How soon did you find your first job?

[joanamber 16]

Hi!

 

How soon did you find your first job upon arriving in America? Was it hard to find a job? How much was your hourly salary?

 

I hope you can give me some ideas. Going to America this end of May and I want to have a job when I arrive there.

 

Thank you!

[mcdull 474]

Was extremely difficult for me. 

 

Took me approximately a year to find a job. 

 

But it all depends on your industry, experience and connection. 

[joanamber 16]

Just now, mcdull said:

Was extremely difficult for me. 

 

Took me approximately a year to find a job. 

 

But it all depends on your industry, experience and connection. 

Even for service related jobs? Like a supermarket cashier or bagger was hard to find?

[POA 175]

13 minutes ago, joanamber said:

Hi!

 

How soon did you find your first job upon arriving in America? Was it hard to find a job? How much was your hourly salary?

 

I hope you can give me some ideas. Going to America this end of May and I want to have a job when I arrive there.

 

Thank you!

It is hard to find a job here! I was offered a job little over a month after I started applying. The initial offer was $10.30 BUT I was denied with the background check because of the incorrect format of my name in my SSN. After 3 weeks, I was offered another job starting pay was over $40k a year.

 

What I can advised, apply as many as you can and not focus on one application. Eventually, you'll get an offer.

 

Also, for you to not be limited, driving will be very essential unless you live in a city where public transpo is very accessible.

Edited April 17, 2018 by POA

[POA 175]

12 minutes ago, joanamber said:

Even for service related jobs? Like a supermarket cashier or bagger was hard to find?

I worked in call centers in the PH and that's all I have for experience. When I started losing hope getting into the same industry, I started applying to simply anything that I can find online that does not have crazy requirements including cashier and I was never called. But others got  jobs from Walmart even without retail experience. I think they start $11.

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by POA

[doggieandsam 765]

still job hunting until now. started close to 3 months ago. i would suggest getting your resume converted to US style way before you get your EAD. so that as soon as you get the approval notification (not even the card), you can start sending your applications right away. i think to some degree you can even start applying to jobs as soon as you get the NOA for your EAD because the process of applying to actually landing a job can take a while. if you do this, just be honest with the employer that you are still waiting for your work authorization. they may not wait for you which is a risk, or you may get lucky and they may, you never know.

 

 

[Marieke H 2,303]

I think it depends a lot on your experience, location, etc. But I know several people who struggled to find a job and ended up at Walmart. May not seem ideal, but they quickly moved to higher positions in their store.

 

I think I got very lucky. I had started subscribing to several job newsletters while I was waiting for my EAD, and saw a job opportunity that was exactly the type of job I was looking for. My husband encouraged me to apply even though I did not have my EAD yet, just to practice the application process and maybe an interview. I got offered the job, and my employer waited patiently for 6 weeks until I finally had my EAD.

 

The only way to find out is to start looking for jobs in the area where you'll be living, and maybe even applying when your moving date comes closer. Good luck!

[SB5130 88]

1 hour ago, mcdull said:

Was extremely difficult for me. 

 

Took me approximately a year to find a job. 

 

But it all depends on your industry, experience and connection. 

Depends on your city too. What type of city are you moving into. 

 

It was hard for me too. Prior to coming to U.S., I have 6 years of experience as software engineer working on systems used by millions of people across the globe. I graduated Magna Cum Laude for a degree requiring 300+ units to complete. (I had 3.80 GPA as evaluated by WES)

 

I got a job offer in different states apart from the City where my husband lives. I ended up having to wash dishes for a job because I didnt want to move into another state without my husband. I applied for numerous related jobs and none seemed to call me for interviews. At that point, I honestly felt I was discriminated because I had my degree from Philippines. I enrolled MBA in the local university. Guess what? Just with 6 units in my MBA program (and an updated resume with "MBA in progress in local university") got tons and tons of job interviews. 

 

I know another filipina in the same city who used to be a call center agent and now she works as a server in a bakery. I know another filipina who used to be a pharmacist who now works as a home cleaner. Another filipina, now works as a dentist assistant, only after studying for a year in a local school. 

 

It can be tough. 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by SB5130

[JFH 12,189]

I started applying before I arrived. Was interviewed by skype and offered the position a few weeks before my interview at the embassy. I started work less than 2 weeks after I arrived. Started at $70,000. Have since had a raise. 

 

But...I have been in this industry for over 18 years and have a degree. 

[randomstairs 265]

Self-employment is also an option.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

It was less than 72 hours, 48 maybe?

 

It was something my husband had experience in, but service related - washing windows.  It wasn't his favorite, but it worked for the first year.

 

He retrained in another career the next year and now works in that.

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

7 hours ago, joanamber said:

Hi!

 

How soon did you find your first job upon arriving in America? Was it hard to find a job? How much was your hourly salary?

 

I hope you can give me some ideas. Going to America this end of May and I want to have a job when I arrive there.

 

Thank you!

I suggest slowing down.  Take about 6 months or a year to adjust.  Learn the way of the USA, our culture, our tax system, the people to avoid.

 

When I brought my fiancé to the USA I had no desire for her to go work,  You have you entire life to work,  enjoy the ride and experience life.  Life is not about working, it's about living.

 

I feel sorry for the people who I see come to the USA and go directly to work, what kind of life is that?  I also see people posting stuff like when can my fiancé or husband work?  I think to myself did you marry for love or marry for an extra income, jeez.

 

 

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

7 hours ago, joanamber said:

Even for service related jobs? Like a supermarket cashier or bagger was hard to find?

You can find all the work you want if you want to do that type of job, unless you live in some remote area.  I see your city says Houston so you will have all you want, I think Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the USA, you will see plenty of them.

 

I see you are from Philippines, May I suggest you look into nursing in the USA.  Unlike coming from Philippines where you are required to have a 4 year degree in nursing, if schooled in the USA you only need a two year associates degree to become a Registered Nurse in the USA and you can get that from a community college.

 

You would only have to work 3 days per week, and hospital shifts are 7 to 7 so you get your 40 hours in 3 days and you self schedule as well.  After one year you can take a part time job as a PRN in another hospital and make about $45 per hour in Houston area.

 

 

[Going through 5,668]

About half a year after I was authorized to work----and only because of a connection my husband had through a friend.  I purposefully took the first six months "off" to fix up the home, get settled, explore the city, that sort of thing.

[TabeaK 516]

2 hours ago, Chris Duffy said:

I suggest slowing down.  Take about 6 months or a year to adjust.  Learn the way of the USA, our culture, our tax system, the people to avoid.

 

When I brought my fiancé to the USA I had no desire for her to go work,  You have you entire life to work,  enjoy the ride and experience life.  Life is not about working, it's about living.

 

I feel sorry for the people who I see come to the USA and go directly to work, what kind of life is that?  I also see people posting stuff like when can my fiancé or husband work?  I think to myself did you marry for love or marry for an extra income, jeez.

 

 

That is something very personal to the couple - I (the immigrant) would have been very upset if my husband had that attitude. I have lived independently my entire life, spent years gaining advanced degrees to further my career, always made my own money and have a passion for what I do. So one of my first priorities was getting a job in my field. Otherwise I don't think I could have settled here. Took me about 3 months of full time job searching (started about 2 months before the EAD arrived).