LaJumpa

Drug test requirements in Colorado would absolutely wipe out most of the competition ahaha

Side note: In my personal experience, the job market here is brutal compared to what I was used to back in the UK. Here's some advice I wish I had before I got here. 1. Job referrals are really big here and having one can make a big difference. Speak with friends and family to see about getting something whilst you figure out what you want to do long term. 2. On occasion, some companies prefer a local candidate with experience and references they can easily verify with a quick phone call or email. Having nothing but work experience from abroad closed a few doors for me. 3. Some jobs (mostly government) require US Citizenship. Something to take into account if you wanted to pursue federal or enforcement employment. 4. Don't do what I did and apply for too many jobs. Im forever getting phone calls and emails from recruiters now. Your information gets passed around more than you think and it can be a job in itself blocking all these numbers. 5. Do some online courses whilst you're looking (Udemy etc) I added this to my resume and it was a good talking point in interviews and it shows you're taking yourself seriously. 6. Job hunting here is exhausting, don't burn yourself out. Designate time in your day just for applications. Lastly, educate yourself with how US taxes work if you haven't already. It's not like the UK where payroll do everything for you and you can kick back! Again, this is personal experience! My background is creative/tech and I live in a city which gets most of its money from tourism and has very few fields that I studied or worked in. That was 50% of the battle!

In Florida at least, if you're applying for a job within local government they require you to have your college/university degree assessed to determine how it equates to a US-studied degree. This was $75 per document. Personally I wouldn't pay for this unless a job offer is actually presented. My current employer has never asked to see my degree. Even during interviews I was never asked to verify my qualifications. But this can vary depending on the line of work you're hoping to get into. I imagine high skilled (Medicine, Engineering, Law etc) jobs may request to see your degree. Bottom line, it's not something to worry about! You kinda have to get out there and do some interviews to figure out the process. Good luck!