Salary and growth as an immigrant

[elle13 15]

Hi all, I would like to find out if most new immigrants in the US have a difficult time trying to secure a job with equal or better pay than the job you left behind in your home country?

I arrived in the US in May this year and after a couple of months of "honeymooning" with my husband, I started job hunting in July. After more than a month of job hunting, I finally decided to accept a job within my field but (frankly) for which I am overqualified. My non-US degree and foreign job history was very confusing for most employers, and I was probably disadvantaged by the fact that I don't have any US experience.

Whilst I am still in my 20s and appreciate there's always room to grow in a company once you get your foot in the door, I miss the challenge and salary of my old job. If you've successfully negotiated a higher salary (and position) in the US as a new immigrant after accepting a job, please can you share your experience?

[Dylan'sWife 2]

I was a front end operations manager for a large grocery chain in Canada and I made about 47k per year for an organization I worked at for 20 years. Since I have moved to the US I have been a SAHM but on a lark, I put an application in at Target to be a cashier for the holiday season ( I think it pays like $8 an hour) and I haven't even received call for a phone interview.

[AmyWrites 593]

I think that immigrants end up working on jobs they are overqualified for, a lot.

My husband is a software engineer, at a senior level. He's not getting interviewed only for junior positions. The salary is still higher than what he made in Russia, but the work is obviously more basic and it's insulting in a way. I hope that as he gains US experience, this'll stop.

IMO big companies are better about immigrants than smaller companies. He got interviewed at very important US companies for senior positions, but anything like a small business, no, they wanted to downgrade him.

He's been taking PhD level courses, expanding his skillset, and teaching in the meantime, to: a. show his English is good enough to work here, and b. expand his skill set, and prove he's not just a techie guy.

Edited October 24, 2013 by AmyWrites

[elle13 15]

Dylan's wife, I would love to be a SAHM when the time is right!

Amy, I can relate to your husband in terms of the work not being very challenging. It'll be interesting to hear how people make the most of their jobs and progress to a position that reflects their actual experience.

[TBoneTX 45,234]

Someone told me this once, and it still rings true:

Any job is a good job.

Show your abilities, dependability, and work ethic, and someone -- inside or outside your current company -- will notice. You'll advance as fast as opportunity allows.

[AmyWrites 593]

Someone told me this once, and it still rings true:

Any job is a good job.

Show your abilities, dependability, and work ethic, and someone -- inside or outside your current company -- will notice. You'll advance as fast as opportunity allows.

I disagree, it's not the same for all fields. My husband is in a very high-tech thing... if he works out of his field, he'll lose his skills, he won't be "up to date", he won't be valuable anymore.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

OP: Foreign degree and foreign job experience was confusing?

I'd spend some time to adjust your resume so it's readable and understandable to a US audience.

[TBoneTX 45,234]

I disagree, it's not the same for all fields. My husband is in a very high-tech thing... if he works out of his field, he'll lose his skills, he won't be "up to date", he won't be valuable anymore.

Acknowledged, although he can become valuable in the new field. He can also try freelance consulting or work as an independent contractor. What has he tried along those lines?

[AmyWrites 593]

Currently doing that, it's good, just not stable income. Still no luck in terms of a permanent job, but at least it's in his field.

[markonline1 11]

I went from working in the aviation industry earning £60k a year to now working as a security supervisor earning $40k a year, quite a large drop. I think that's more about the area I live in though. When I went for this job, I had no problem converting my UK experience. It's just I'm fortunate and unfortunate that I live in a big tourist area, most of the jobs are in hospitality and therefor paid considerably less than I was earning in the UK.

[TBoneTX 45,234]

Currently doing that, it's good, just not stable income. Still no luck in terms of a permanent job, but at least it's in his field.

That's promising, then. Someone will take notice. If he's not already asking for referrals for additional work, he should. What kind of networking functions is he attending, and how regularly?

Edited October 27, 2013 by TBoneTX

[elle13 15]

@markonline I too was earning in the £60K range as a junior corporate lawyer. It's a very straight and narrow profession. The legal profession in the US is quite rigid, as is everywhere else. Unlike engineering or finance, my UK quals mean very little in a totally different jurisdiction. I accepted a job as a legal exec on less pay but think it's time to figure out where my career is heading- stick to trying to become a US attorney (which is expensive, more studying required) or go commercial and try to pitch myself as a corporate analyst type person.

TBoneTX: I'm a very hard worker but I'm still trying to find my way around my new company to try to get more challenging projects. I like the company but the work is easy compared to what I used to do, and I want to be challenged and prove I can do more.

[TBoneTX 45,234]

TBoneTX: I'm a very hard worker but I'm still trying to find my way around my new company to try to get more challenging projects. I like the company but the work is easy compared to what I used to do, and I want to be challenged and prove I can do more.

Good for you! Volunteer for projects (after consulting with your supervisor first). Meanwhile, do your easy work faster and better than anyone has done it, and you WILL be noticed.

[Boiler 45,434]

Just watching the Big Bang Theory and they had the episode where the Russian Physicist was a Janitor at the University. And knew the answer to the final quiz question.

[Peter_Pan 661]

^ Such a very very depressing episode for me.