Brazilians having difficulty finding jobs - share tips

[Nat&Amy 623]

I have been reading quite a few posts about how hard it is/was for spouses of USC/LPR to find a job in their fields, so I thought I should share my experience in hopes it might help others.

 

I have a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree from well known universities, both in Brazil and Australia. For many years, I had worked as an educational consultant and as a visa analyst, so in a way, I thought there would be plenty of jobs waiting for me when I finally moved to the US. I have no problems with the English language. So, as I waited for my EAD/GC, I applied for all jobs I could find in schools, universities, agencies. Didn't get a single invitation for an interview. Thought things would get better when my GC finally came in.

 

They didn't.

 

The jobs I wanted didn't want me, and everyone that has been in the same situation knows that stings a little.

 

I found out, though, that there is always a way to make a living, even if that is totally out of your comfort zone. Through a friend, I became a Mary Kay consultant and even though I don't consider myself an outspoken salesperson, I have made enough to help with the bills and the work is fun. Two months later, I received my fist job offer, to work as an English Teacher. The classes, combined with my sales, helped us find a better place to live and pay many of our credit card bills. Fast forward to March 2020 and I get laid off, so now the only thing keeping my head above the water is my MK business. It's a rollercoaster. With the pandemic, it's even harder to plan ahead and stay positive, so if there is one piece of advice I can offer to anyone going through a rough patch is to think outside the box and don't feel humiliated for taking a job that you are overqualified for. We all need to start somewhere and in that search we might find things we live doing, but had never thought of doing before. 

 

For the Brazilians that just got here and are having difficulty adapting to their new lives, feel free to send me a message or share your stories in this topic. I guess things get better when we help each other.

Edited May 21, 2020 by Nat&Amy

[Mark11 36]

Amy,

 

Wow, thanks for the encouragement.  My Brazilian fiance' (Sandra) might take you up on that -- if we can get her up here (her K1 visa expires on July 5, and we're making  final preparations for her to leave Brazil, but there are a million details (as you know well).  Now President Trump is mulling a travel ban from Brazil.  Joy.  We're watching closely.

 

But back to the point of your post.  Sandra holds two post-graduate degrees from Brazil and is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (Fonoaudiologica) specializing in swallowing disorders after intubation is removed (very useful right now).  She's been in this field for 20 years, and has worked in a large hospital for the last 14 years.  But despite all this, it's going to be a long hill to climb to get her an SLP position in the US.  The licensing bureaucracy is monumental.  We're getting forms signed, translated, etc.  And then there's the major roadblock that she only started studying English when our relationship became serious, so she not even close to fluent, though I'm furiously studying Portuguese, so hopefully I can help her with the language transition.  Meu Portugues nao esta' perfeito, mas posso conversar com Brasileiros se eles dizem lentamente.

 

So, anyway, thanks for your post, and I hope the MK business stays on an upward trend.  I would think that once we get past the pandemic, your skills will eventually find a good match. Oh, and congratulations on the flawless English --  would have mistaken your writing for a native.

 

--Sincerely,

Mark (and Sandra)

Edited May 21, 2020 by Mark11
typo

[Nat&Amy 623]

3 minutes ago, Mark11 said:

Meu Portugues nao esta' perfeito, mas posso conversar com Brasileiros se eles dizem lentamente.

 

Parabéns pelo esforço, porque aprender português não é nada fácil!

 

One thing that might help Sandra when she gets here is getting as many references as she can from former employees/academic supervisors. Have them describe her skills and qualifications in as much detail as they can. As you said, it might take a while for her to find a job that matches her level of education/experience but attending networking events, improving her English and joining groups on social media will help her connect with more employers and help her adapt to this new environment.  

 

I wish you guys the best of luck! We will all succeed eventually 😉

[p-ana 933]

I feel you.

 

I tried replying a million times but in the end I don’t really have much to say, as in tips or suggestions or advice, or else I myself would be in a better situation now.

 

Truth is I’ve been here for 4,5 years and only 90 days ago I got a somewhat good job in a field similar to my educational background in Brazil... 

 

Moving, I knew I’d have to adapt and whatnot but didn’t think it would be as hard as it’s been. Not only did I have to “suck it up” countless times, I felt defeated and worthless... in the end you just gotta do what you gotta do.
 

I worked retail for over 3 years, something I would’ve never done back in Brazil, but it paid my bills, gave me something to do for myself, ended up with great American references. 

 

[Allaboutwaiting 2,500]

A tip that applies when looking for a job on a professional level, no matter your field, where are you applying or where you come from is: certification, certification, certification. 

Unfortunately, most areas are highly competitive and having a degree or years of experience are no longer enough. 

So it is very important to gather certificates for all kinds of qualifications your area requires. Find formal courses from reputable institutions that offer official diplomas/certifications.

[Ayrton 965]

Hey guys, my case is a little bit different. I have a chemical engineer degree from Brazil, recently graduated, but no experience as an engineer. All my experience is as a lab tech. Even before getting my EAD, I started to apply for engineer jobs here, no feedback. I believe it was because of lack of experience. So I decided to apply for the same title I had before, lab technician. I got my first job 2 months after getting my EAD as a lab technician for one of the biggest food and beverage companies in the country. My job offer came through a recruiter, so I think that helped.

[TBoneTX 43,059]

On 5/21/2020 at 10:03 AM, Nat&Amy said:

attending networking events

Yes.  Try this idea, previously posted by the member Darnell:
---
Each city has a chamber of commerce. Find it.

Once you find it - talk with the secretary - tell her you want a schedule of events and let her know you'd like to attend.

Then - go in person to the Chamber of Commerce Office - talk with the President of the Chamber, tell him/her you want to volunteer at several of their events.

Attendees at chamber events are business owners and sales geeks, all looking for new business.  It usually is an informal-enough gathering where you can approach people and talk with them.

Now, the cool thing about being a volunteer there - is that you will be talking to everyone at least once - you might be at the reception table, you might be at the greeters table, you might help to run the audio/video system - whatever - but - the point is that you can meet everyone there, face to face.

Attend 2 or 3 of these, and folk remember you. When folk remember you, they will remember you are seeking employment and will consider you, because you're just not some name on a piece of paper - they met you at a chamber event and know that you were volunteering, helping out the chamber.

Go Get Em, and Good Luck!

PS - live in a really small town? go to the biggest town that's within 15 miles of your house.

[mvasantos 67]

On 5/30/2020 at 8:06 AM, Ayrton said:

Hey guys, my case is a little bit different. I have a chemical engineer degree from Brazil, recently graduated, but no experience as an engineer. All my experience is as a lab tech. Even before getting my EAD, I started to apply for engineer jobs here, no feedback. I believe it was because of lack of experience. So I decided to apply for the same title I had before, lab technician. I got my first job 2 months after getting my EAD as a lab technician for one of the biggest food and beverage companies in the country. My job offer came through a recruiter, so I think that helped.

Hi Ayrton!

 

I sent you a message asking a little bit more details of your experience, if you can answer it it'd be great!

 

Thanks!