Job Poll - How Hard Was It for the Non-USC?

[thongd4me 69]

I tried to make this poll as comprehensive & relevant as possible - have fun & good luck

with job hunting & the driver's license, especially for those coming from left-side of the road countries

(like Thailand) .

Edited September 7, 2010 by thongd4me

[trillium13 84]

I tried to reply but VJ ate my post and I don't feel like typing it over right now.

Anyway, you don't have any option in your second question for "no job".

That's where we are. Hubby is in school now.

[doodlebugg 10]

I couldn't vote because he got a job but doesn't have his license. They drive on the right side of the road in Cairo but he's scared to death to get behind the wheel. :/

[sachinky 465]

I POEd on May 20. I had a job at a local community bank by mid-June. I applied through their website. Had a phone interview, an in-person interview with the assistant manager and then another one with the general manager. Was supposed to start mid-July but Mr. Sachinky (the USC) got an offer in New Mexico that we couldn't turn down. So we packed up our bags and moved to Albuquerque end-July. I got hired as a kindergarten teacher at a private academy close-by in mid-August. I responded to their listing online and they called me in for an interview. I applied on Friday, interviewed on Saturday, signed the papers on Sunday and started school on Monday.

The car thingie isn't a big deal for us. We have one car. Mr. Sachinky drops me off at work in the morning. Somedays if he gets out early, he picks me as well. Other days I just take the bus back home, if he's stuck late in a meeting or something.

[thongd4me 69]

I couldn't vote because he got a job but doesn't have his license. They drive on the right side of the road in Cairo but he's scared to death to get behind the wheel. :/

You should be able to vote - the last question's answers are MULTIPLE CHOICE -

the last answer is

"Gave up applying for or did not need US license"

If he didn't care to get one that answer is also good.

I tried to reply but VJ ate my post and I don't feel like typing it over right now.

Anyway, you don't have any option in your second question for "no job".

That's where we are. Hubby is in school now.

I thought VJ was vegetarian...

I POEd on May 20. I had a job at a local community bank by mid-June. I applied through their website. Had a phone interview, an in-person interview with the assistant manager and then another one with the general manager. Was supposed to start mid-July but Mr. Sachinky (the USC) got an offer in New Mexico that we couldn't turn down. So we packed up our bags and moved to Albuquerque end-July. I got hired as a kindergarten teacher at a private academy close-by in mid-August. I responded to their listing online and they called me in for an interview. I applied on Friday, interviewed on Saturday, signed the papers on Sunday and started school on Monday.

The car thingie isn't a big deal for us. We have one car. Mr. Sachinky drops me off at work in the morning. Somedays if he gets out early, he picks me as well. Other days I just take the bus back home, if he's stuck late in a meeting or something.

Nice story; it helped that your English was probably better than the locals

[thongd4me 69]

My wife just got her first job which hopefully she will start Monday.

It's part time and it's on the management track in garment sales.

She's due for another interview in a similar store later on in the week.

I suggested she forget about the second one but go to the interview anyway.

The second one will be part time, but not sure if it's on the management track.

A close friend (female) suggested she take both, but I anticipate that both

may want her to work extra hours on weekends and/or holidays and therein

may be created a conflict that may cause one of both of them to get angry at her.

A neighbor and friend (also female) suggested she follow my advice and

concentrate on the doing well in the first job and then adding another job

later on when she is comfortable with this one.

We have 2 votes for staying with one job (part time) and one vote for taking both

(if the second one asks her to come on board).

Any opinions from those out there who have had retail experience?

That's not my field but I've been an avid follower of business issues.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Typically with part time jobs they ask for your availability in general, the hours and days of the week. So, if she wanted two part time jobs, she could make her availability mutually exclusive. This could be done with a discussion to the manager hiring or to any future coworkers if she is on a friendly basis with them Yanno, to understand the typical shifts.

My mom has been working holiday retail the past couple winters - the regular workers kept pretty much the same shifts, and if they worked extra it was sort of an extension of store hours, so if they normally open at 10, they might open at 8 on the busy days, so I don't see holidays being a particular problem if she can work it so her usual days at work don't overlap in the first place.

On the other hand, I think one job might satisfy the need to get out of the house and earn some money, and two jobs might cut into valuable time she might otherwise be spending with you at home!

[thongd4me 69]

Typically with part time jobs they ask for your availability in general, the hours and days of the week. So, if she wanted two part time jobs, she could make her availability mutually exclusive. This could be done with a discussion to the manager hiring or to any future coworkers if she is on a friendly basis with them Yanno, to understand the typical shifts.

My mom has been working holiday retail the past couple winters - the regular workers kept pretty much the same shifts, and if they worked extra it was sort of an extension of store hours, so if they normally open at 10, they might open at 8 on the busy days, so I don't see holidays being a particular problem if she can work it so her usual days at work don't overlap in the first place.

On the other hand, I think one job might satisfy the need to get out of the house and earn some money, and two jobs might cut into valuable time she might otherwise be spending with you at home!

Thanks; I was hoping someone would respond - she now has the possibility of three part-time jobs.

The first one to sign the contract will begin tomorrow;

then Wednesday another retail interview (two-word name ending in "secret");

then if Wednesday doesn't result in a mutually arrangeable part-time schedule,

she has one more lined up that is pretty much hers to have but it entails a little

more travel time.

I was concerned initially about the first employer requiring some sort of exclusivity

or perhaps a promise not to work in the same retail field with a competitor.

The first and second jobs are competitors as they are stores within 10 or

20 yards of each other in the same mall. The third is a major supermarket,

not in competition with the other two.

