Do employers discriminate against immigrants?

[TBoneTX 45,568]

Marrienne, the above is all good advice.

Here's something that almost no other job-interested person is doing:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/449151-the-steveandtiff-stupremacy/?p=6471637

You can set yourself apart from almost every other person out there.

[caliliving 606]

Hi Marrienne ! When I read your post, it was like reading about my background (degree, working experience, training, etc...) And really understand you...

Let me share my experience with you:

I'm living in the south of California 7 months ago and I waited 2 months to receive my SS Card...well, after that, I started to apply for different jobs.

First, I looked for something similar to my previous job (I was an executive of commercial banking in one of the largest banks in my country)... I didn't have good luck, as you, I couldn't get interviews, only emails saying another candidates have the profile they need.

Then, I changed my mind and I looked for administrative assistant position...I got some phones interviews but at the end, the same story: "thanks but no thanks".

The truth is that I have applied to more than 120 jobs in 5 months. Yes, more than 120...and after changing my resume 4 times, after creating like 50 cover letters, aftee reading a lot about the labour market here and watching videos on YouTube about tips for the job search, I decided to apply for different jobs like retail positions. I could get many interviews ...but again, I wasn't chosen.

I got depressed, frustrated, sad, for months I couldn't sleep more than 3 hours at night, also I thought about going back to my country, with my husband we talked about divorce... believe me, these months have been very difficult for us. I have a debt in my country and I need to send money there to pay it and my husband had 2 jobs, now he has 3 jobs because of the expenses at home plus he's paying child support because since I got here, the mother of his son doesn't want him to share with him (and she doesn't want me sharing time with him), and now he's paying her $ 800/month for his son. You see why we need him working 3 jobs and he is sleeping only 4 hours Monday-Friday...

We don't have babies and we can't have, because we're not able to pay our baby's future expenses.

After crying so much every day and every night, I decided to open my mind and to follow an advice I found on YouTube: you must accept the "small" job to get the "big" job later.

One month ago, I got a temporary job that it's helping me to get some money, also I got an on call position and last week I got a part time job.

The positions are not what I want of course, nothing administrative, but these are my first steps to get the job I want.

Also, I'm being a volunteer in a non profit organization, it helps me to know people, to get references from here that are important and to be far from home because I was getting emotionally sick.

Also, I started the College to improve my English and to be more confident when I interact with people from here. I know that my English is not perfect but I'm working on that.

If you want some advice or to share with somebody and if you have more tips about how I could get my jobs, I will be very happy to help you, just write me a message to the private.

I wish you the best !!!!

This post is SPOT ON! in the USA job experience is much more important then degree and education. also, americans want to see american experience! it is very tough, but its what they want to see on a resume. you are going up against people that are probably already working t the company and have much more american job experience. it is very tough and discouraging and something that nobody really tells the immigrant.

i suggest you look at big companies that you want to work at and apply for the smaller part time/admin type jobs.. get in the company and then network while you are there and also get promoted from within. Aim to send out 10 resumes a day. Also, learn about the american culture for an interview. if the company is more relaxed, dont go in with a suit and tie. Americans have more 'chit chat' during an interview and eveyrone is looking for the right 'fit'. I found interviews to be more laid back.. find out what the person interviewing you is into. Find common ground with the interviewer. Make them like you and want to have you on their team. Many companies in the USA are more informal then overseas. Companies want to make sure you are qualified, but once they go through that they want to make sure that you are a great person to have on their team, and someone that people would enjoy to be around.

You have not even applied to that many yet. i would keep at it and in the meantime find someway to make money and get assimilated into the american culture. Also, make sure your resume is very americanized. i think you are on the right track.

[tanzaniawinter 10]

I have been here for a year and half, I filled more than 500 jobs I got 3 interviews ?, I was full time on computer all day filling jobs applications from all apps and no lucky , I search for washing dishes,cleaning kitchen assistance the jobs I could never thought of and no lucky . I am depressed and sad , i can't show half of my sadness to hubby it will kill him. I post baby sitting jobs I got one time from Craigslist then nothing. No friends and family is far it is hard . My American Dream is fading sometimes I wish I go back, but I am sure one day I will get a job and friends and feel home here. Hang in there your not alone

[Mar&Ant 42]

This post is SPOT ON! in the USA job experience is much more important then degree and education. also, americans want to see american experience! it is very tough, but its what they want to see on a resume. you are going up against people that are probably already working t the company and have much more american job experience. it is very tough and discouraging and something that nobody really tells the immigrant.

