Finding Work in the US

[peezey 0]

Just curious how the **climate** is out there for muslims and arabs. After 9/11 my husband couldn't find a job to save his life, no matter his multiple degrees & training in the US. This is why we started a business, so he could be self-employed.

Recently there was a 20/20 story about names on resumes that sounded very ethnic. Two candidates with the exact same resumes but the names on the top were treated very differently.

Is it harder for muslims and arabs to get any job these days? Or is it just professional jobs? All this talk about people feeling like they have to hide themselves in order to be accepted into society just makes me sick, so I'm posting this to exchange experiences.

ETA: I'm also curious what is a realistic income expectation for a new immigrant who may or may not have training in a field. Have you found your husbands who have found work have been able to get good raises/promotions equitable with others in their workplace?

Edited November 27, 2006 by peezey

[Jenn! 918]

I can't really comment just because Wadi's English skills were poor when he arrived. Although I have some suspicions, it wouldn't be accurate for me to say that he was discriminated against for his ethnicity when it very well could have just been the language issue.

I guess time will tell as Wadi's English improves and that's no longer a factor.

[peezey 0]

I can't really comment just because Wadi's English skills were poor when he arrived. Although I have some suspicions, it wouldn't be accurate for me to say that he was discriminated against for his ethnicity when it very well could have just been the language issue.

I guess time will tell as Wadi's English improves and that's no longer a factor.

True, we didn't have that particular hurdle to jump, so I didn't think of it.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Yes, very very very very very difficult. Exceedingly difficult. Moreso then we ever possibly imagined.

If anyone is so inclined, please make du'a for my husband.

Edited November 27, 2006 by rahma

[LaL 418]

i can't quite say if Del has had any difficulty because he is still with the company he was employed by in Canada, however if recruiters are any indication - no, it hasnt been difficult. they call/email 2-3 times a week.

[peezey 0]

i can't quite say if Del has had any difficulty because he is still with the company he was employed by in Canada, however if recruiters are any indication - no, it hasnt been difficult. they call/email 2-3 times a week.

That's actually really great to hear. We've kind of been out of the loop on it all since we have our business, but there just might come a point when that's no longer going to work.

[sarachid 0]

Rachid found a job quickly... well after me showing him the applications he had to fill out, he did the rest. He was hired by a man from saudi arabia, he was super nice with Rachid and it was only 5 min walking from our appartment... I think you have to keep looking and you will find good people that just want a good worker....

[doodlebug 3]

I know for us we are going to try to network as much as possible. I"m already doing that here now and we're not even married yet. Heck never hurts to have as many connections as you can get.

Places that I have started to network are:

local masjids

any friends where I work who are from Egypt

our immigration dept (i work for a university and I actually audit this department so that's way cool)

friends of friends who are in the same line of sales as he is

relatives who have odd jobs they will need done in the future to help as a filler if there's a lag for him

my ex husband. lol. he owns a kitchen cabinet shop and always needs guys to help him out. he's not too keen on possibly working for my ex though so that would be a last resort.

Anyway you get the idea. Just google arabic associations or associations from his country of origin in your area and introduce yourself and explain the situation. It can't hurt!

[Mrs. Forgetful 2]

When Adil was granted his OPT EAD, he had a little bit of a problem finding a place, but I think that was more so because he was only garrenteed to that company for one year. I think that this next time trying to get hired by a large company will be much easier for him. Other friends that are muslim have been hired pretty quickly here in Philly. I guess that's because it's a large city that's very diverse. Inchallah he'll have a job before we go to Morocco.

[myfellah 0]

My husband picked up the paper and after our AOS interview went to check out a few to get an application. He was dressed very nice and was hired at the first place he went to. Since then, within 5 months they have increased his pay by $4 more an hour. He has been treated very well and enjoys his job. He had put in for 2 others right after getting this one just in case and went on the interviews and he was hired for those two also but turned them down. I think all most people are looking for are hard, courteous, dependable workers and are thrilled when they get much more than that.

Doreen

[peezey 0]

When Adil was granted his OPT EAD, he had a little bit of a problem finding a place, but I think that was more so because he was only garrenteed to that company for one year. I think that this next time trying to get hired by a large company will be much easier for him. Other friends that are muslim have been hired pretty quickly here in Philly. I guess that's because it's a large city that's very diverse. Inchallah he'll have a job before we go to Morocco.

My BIL has recently found the same difficulty with the OPT. As for my husband, I truly think it was because of 9/11 and everything that went with it. Not just the arab thing, but also companies were crashing, closing, freezing hiring, etc. We also live in a very diverse area (Silicon Valley) that I'd never think would discriminate, but that is probably way too much idealism on my part.

[browneyez40 0]

Just curious how the **climate** is out there for muslims and arabs. After 9/11 my husband couldn't find a job to save his life, no matter his multiple degrees & training in the US. This is why we started a business, so he could be self-employed.

Recently there was a 20/20 story about names on resumes that sounded very ethnic. Two candidates with the exact same resumes but the names on the top were treated very differently.

Is it harder for muslims and arabs to get any job these days? Or is it just professional jobs? All this talk about people feeling like they have to hide themselves in order to be accepted into society just makes me sick, so I'm posting this to exchange experiences.

ETA: I'm also curious what is a realistic income expectation for a new immigrant who may or may not have training in a field. Have you found your husbands who have found work have been able to get good raises/promotions equitable with others in their workplace?

My husband was hired the day after his passport was stamped. He went in that day for the first interview, they called him back as soon as he got home, he returned the same day for the second interview and was hired.

He actually took interviews when he had applied for OPT . He was denied OPT, but got the job (and therefore couldn't take it).

I think a lot of the time having a degree from an American university helps.

-C

Edited November 27, 2006 by browneyez40

[jordanianprincess 0]

Yes, very very very very very difficult. Exceedingly difficult. Moreso then we ever possibly imagined.

If anyone is so inclined, please make du'a for my husband.

Oh my, where has Tamer been applying Rahma? I think it has been a year right? I hope he finds something soon.

[peezey 0]

I think a lot of the time having a degree from an American university helps.

-C

Mine has a couple of these, and a lot of work experience, but it didn't help when we needed it most (Sept & Oct 2001) because I'd been laid off.

[browneyez40 0]

I think a lot of the time having a degree from an American university helps.

-C

Mine has a couple of these, and a lot of work experience, but it didn't help when we needed it most (Sept & Oct 2001) because I'd been laid off.

Yeah, I do believe that hiring practices have become less discriminatory the further America gets away from September 2001.

The Arabs and muslims who I know, who have immigrated here after Sept. 11, have had a harder time finding jobs because of their education levels and not because of their backgrounds. Most (who I know) do not have college degrees of any kind. They have to start from scratch here, learning the language and taking up a course of study.

-C