You or your spouse's fiirst job in the US

[Nancy2015 2]

My first job in the U.S. - and actually, first serious job in my life, since I graduated college only a couple of years ago, - was administrative assistant. Later I was promoted to a coordinator. It's at the University where I was studying for a certificate after completeing my degree. I hate this job, and I'm looking for another one. It pays the same as any job of this level in this market, and it's not what I want to be making. I'd like to move on to HR or to project support - this is what I studied in the U.S.

[Cassie 8]

My first job in the United States was a collections agent for a banking company. It had nothing to do with my previous career, which was in the heritage preservation field. Since then, I have worked in medical records for a home healthcare agency, and am currently working in retail. I miss my former career immensely.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

If I had to rely on my job and income I wouldn't make it. Fortunately my husband makes a good living, so myh work is more for the enjoyment rather than the necessity. It is little over minimum wage in the heritage field as a docent at an historic plantation. I have to provide all of my own Civil War clothing, etc. but the people are good and I work about 2 days a week.

[ca_babe 129]

My first job over here is working for an internet advertisement company. My primary responsibility was to upload images all day. They paid me $34,000 per year then. After two years and several promotions, I'm still working for the same company. I get paid $55,000 year as a technical lead of junior programmers. I'm still a junior programmer myself! I just took the first job offer I got because people tell me it's hard to find a job over here. I figured I'd start from the beginning, work hard, and work my way up. By January, I have another increase scheduled for me or so my manager told me. It's a good thing I wasn't picky initially.

[pnrmbr975 1]

If I had to rely on my job and income I wouldn't make it. Fortunately my husband makes a good living, so myh work is more for the enjoyment rather than the necessity. It is little over minimum wage in the heritage field as a docent at an historic plantation. I have to provide all of my own Civil War clothing, etc. but the people are good and I work about 2 days a week.

That's a very interesting and enjoyable job!! I almost volunteered to become a docent one time in the preserved Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA. One thing I like about it is that I can incorporate my own and unique approach and experiences to interpret history. One challenging aspect of being a docent is having to use a strong foundation of expertise in interpreting varied resources. I would have had no problems with the Civil War paraphernalia if I had the chance. To forget history is such a shame. Glad to see someone re-living history and enjoying the job! Nice work.

[pnrmbr975 1]

My first job over here is working for an internet advertisement company. My primary responsibility was to upload images all day. They paid me $34,000 per year then. After two years and several promotions, I'm still working for the same company. I get paid $55,000 year as a technical lead of junior programmers. I'm still a junior programmer myself! I just took the first job offer I got because people tell me it's hard to find a job over here. I figured I'd start from the beginning, work hard, and work my way up. By January, I have another increase scheduled for me or so my manager told me. It's a good thing I wasn't picky initially.

You started off with a good pay if you were working the regular 8 hours and 5 work days! That must be something to feel happy about. Most immigrants struggle with min. wage (or just a little over it) from most stories I suppose, in most jobs including technical jobs. Of course, I can't speak for a small margin who had been luckier! Consider yourself lucky too. And to work for the same company for xx number of years is compensation enough, for a job well done. More luck to you. Or maybe send some luck to my wife! She definitely needs it.

[pnrmbr975 1]

Update:

My wife didn't get a call today. Oh well...........It's hard to say "maybe tomorrow". I don't want to set her up for a disappointment.

I did tell her "Maybe tomorrow."

[Nancy2015 2]

My first job over here is working for an internet advertisement company. My primary responsibility was to upload images all day. They paid me $34,000 per year then. After two years and several promotions, I'm still working for the same company. I get paid $55,000 year as a technical lead of junior programmers. I'm still a junior programmer myself! I just took the first job offer I got because people tell me it's hard to find a job over here. I figured I'd start from the beginning, work hard, and work my way up. By January, I have another increase scheduled for me or so my manager told me. It's a good thing I wasn't picky initially.

You started off with a good pay if you were working the regular 8 hours and 5 work days! That must be something to feel happy about. Most immigrants struggle with min. wage (or just a little over it) from most stories I suppose, in most jobs including technical jobs. Of course, I can't speak for a small margin who had been luckier! Consider yourself lucky too. And to work for the same company for xx number of years is compensation enough, for a job well done. More luck to you. Or maybe send some luck to my wife! She definitely needs it.

If you consider 34K per year a good salary, then I guess I should shut up and be extremely happy with my job

[Nancy2015 2]

Update:

My wife didn't get a call today. Oh well...........It's hard to say "maybe tomorrow". I don't want to set her up for a disappointment.

I did tell her "Maybe tomorrow."

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, it's the employer's market right now - job search can take a long time... She should keep trying.

[bakofoil 27]

Special Education instructional assistant.

Love love LOVE my job, but it doesn't pay nearly enough and the school's not giving me full-time hours.