i suggest you look at big companies that you want to work at and apply for the smaller part time/admin type jobs.. get in the company and then network while you are there and also get promoted from within. Aim to send out 10 resumes a day. Also, learn about the american culture for an interview. if the company is more relaxed, dont go in with a suit and tie. Americans have more 'chit chat' during an interview and eveyrone is looking for the right 'fit'. I found interviews to be more laid back.. find out what the person interviewing you is into. Find common ground with the interviewer. Make them like you and want to have you on their team. Many companies in the USA are more informal then overseas. Companies want to make sure you are qualified, but once they go through that they want to make sure that you are a great person to have on their team, and someone that people would enjoy to be around.

You have not even applied to that many yet. i would keep at it and in the meantime find someway to make money and get assimilated into the american culture. Also, make sure your resume is very americanized. i think you are on the right track.

Can confirm (as an American) one of the most important things is the fit with the team, we can get many "qualified people" but the fact is who do you want to work with; but i don't think this is uniquely American. After college it took a solid 3 months of applying and networking with prior classmates to get a solid job. Also not even in the field I studied, the key is to sell yourself on the ability to learn and things will fall into place. Also each state in terms of economy is different, I can say the SF Bay is pretty strong with jobs (and rising prices) verses other places in the rust belt and in the US.

[EmilyW 1,459]

The challenge I found is that many recruiters are lazy (and they are lazy around the world, not just in the US). They will always take the easier / less complicated route when looking through resumes and, unfortunately, us newly minted LPRs are just plain ol' difficult. Easier to pick someone who has either been here for a while or who is an American.

I posted a little while back in another thread about what worked for me, which I've re-posted here:

My tips for finding a job (I work in a corporate professional role, so my advice is based on that and on the advice / conversations had with recruiters - your experiences may differ):

1. Make sure you clearly state you are a Lawful Permanent Resident, or whatever wording states that you are able to commence work immediately.
2. Here in the US, it's a Resume, unless you are an academic, in which case it's a CV.
3. Make your Resume short. In Australia, my Resume was 10 pages long because I've been working a long time. Here that won't fly. 2-4 pages max.
4. Order (besides basic contact details) is core competencies, education, work history, references.
5. With references, list out the names and the titles, even if you don't give out the contact details. As it happens, my employer didn't bother with the reference check but she said she likes having them there on the Resume.
6. Always do a covering letter. Think of your resume as the product, and the cover letter as your elevator pitch. Keep it to one page explaining why you are the best person for the role AND stating, once again, your ability to work immediately in the US.
7. Americanize your spelling.
8. Differentiate your resume, without overdoing it. My resume got me calls from recruiters where I wasn't right for the role, but the layout and presentation of my resume had them saying 'Look, I know this isn't the role for you but can we meet anyway and talk through your resume'. Don't underestimate the impact of a visually impressive resume.
9. Treat job hunting like a job. Each morning I had an email arrive from Indeed.com with roles that suited my skills. I would, after dropping the kids off at school, sit down and narrow down the ones I wanted to apply for. I then spent the morning creating cover letters (make them unique, the recruiters can tell what is copy and pasted) and submitting applications. I kept a spreadsheet of each role I had applied for and when.
10. Follow up a few days after you submit. It doesn't hurt and it shows you have hustle.

As I mentioned previously, I was looking for five weeks and, in the end, had three excellent offers from which to pick. I did all of the above. I didn't get my dream job. But I got my dream organization and I figure, I'm in now and it's up to me to target and get that dream job.

Edited August 31, 2016 by EmilyW

[kzielu 1,149]

Harpah yes to all. It is an American style resume one page with cover letter.

They were not off Craigslist but for legitimate big companies here. That is why there only 15 because I had a very specific target for specific companies and these were the ones I qualified for.

Yes, discrimination (soft one) happens. However, big legitimate companies/corporations have diversity policies in place and are _very_ good in making sure their workforce is diverse. I know, I work for one. So if you were applying for jobs at larger corporations, I would sit down with somebody and get honest opinion about the resume..

