Feeling like a school graduate... what can I do for a job in the US?

[ONA 133]

The only thing about joining the military to work as a linguist is they very seldom have Russians translating Russian. They'll do something like send you to DLI for a year to learn Pashtu or Farsi, Mandarin, Wolof, etc., and totally waste your Russian skills. Even Spanish probably won't help you out much since so many American-born citizens speak Spanish already.

The military is a good way to get fast-tracked to citizenship. But, your chances of being a Russian interpreter in Maryland through the military are minimal, at best. More likely you'll be a shipping clerk in Germany or something. To work as a translator in Maryland, check out the NSA, CIA, DIA, etc. You could maybe find something through the Justice Dept. but there won't be as many positions available.

Good luck! And if you wouldn't mind, keep us posted. I'd love to come home and tell my wife, "honey, you can go be a secret agent while I mind the house."

Thanks for the information, it is very helpful the good thing is that we still have time to think it over and to look at all kinds of positions to apply.

I will keep you posted, but it's going to be at least a year before I get any job. Even if a miracle happens and USCIS starts working extra fast, i'm not going to arrive in the US sooner then the end of July.

[Krikit 1,163]

You may want to also check out the Finding Work in America Forum.

[slim 1,514]

Another good site to check out is www.usajobs.gov. They're the official site for US Govt. jobs.

A quick search reveals two jobs for Russian speakers in Maryland -

One at Ft. Meade working for the Army's DLI component and the other working for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Both require US Citizenship.

From time-to-time you'll see some pop up that don't require citizenship. If you were considering the military it's not necessarily a bad way to go, just realize you're probably not going to be a Russian linguist. But you could do three years in some other career field and come out both a citizen and trained in another area of vocation. You'd be job ready and surely you wouldn't have to work in a restaraunt or retail. It's amazingly easy to get a job after the military. Employers literally chomp at the bit to hire vets because they know you can do two things -

1. Show up to work on time and stay all day.

2. Do what you're told.

The sad fact of the matter is most grownups can't do that today so vets have a leg up after separation, even in jobs they don't necessarily have training in. But, you will get some good training in something! Just make sure it's something applicable to the real world. Delta and SouthWest don't hire door gunners. Nobody really needs a missile guidance system repair technician. Yet, surprisingly, both of those careers translate into real-world experience in other areas. A door gunner is going to be one helluva flight attendant! A missile tech can build circuit boards and troubleshoot electronics on an assembly line or production machinery. Both can be counted on to get the job done. And both will have no trouble finding work.

Since you said you have about a year before you start working, do a little soul-searching on what you really want to do and also do some research on what options you have, military or otherwise. You have plenty of time to have a job waiting for you when you arrive or when you qualify to work in the US. Also, resumes are somewhat different here too so make sure you build yours up using your US references as well as your Russian experience. And bring all copies and/or transcripts of school/training. With today's rapid communication options, it's completely possible you could work for a US company that takes your Russian work experience into account.

One last thing - use Craigslist, Monster, CareerBuilder, etc., to find job postings in the area you're moving too. This will give you a good idea of what's available and what you can realistically expect to do.

[ONA 133]

You may want to also check out the Finding Work in America Forum.

thank you, i'm working on it

and thanks a lot, slim, you've been very helpful