I'm making 1/4 of what I used to make as a certified teacher back in Canada. Took this job because California doesn't recognize my teaching credentials and I'm not sure if I want to jump through all the hoops again.

Used to have my career path all planned out, but now I'm kind of lost

This is what concerns me about moving to California. I've been teaching equivalent of HS for three years now over here and I'm frightened at the prospect of being set back to zero on the teaching career route simply by moving to the states. I jumped through plenty of hoops to get qualified here as I'm sure you did. I'm having to make a lot of sacrifices for this process but I know it will be worth it to me personally. What bugs me about this is that California is desperate for teachers. I reckon a good percentage of those teaching now are uncredentialed substitute teachers. It seems like the system is shooting itself in the foot not recognising that teacher training in other countries is just as comprehensive.

So, whilst I'm waiting on my K1 approval I'm looking into retraining. Again

[Anna C. 4]

When we lived in Charlotte there were absolutely no job opportunities, but not only for foreigners, for nobody. I worked for 4 weeks at a Dillards, all my coworkers had college degrees and were saving money to move to a place where there are jobs. It was very sad and extremely frustrating.

I worked in New York before as a communications trainee right after grad school, but we moved then to NC. We then in June moved to CA, Bay Area. Here are tons of jobs, however, nobody employs me in my area since I am not a native speaker (communications area, such as public relations, advertising, surveys, etc). I found a kinda well paying job in the computer industry, but I am not doing what I want to do. Next year I will start to get my prereqs for molecular biology (only need very few classes, jippi) and then will apply for it. I think an American degree is necessary to be successful and actually do jobs you were educated for (prepared for, I mean 5 years at college and then minimum wage just does not seem fair). I have friends here who struggle equally - you just do not even considered for many jobs.

Just my 2 cents.... But switching careers and getting American degrees/certification seems to be the way...

[tom&tata 2]

I am still doing my first job. It is in the same field (finance/accounting) that I did before. The position is one step downgrade from my last job in homecountry. To me, it is a good job because I could not deal with the stress of job & adjusting at the same thing.

[featherB 1]

I've just started training on my first job today (having been here almost 5 months now and having got my green card in mid-August) - working as a server in a bar not far from here. We'll see how that goes... it seems like a nice place to work, with nice people, but whether it will bring in anything like enough money to make it worth the effort remains to be seen. Hopefully people around here tip as generously as my husband does - I'll be rich in no time, if so!

I'm just glad to have a reason to leave the house, anyway - I'm looking forward to having something to do for once! I can't see myself doing this for too long, but it could be fun for a while, and hopefully will mean I don't have to start desperately applying for every job advertised. I'd rather be earning mediocre money (I know it's possible to earn a ton if you're working in a bar or restaurant, but I can't really imagine it's going to be like that with this place) doing a job like this than earning mediocre (or worse) money doing some office-job-from-hell.

As for work 'in my field'... hm, there's an entry-level position (just what you want when you've been working in that industry for 9 years) I could take, but the pay is $8/hour, 20 hours per week, and involves 3:30am starts/midnight finishes/other hours I'm not prepared to work for that money (and I can't negotiate better pay, as I know full well there'll be an endless supply of graduates who think it's a fantastic opportunity - they can have it!) I'm hoping I might eventually find something remotely connected to my experience, but I'm not prepared to go back to earning a pittance in order to do so. No way!

I've found the job-searching thing rather depressing... I must stop converting every salary/hourly rate I see advertised into pounds, because when I think of working in some job I don't even want for WAY less than I was earning in my first job after I graduated a decade ago... that depresses the hell out of me! I know I'm not the only one going through the same thing (and I've only just started looking, I might get lucky) - it's good to read everyone's experiences. Thanks for starting the thread, OP, and I hope your wife has some good jobhunting luck soon!

Edited September 19, 2007 by featherB

[Mags 112]

Hey, feather, good luck with the job. I hope your customers tip at least 20% every time...

I am starting to think that I should get off my bum and look for work. I am keeping my eyes open but I am fairly limited here in Greencastle. Small town, small jobs, paying no where near what I was making in the UK...

[featherB 1]

Hey, feather, good luck with the job. I hope your customers tip at least 20% every time...

I am starting to think that I should get off my bum and look for work. I am keeping my eyes open but I am fairly limited here in Greencastle. Small town, small jobs, paying no where near what I was making in the UK...

Thanks, Mags... and yeah, 20% sounds good to me! Right now I'm just grumpy that I'm going to be working (training) all bloody weekend so won't get to hang out with my boy AND won't even be getting any tips, what with only being trained and all. Bah.

Hope you can find something you like the look of (and get them to give you the job, obviously!), I have to say I'm (mostly) looking forward to starting work again after having nearly five months of sitting on my ####### doing, um, nothing.