[Amy_and_Victor 159]

It seems to me that US job market is not in the best situation now, every job gets multiple applicants and employers have a wide choice. You wouldn't believe how many people came to apply to our "holiday helper" position in retail I work in and I've seen people with US college degree among them! Getting a full time full benefits job that pays good for a newcomer with no US job history seems to be nearly impossible to me. US professionals fighting to get such jobs. And like others said, for US employers it's way more important to see US employment history and references than degrees and experience you've earned on the other half of the Earth. Plus, 15 applications in 6 weeks is really not much. I had been sending more applications when I was applying first time for entry-level positions to supermarkets etc. and it still took me a few weeks to get hired. If you don't want to stay unemployed for uncertain amount of time I would suggest to drop the level and get a job you can get now being realistic, not a perfect job that many local folks can't get and try to get better job already working somewhere. Finding the very first job in the US can be tough and many people in this situation have to take what they can, not what they want, that's the sad truth in my opinion.

- Victor from Russia

[jan22 3,056]

I'm sorry you are having difficulty finding a position, but I wouldn't leap to the conclusion that you are being discriminated against -- take a look at the unemployment rate in your area (in a large part of Michigan, it is quite high); that will give you some idea of what you're up against in terms of the number of highly qualified people looking and applying for each and every position. Fifteen applications in six weeks (fewer than 3 per week for only 6 weeks) is not going to result in a lot of interviews, even when you think you are perfect for the job -- so are the several hundred others who are likely applying for the position.

You have gotten a lot of really good advice here. I would add one other thing when someone is seeking a higher level position -- one standard resume is frequently not going to do it. You need to be able to take your standard resume and "tweak" it to make sure it fits the specific position description. You said you were applying at big companies -- many of these companies receive hundredthousands of resumes and use computers to scan them looking for key words; if the key words are not in the resume, a human never even reads it. Look at the PD and make sure that key words from it are used in the way you have described your experience, your career goal, etc. to make it more likely that your resume will be actually be read.

Good luck on your search.

[EandH0904 1,184]

Its hard for everyone to get a job here. They don't know that you are an immigrant, except maybe your information is from another country - but my ex husband who has a very Middle Eastern name, graduated from a good college and applied at HUNDREDS of jobs all over the country before taking a job at a grocery store. Now, 5 years later he is a manager there.

I have been a nurse for 14 years and when I left one job it was hard for me to get another.

It's not just immigrants, its not just you its everyone who has a hard job. Starting off at $23 an hour is a lot of money these days.

[RodDetroit 118]

I also live in Michigan and 85 % of jobs are concentrated in metro Detroit, Companies are always hiring here, I see you are close to Kalamazoo which is a College town, do you know if the local colleges are hiring?. I found all my jobs in Indeed, Linked is also a good source to find a job. I wish i could help more .

[Boiler 45,715]

My impression is that most new jobs are minimum wage/part time. Seems at the moment the big box stores are hiring, as soon as the job market improves people working for them try to move out to better positions and then they advertise. A few years ago they were not hiring.

Retail is getting hard, so much business is moving on line.

Better paid jobs seem to be filled in house or through contacts.

I am not sure what your speciality is, may as others have said see if you can get anything in that area and work up, will take time.

And I also know Americans who have applied for hundreds of jobs with no joy so not discrimination.

[bigdog 376]

Try Walmart if one of their sores are near you, they hire people from all over the world. Not the highest paying but a start. Good luck.. FYI, most jobs in the US are found from a reference, start asking your American friends for their advice and help.

[kmula 7]

Don't get discouraged. It is hard for everybody, not only immigrants. Most of the times, you're competing against people that are better qualified or have more experience or have connections or all of the above.

Usually resumes are sorted through a system that looks for key words. If they need 1 person to fill a position, and the recruiter gets 500 + resumes, they will get the best matches and those will be invited for interviews.

Keep your chin up, you will land a good job, you just gotta keep trying.

Good luck!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Lots of good advice here. Another thing to add. Some of the jobs that you apply for at a "big" company are already filled. They have to advertise the job widely but in some cases the job already has an employee slated for the job who is getting a promotion. You might not have had a chance from the get go.

I told my husband when he started looking for work that he would get lot of denials and that it is demoralizing, but not to let it get to him and just keep slogging through. You only need one application to stick.

And I just want to add that I have never gotten a job through a reference, nor has anyone in my family. I know it happens but you can make it through regular applying for jobs.

Edited August 31, 2016 by Harpa Timsah

[mrbravod 4]

It is frustrating when you think you have all the tools and experience to land a job here in USA and you find yourself with the reality. I should add to all the good advices one more: Try to find near home all the available job agencies you can. Knock on the door with a good Resume and Cover Letter and tell them who you are. Sometimes they have nice people who can help you to improve in interviews and they must give you tips too.

All the best.