Getting a job in the US

[Niceb 2]

After 13 years of applying for the DV lottery I finally won DV2015. I have had the dream of moving to the US since my late teens. Obviously it would have been better had I won the DV lottery ten years ago but unfortunately that was not my case. I have a decent case number and fit all the requirements but am concerned, about getting a job that is. I don't want to uproot our lives, spend all our savings and it not to work out.

I'm in my mid thirties but will be hitting late thirties by the time the visa is issued. My husband will be hitting his mid forties. He is Brazilian and I am Irish. For the last three years we have been living in Brazil. My career has taken a nosedive since. I haven't been able to get a job (I.T. Marketing) so I have been teaching English and running a small business(Fine Art). I have a degree in communications and a post grad in Advertising. I'm also in the process of obtaining a PMP Certification and speak decent (but not fluent) Portuguese. I also know a lot about European art (though have no formal qualification). My husband is a Production Engineer with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and an MBA in Management. He currently works for an American multinational that makes tractors. He's a production supervisor with many years experience.

The chances of my husband getting a transfer are remote. Even if he did, it would be to a very rural place in Minnesota, three hours drive from Minneapolis. We would prefer to be close to an urban centre.

As he is in his mid forties, with English as a second language and no US experience or education, will he have any chance of getting a job, especially in his area and the current job market? What are the best states for that kind of work? Would his skills be transferable to the likes of the oil and gas industry?

As for me, is there anything else that I can do to make myself more employable? I'm willing to go back down to a much lower position than what I had but am concerned that I will be competing against people in their late twenties with a US education and experience for the same roles. I am willing to retrain but don't have money(or time really) to do another undergraduate .

[lil2be 11]

Getting a job is somewhat like winning a lotto to me as well. Skills and luck.

I would recommend you look on online job search like indeed.com monster.com to see what have offered.

I have friend who is an engineer USC, he has been unemployed forever. I was offered a job as IT help desk at a top automotive company paying $16/hour. I took the job even though it was lower than education I have gained.

You can get a job anywhere in the states. You have to figure it out what kind of weather you like to live in first. I live in MI and I love it here but if we have a chance. We will move to a warmer state for sure. Good luck.