Best way to make it in the US

[Niceb 2]

I’ve won the DV2015 and have a great case number, along with fitting all the requirements, so am certain that I will obtain a green card. However, I am starting to get really nervous over the job situation.

Most DV lottery stories that I read consist of people not being able to get jobs, due to lack of American experience and education. All of the stories/reports are really depressing, with families moving to the US, getting into loads of debt and working in positions well below their ability.

My husband and I have already studied a lot and would rather not rack up a load of American debts. I’ve got a British degree, along with an Irish postgraduate and am currently doing my PMP certification. My husband is Brazilian, has a degree in Engineering and an MBA. I’ve checked them out and they equal the US equivalents.

I’ve worked with a lot of US companies (I.T. marketing and project management), as clients, over the years in Ireland and Australia. My husband has only ever work for US companies (heavy industry manufacturing) in Brazil and some local companies in Australia. Will this stand to us when looking for jobs or do recruiters look for US experience only?

The reason why I am freaking out is the following. I have been living in Brazil for the past four years and haven’t been able to get a job, no matter how hard I’ve tried. I’ve learnt the language, bumped up my education, networked like crazy and even offered to work for free, just to get local experience. I've been teaching English to get by, which is OK but a real grind. I don’t want to move to the US and both of us end up like me in Brazil.

I want to hear some DV lottery success stories. What advice can successful immigrants give to those starting out in the US? Which states are best for manufacturing? Which states are more welcoming towards immigrants? My husband is Brazilian. Do Americans discriminate against certain regions/countries?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. You are educated and speak English. Foreign experience works just as well.

When my husband moved here, I never considered for a second that he wouldn't be employable, or that his experience and education wouldn't count. Of course they count. I helped him make his resume to US standards, and he had a job within... a month maybe? I can't remember. His foreign experience and education worked just fine. In fact, at his work, they ask him if he has any colleagues from home that want to come work on working visas, because they are impressed.

In reading people's work issues in the US, what I usually find is that some people from non-western countries have a very different sense of how to get a job. Some have posted their resumes full of spelling errors, bad formatting, etc. I bet that a lot of people who are frustrated are quick to say that it is discrimination, but it's really them not being up to a professional standard.

On the other hand, I have seen a lot of industrious people on this board get good jobs shortly after moving to the US, from all over the world.

I think being Irish will just make you extremely popular in the US.

[Niceb 2]

Thanks Harpa. What about the US economy at the moment? I've seen so many conflicting reports. According to the national stats unemployment is 6.1%, which seems pretty good compared to Ireland (11.6%). I've read articles that say that the long term unemployed are getting jobs again and that manufacturing is returning to the US. However, a lot of readers comments point to the contrary; that it's almost impossible for locals to get work and that part-time unpaid positions are propping the true stats. What is the real story? Are these are articles just a load of hot air or are things really getting better?

[TBoneTX 45,571]

When you yourself don't have a job, the unemployment rate is 100%.

When you yourself have a job, the employment rate is 100%.

Ignore the irrelevancy of other numbers and do what it takes to achieve an employment rate of 100%.

[CowBoE 429]

Just a personal observation about US...

I find that many freshly arrived foreigners have much much more harder working attitude than those

that have lived here a long time.

This is truly a country with many opportunities if you are motivated hard worker.

There are so many employment and business opportunities here.

[HappyL337 1]

Best way not to get into debt is to not create it.

-Rent a room and not a house when you don't have a job and just get here... In the SF Bay Area a ghetto Hotel room will run you around $1500/month when you can rent a room for like $500-800.

-Start with A job and not THE job you want. It is a hell of a lot easier to find work when you have work. Some people won't hire you unless you have A job. You could get a job your first week here probably but its not going to be an "American Dream" type of job.

-Any responsible person should have enough money for at least 6-12 months so make sure your spending and lifestyle reflect that (many say longer)

[kehills 217]

Can you give a bit more information about what your husband does? PM and IT will likely be needed just about everywhere (although people might be able to be more specific if you want to share what your two degrees are in), but heavy industry manufacturing is probably going to be more limited in location/needs. How is your husband's English?