Thanks for the input.

I think her plan is to go for two part time jobs; there may be some time where

she is working and I am home but I think she will be able to have most of

her hours when I am working. Maybe not at first but she can work toward that.

[thongd4me 69]

...I think her plan is to go for two part time jobs; there may be some time where

she is working and I am home but I think she will be able to have most of

her hours when I am working. Maybe not at first but she can work toward that.

She got 2 part time jobs as planned but hasn't started either yet.

She will do training soon as a cashier (clothing retail) and soon

after that train at a major supermarket deli section.

[thongd4me 69]

My wife begins her first part-time job today.

Best wishes to those still looking for work (the poll is still open).

[thongd4me 69]

She started working for a major retailer this week.

She was surprised that the managers' offices were

so small, that there was no "break room" and by

how many times shoppers forgot to pay before

walking out the door, not even attempting to hide

the items they pilfered, chucking them aside quickly

when the alarm goes off...

[thongd4me 69]

She started 2nd PT job yesterday; this week she's scheduled to work 50 hours, 7 days a week.

I'm close to retirement and have to say I've never worked a schedule like that.

The important thing is she likes the people at both jobs but she may opt for full time at one if offered

because when the holidays roll around there might be some competition for her time.

Edited September 28, 2010 by thongd4me

[Kang Lang 7]

my husband lived here for awhile while we were dating and ended up having a job in hand at poe, he works in a fairly specialized field and while it's not a "professional" job (meaning, no desk etc)it was nice to have it and friends in hand when he immigrted, made adjusting to a new life much easier. and through ignorance we had no idea he was not supposed to work before ead in hand and were fortunately approved for aos and not questioned about it at interview.

[thongd4me 69]

Almost-snafu hazard of having 2 part time jobs

- {also cross-cultural curve}

My wife finished job "A" at 6 PM last night.

She is scheduled to be at job "B" this morning from 9AM to 2PM.

She is scheduled to be at job "A" this afternoon from 4PM to 10PM.

It takes 1 hour by 2 busses to go from job "B" to job "A".

Job "A" pays $1/hr more than job "B".

Just before she left job "A" last night, they asked her to start today at 2PM

instead of 4PM, which would add 2 hours to her higher-paying job.

She agreed to do this (expecting to tell the manager at job "B" that

she would have to quit at 1PM instead of 2PM the next day).

I said WHOA, we don't do this in the US of A.

She said in Thailand bosses were very flexible and workers did

this kind of thing all the time.

Anyway she tried to contact the manager of job "B" just after leaving job "A"

and couldn't get him on the phone. I said if she had contacted him, it would

not have been received very well, especially since she just started working there.

I drove her back to job "A" and she explained to them that she could not change

her hours the next day as she just had told them because she could not change

her schedule at the other job. It was no problem because she told them right away.

Now she knows what she did was an error; it's good it turned out OK because if

she had let the change in schedule stand without averting job "B" then job "A"

would have expected her to change her schedule any time even if there was a

conflict with the other job and she would probably be in danger of losing job "B".

Likewise, if job "B" wants her to change her schedule, she will have to keep in mind

that it can't conflict with job "A". The job "B" manager understands that job "A" is her

primary job because they pay more and agreed to work her schedule around job "A"

with a few days notice before the scheduling deadline. Once the schedules are set,

now she knows she can't change either on a whim unless they don't conflict.

[anya-D 8]

Almost-snafu hazard of having 2 part time jobs

- {also cross-cultural curve}

My wife finished job "A" at 6 PM last night.

She is scheduled to be at job "B" this morning from 9AM to 2PM.

She is scheduled to be at job "A" this afternoon from 4PM to 10PM.

It takes 1 hour by 2 busses to go from job "B" to job "A".

Job "A" pays $1/hr more than job "B".

Just before she left job "A" last night, they asked her to start today at 2PM

instead of 4PM, which would add 2 hours to her higher-paying job.

She agreed to do this (expecting to tell the manager at job "B" that

she would have to quit at 1PM instead of 2PM the next day).

I said WHOA, we don't do this in the US of A.

She said in Thailand bosses were very flexible and workers did

this kind of thing all the time.

Anyway she tried to contact the manager of job "B" just after leaving job "A"

and couldn't get him on the phone. I said if she had contacted him, it would

not have been received very well, especially since she just started working there.

I drove her back to job "A" and she explained to them that she could not change

her hours the next day as she just had told them because she could not change

her schedule at the other job. It was no problem because she told them right away.

Now she knows what she did was an error; it's good it turned out OK because if

she had let the change in schedule stand without averting job "B" then job "A"

would have expected her to change her schedule any time even if there was a

conflict with the other job and she would probably be in danger of losing job "B".

Likewise, if job "B" wants her to change her schedule, she will have to keep in mind

that it can't conflict with job "A". The job "B" manager understands that job "A" is her

primary job because they pay more and agreed to work her schedule around job "A"

with a few days notice before the scheduling deadline. Once the schedules are set,

now she knows she can't change either on a whim unless they don't conflict.

you are working her to death man!! lol I guess if she's happy thenthat's the most important thing.

I dont know about other Thai - I didnt get to work with Thai people that much so I cant say - I know about my friends though that they used to have that mentality that they can change time on a whim and the manager will be ok with it.. they pretty much changed that attitude quickly after work here for a while. I never understand that concept anyway, I'm too concious about my commitment to other people and their trouble if I would to do that (self important much? lol) I'm lucky that I am now woking for a very flexible manager and co-worker!!