Things to prepare for work during K1 AOS/ EAD waiting time

[+852 2]

Hey guys, so because of the pandemic, it takes longer time to process AOS & EAD applications. Since I don't have a work permit, I haven't been able to work in the past few months. In order to minimize my anxiety of unemployment and increase my chance of getting employed once I get EAD, I have been taking online courses to upgrade myself. I was wondering if there is anything else I could do to increase my chance of getting hired, other than doing online courses? Can you guys share some of the things you do/ join to prepare yourself in a new job market (i.e. USA)? Is there any good resources for career changers? I also heard that there are free resources in community college for new immigrants. Is that real? Thank you all for sharing!

 

[Adventine 3,196]

I'm very glad to read posts like this for a change, instead of the usual complaints we see about EADs taking so long. Good for you for being proactive!

 

I highly recommend creating a LinkedIn profile in English and going through their articles and video resources about creating a good profile, how to write a resume tailored to the US market, and interview techniques for US employers.

 

Also remember you can request for an EAD expedite if needed. Just search these forums for some ideas.

 

Good luck with your upskilling and job search!

[green_rabbit 69]

The blog askamanager.org also has great resources on job searching, resumes, interviews and work culture. The archives are helpful for searching for specific information. She also sells a pdf of job search advice which I bought when I was looking for my first professional job when I graduated. I found it helpful. 

 

I second the LinkedIn advice.

[Sparkle Sparkle 914]

You can pick up courses from udemy.. Learn excel or... Do programming... They have a wide array of courses tailored for self development. 

[carmel34 3,633]

Depending on your career field or industry sector, find out if there are any applicable licensing requirements, tests, or documentation needed to qualify for jobs here in the US.  Take online or in-person courses if you can (depends on the state/county where you live), and get any relevant training, degrees/diplomas/certifications that might make you more attractive to employers.  Work on your English fluency if you need to.  Polish up your resume, practice your interviewing skills, prepare a job search strategy, network, talk to people in organizations where you would like to work, attend job fairs, there is so much you can do now, and if done right you will have many good opportunities when you get your EAD.  Good luck!

[ebenf 16]

You can technically start applying for jobs and even get offers before your EAD, and then use this to expedite the processing.

 

Regarding how to prepare, there is likely benefit in:

1. Finding networking events, attending community events and messaging people on LinkedIn with the intent of setting up information interviews (google it, there is a very set structure to these). Would focus on how you're new to the US, and want to learn XXX industry here. Do those interviews and take very good notes. Figure out what you want to do, as a country move is likely good justification for any career change you were hoping to make. There is a lot of learn about US business culture for most people in AOS, so this is very helpful.
2. Deliver value to those companies and show what working with you is like. Simply put, I would try to take something said about a pain point in that industry or your interviewee's company and deliver value. An example is that when I exited school I had someone tell me in an informational that the hardest part about their industry is "have people that can distinguish the forest from the trees," which I understood to mean switching from type 1 to type 2 thinking at work, so I searched academic articles until I could find some research that documented how walking meeting helped with this. I then made a small memo (1 page), very pretty visuals as a thank you for taking the time. The results was that it led to an offer from this company to a job interview and eventually a job offer. I would not worry if this is considered work, as you are allowed to apply for jobs and such technical skill assessments are common in the job search process. 
3. Use those interviews to pre-qualify employer offers, meaning knowing what type of employers are likely to work with while your status is pending, and potentially receive offers that you can leverage to expedite your processing. 

Hope this helps!

[Ontarkie 14,226]

~~MOved to Moving Here and YOur New LIfe - As the OP is filling up time between arrival and EAD~~

[+852 2]

Thank you all for sharing. They are all very solid tips. Relocating to a new country isn't an easy decision. Just keep in mind that when things get difficult, it's because you've leveled up! Don't be discouraged by the long waiting time and make good use of the time to prepare yourself. 

 

I will definitely try out the tips and am considering becoming a volunteer as well so that I could get real life experience in American institutions. Would that be value-adding from employer's perspective? Any thoughts? 

[Marieke H 2,512]

I think the online courses are a great start!

 

What I also did during that wait, was creating my resume after a lot of research on what resumes look like in the US. I learned that a US resume is very different from what I was used to, so that took me a while.

 

I also spent a lot of time researching jobs in my area, I signed up for lots of job newsletters, and just tried to get an idea of what the job market looked like in my area, what kind of organizations I would like to work for, etc. And then, during all that research, I found a job opening that was my dream job. My husband encouraged me to apply even though I did not have my EAD yet, so I could at least practice what it was like to apply for a job in the US. I ended up being invited for an interview, and was offered the job. My new employer was willing to wait for my EAD to come through, and they even tried to help me to expedite it (my supervisor visited with her Congressman to discuss how important it was to get me to start working asap, while my husband had also communicated with that same congressman and his office had already inquired in our behalf).

 

So... keep doing your research, figure out what your options are and what you would like to do, keep doing online courses, create our resume, and if you do find a job opening that looks right, don't be afraid to apply. Worst case scenario is that you just get to practice applying for a job, and best case scenario is that you will get the job and can request an EAD expedite. Good luck!

[Gatekeeper 35]

1 hour ago, +852 said:

Thank you all for sharing. They are all very solid tips. Relocating to a new country isn't an easy decision. Just keep in mind that when things get difficult, it's because you've leveled up! Don't be discouraged by the long waiting time and make good use of the time to prepare yourself. 

 

I will definitely try out the tips and am considering becoming a volunteer as well so that I could get real life experience in American institutions. Would that be value-adding from employer's perspective? Any thoughts? 

Are you sure you are allowed to do volunteer work while waiting for your EAD? I think I read somewhere that you are not allowed to do so. Does anyone know the answer to this by any chance?...

[RLA 323]

15 hours ago, Gatekeeper said:

Are you sure you are allowed to do volunteer work while waiting for your EAD? I think I read somewhere that you are not allowed to do so. Does anyone know the answer to this by any chance?...

Genuine volunteering is OK while waiting for EAD.  Genuine volunteering would be in a non-profit organization, without any compensation (neither money or in kind) and not replacing a regular job.  E. g., helping out in a soup kitchen should be OK, unpaid intenships would not.

[Sofitalian 134]

LinkedIn is quite useful in my job hunting and I got my first job from a recruiter via LinkedIn. It worths spending some time to learn how to make use of your LinkedIn profile and make connections.

 

I also enrolled into Upwardly Global's Career Skills program and got very useful and free-of-charge help. The best thing about it is they have systematic resources to help on resume, interview skills, networking skills, etc. The big help to me is the resume (I had to trim down mine into 2 pages) and the mock interview part. I haven't tried the informational interviews but those would be good to understand the U.S. market especially when you've mentioned about career changing. However, I'm not sure if your visa status is eligible. You may check more info on upwardlyglobal.org.