualified and have the specific requirements for that state. I didn't read all the posts yet, so sorry if I am being repetitive.

It seems that you have good work experience and references, so that is a plus. I think a lot will have to do with how you present yourself, how you put together your resume, and your persistence, and also if you are an assertive, outgoing type of personality.

Just be realistic, don't expect things to happen right away, and hopefully things will happen sooner than you expect.

I would try to see what jobs are out there in your interests ahead of time, to have some idea, but all the postings on the internet aren't necessarily the reality about what is actually available. We have contacted many places with absolutely no response, or you find that they need such and such qualifications - employers are getting very particular.

Temp agencies are a good idea, especially if you are in a city. To what city are you going?

We'll be going to Lincoln Park, near Detroit, in 2014. Looks like we'll spend a year in Camp Pendleton, California, first. But yes, you're right, I think starting to look early and just inquiring might be a good idea. There are also more consulates that I thought there would be, that might be a good direction to check into as well. It's all a bit stressful and worrisome to be honest, the idea of dropping a really good job here and then all this uncertainty for the future. I love my fiance, but I don't take this lightly, especially since we have a little boy and in light of how bad the economy is right now.

[MIDUVIL 34]

Hello,

Like other members tell you, try to finish your degree, it will be great. Even for September...

I'm the French speaking foreigner. I will give you my testimony.

Because I'm a french speaking, I used to do a lot of research about job-french speaking.... Translating or customer support. You can find a few bilingual jobs (English-French)- For other languages I don't know. But speaking Spanish is a huge huge huge plus (you can't imagine).

You can find also, some jobs like an interpreter as well, for some you can work at home.

Look for translating companies on google, example "Language Line Services" (found it on career builder.com). But you can do your own researches. They don't even ask you for a degree sometimes.

Maybe you can start with just being a customer support, and after go forward.

You can also, be a court translator, I don't know for other states, but for NYS you need to pass a test- And They are really well paid.

Medical translator also, maybe you will need a test. Not sure, sometimes the requirements are that you speak the foreign language and English. It's all.

Some companies offer you to work online, others on-call.

I did some medical translating- French-English, like a contractor, on call, was paid 25 per hour. With no degree on this area.

You can find something, I know for sure. With or without degree. But it's better to have one.

Nothing to be worried about.

I just found this one, but there are so many, in so many languages...

http://www.trustedtranslations.com/translation-company/translator-jobs.asp

Edited November 8, 2012 by MIDUVIL

[cassecouilles 3]

Here's my own experience and I do believe there are other factors at play - it's not just about whether or not you have a degree - it's whether you have relevant experience in place of a degree, where you live ( I live in Orange County, California) and how you come across at interview:

Once I had my EAD I didn't know where my skills and personality would be best suited in the US job market so I became a temp with an employment agency for 6 months. ($25 ph)

Another temp agency helped me get a position which lasted five years - starting pay $55k - got laid off in reduction in force - ending pay $65k

Unemployed 9 months April 2010 to Jan 2011 - but ended up with 54 interviews and 5 job offers - none of which paid less than $55k and landed a job in which starting pay was $72500 and now earning $76k.

I do not have a degree of any kind and work in administrative positions as an Executive Assistant -so it can be done if all the factors are in your favor if you can find a company who will look past your lack of degree!!

Good luck.

A bit late in getting back to you but did want to say that I found your post very comforting. I haven't been able to keep track of this website as much as I'd like to because it's been crazy busy at work and with a baby that's just starting to crawl at home it seems like I don't have enough eyes or hands to keep track of everything.

Any time I would ask people I know at the embassy, americans, about my chances of getting a good job in the states they would say: "without a degree? Maybe as a waitress." That would always depress me. Not that there's anything wrong with waitressing, as they would say in spanish a job is a job, con mucha honra :-) But been there, done that while in college, you know. I've worked to be where I'm at right now, taking the circumstances that forced me stop going to school full time in stride, and I'm rather proud of what I've managed to accomplish despite of that. I'm willing to start all over again from scratch... but I hope I won't have to :-)

[markonline1 11]

I must admit, this has been a huge concern to me. I don't leave for the US till March 10, but I've been having a little peek at what exactly is out there. Everything of any note seems to require a degree of which I don't have one.

I'm currently on a £60k job with a tonne of responsibility, but it's fairly specialised, being at an airport. It's pretty much all I've known though. I was hoping the Heathrow connection may open a few doors, but I'm moving to Monterey whose airport is smaller than terminal 5 LOL. Heathrow isn't gonna hold much sway if there are no positions going. I am fairly worried I'm gonna end up serving Big Macs if I'm honest.

There's nothing obviously wrong with serving Big Macs, but I'm gonna find it difficult being responsible for 1,400 movements a day at the worlds busiest international airport for possibly working in a fast food joint for I suspect minimum wage.

[cassecouilles 3]

I must admit, this has been a huge concern to me. I don't leave for the US till March 10, but I've been having a little peek at what exactly is out there. Everything of any note seems to require a degree of which I don't have one.

I'm currently on a £60k job with a tonne of responsibility, but it's fairly specialised, being at an airport. It's pretty much all I've known though. I was hoping the Heathrow connection may open a few doors, but I'm moving to Monterey whose airport is smaller than terminal 5 LOL. Heathrow isn't gonna hold much sway if there are no positions going. I am fairly worried I'm gonna end up serving Big Macs if I'm honest.

There's nothing obviously wrong with serving Big Macs, but I'm gonna find it difficult being responsible for 1,400 movements a day at the worlds busiest international airport for possibly working in a fast food joint for I suspect minimum wage.

Exactly. I think the hardest thing, for me, will be to get used to being dependent on my husband. At least in the very beginning, until we get the whole work permit thing going. I'm used to being independent, I make a good salary (more than my fiance ) so it's going to hurt to not be like that anymore. If I earn less, okay I can take it and I don't mind, if I have trouble find a job, any job, and have to ask him money to buy a loaf of bread (so to speak) I know I'll be downright depressed. Also, I'm used to having a job that carries a certain responsibility, I do it well and I like the respect that I get from my fellow co-workers. I'll miss that. But truth to tell, if I end up baking burgers at McDonalds... then by heck I'll serve the best Big Mac you've ever had :-p

I've noticed that one big draw back for many people on this forum has been the lack of references from American supervisors. I'll probably be lucky when it comes to that, because all of my supervisors since I started at the embassy have been Americans. I've asked them for references and they are more than willing. Do you have a linkedin profile? If not you should get one, try to get connected with Americans, possibly Americans in the area that you're moving to. You'd be surprised who shows up on your "People you may know" feed just through the connections you do already have. I have friends that managed to find jobs using ONLY linkedin. In dutch we say "Een nee heb je, een ja kan je krijgen" which loosely translates into: you've already got a no, you could stil get a yes, OR You won't know unless you try :-)

[markonline1 11]

But truth to tell, if I end up baking burgers at McDonalds... then by heck I'll serve the best Big Mac you've ever had :-p

Ha ha, I love that! If you do end up working in McDonalds, you gotta let me know. I don't care how far I have to drive, I gotta taste one of your Big Macs LOL.

Yeah, I have joined LinkedIn for the very reasons you state. I did have a meeting with an aviation company when I was out there last year, and he did say let him know when I'm out and we'll talk, so fingers crossed. The pay is rubbish, (but the benefits are good, apparently, something else we all have to get our heads round) but luckily my fiancée is in a well paid job which takes the pressure off a little.