[hgl 2]

Just a personal observation about US...

I find that many freshly arrived foreigners have much much more harder working attitude than those

that have lived here a long time.

This is truly a country with many opportunities if you are motivated hard worker.

There are so many employment and business opportunities here.

I agree with this.

I have been working overseas for more than a decade before I came to US. I would say, work here is easy compared to my previous employment in middle east and asians country.

[Niceb 2]

Can you give a bit more information about what your husband does? PM and IT will likely be needed just about everywhere (although people might be able to be more specific if you want to share what your two degrees are in), but heavy industry manufacturing is probably going to be more limited in location/needs. How is your husband's English?

Hi kehills, I have a degree in Communications and a post grad in Advertising. I am currently going through the process of becoming PMP Certified.

Re my experience, I worked for an incentives company as a Project Manager in Ireland (co-headquartered in Boston). They have many big name multinational clients on their books. I also worked for years in Australia in a marketing and strategy agency who specialise in I.T marketing. My main clients were Cisco and Microsoft. I worked in Accounts Management (like project management)

Unfortunately that was over three years ago. When my visa ran out we moved to Brazil. I've been unable to find a job here, as Brazilians are not really open to hiring foreigners. To survive I've been running an English school and a Fine Art business (art dealers) based out of Ireland with my father.

My dream is to work full time in the art industry as a dealer but I think it will take a few years before I have sufficient capital and build a solid network. In the meantime I will have to become an employee. I'm willing to start from the bottom again as a Project Coordinator or Business Analyst in either a marketing or I.T company.

My husband has a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and an MBA in Business Management. However, he has spent his career working as a Production Supervisor for heavy industries such as tractor manufacturing and the arms industry. He has over 100 people reporting to him in his current job. His English is very good, though his has some problems with clarity as his accent is strong. He also speaks a little Spanish and understands it very well.

Edited August 17, 2014 by Niceb

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Thanks Harpa. What about the US economy at the moment? I've seen so many conflicting reports. According to the national stats unemployment is 6.1%, which seems pretty good compared to Ireland (11.6%). I've read articles that say that the long term unemployed are getting jobs again and that manufacturing is returning to the US. However, a lot of readers comments point to the contrary; that it's almost impossible for locals to get work and that part-time unpaid positions are propping the true stats. What is the real story? Are these are articles just a load of hot air or are things really getting better?

I think it is fair to say that the job situation is much better than it was a few years ago, and that it is currently much better than Ireland. Even here it is known that Ireland has a high unemployment rate right now. Quibbling about numbers, seems to me like politically motivated rageposting online For instance, the comment about locals not getting work is a not-so-veiled swipe at illegal immigrants (read: Mexicans are ruining everything!).

I would research job postings online and see what qualifications they want, to know what people are looking for. Check out monster.com to start. You both are educated, have work experience, speak English, so all that looks good. Your husband's accent will improve with more English speakers around, so as long as he knows the words I wouldn't worry about that. Good luck.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Harpa Timsah

[kehills 217]

Given your husband's background, the first places I would think about looking would be Caterpillar (Aurora, Illinois, I think) or the Boeing plants (around the USA). Good luck!

[d3adc0d3 186]

I'm in IT, and I would recommend that you look up areas in the US with a booming IT industry, Nashville TN is one, where there is rapid growth. You want to find an industry with a rapid growth in one or both of your fields. As long as you both speak English well, and you both interview well you'll do fine.

I've a slight Belfast accent from my father, who's an immigrant, and I always get asked if I'm from Ireland, no one has ever had an issues hiring me, I rarely am able to attend an interview without being hired right after.

In regards to your husband, he may need to get a license depending on the blue collar job he's looking for, but any Trade school he attends would be less than college, and he can still easily use his experience and education to acquire this. Trademan jobs are hurting for people at the moment, and there's a fairly steady/consistent need for new blood. The growth isn't a huge "jump" persay, but it's steady.

Tradesmen jobs are carpenters, mechanics, electricians, plumbers, surveyors, etc.

Good Luck!