Pinkranger

Your location is the most critical factor in the job market because as the overall market goes, so goes the job market.

A case in point is my ex-wife has been trying to find another job for many years; she is also in a rural area and they just

are not there. My Thai wife found 2 part time jobs but we live much closer to New York City. I know there is the tendency

for all recruiting to be online now but in both cases, my wife's in-person skills helped her get both jobs. In the ladies'

retail job, she spoke to the manager in person and it was this contact that got her the job.

{EDIT: My ex-wife's inter-personal skills are abysmal compared to my wife's.

Her current job is a service job and she deals with people very well in that,

but when she is job-hunting she gives the appearance of being painfully shy

or annoyed; her disposition is a very cloudy one and that is the other main

factor in why she has not found another job.}

In the case of the supermarket deli job, the tenant of our next-door neighbor worked at that store and recommendd

my wife to her boss; although I didn't know her personally, I have known her landlady for many years.

When she met my wife she almost offered her the job on the spot.

Hang in there, don't be afraid to try something different; I'm thinking of becoming a recruiter in my retirement.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, thong4me! Actually, I already had an inkling how the job market is here I just did not expect it to be this difficult once I got into the job hunting process. Anyway, I know the job will come with more persistence and with the help of a fairy godmother. Thanks again!

Where exactly are you located? If near or in the Northwest suburbs I know a great company that is always hiring, I've been here for almost 15 years now. Pay is competitive & we're open 24/7 so flexible work schedules are not hard to come by.

Hey Bob!

I am south of the South Chicago Suburbs. That's how far I am from the city!

Hi! If you're comfortable going to Chinatown, you can try the doctor referred by my immigration lawyer. Doctor's name is Harry Liu. It's accessible, just one block away from a Red Line Station. I only paid $185 for the tuberculin and blood work.

I also had a couple of vaccines taken here but what I did was to have them from a local health center. I was able to save $100.

The duration of the stay is indeed arbitrary depending on how the immigration officer sees the outcome of the short interview that they conduct at the airport. Based on my own and my family and friends' experiences, we were all given a maximum stay of 6 months.

Hi milimelo!

Yes, I am seriously considering working in Chicago eventually. The problem is I still have to start saving up for my own car as my husband works weird hours so sharing the car wouldn't work for now. With the cost of gas now, yes taking the train is the best option. I take it every time when I have to go to the city.

Ideally, I would like to work somewhere here that is accessible by bus ($1 one way) so I can save for a car. But if an opportunity in the city comes up my husband will get a loan for a second-hand one.

It's already been a couple of months since I became eligible to work and getting a job has been pretty elusive until now. I know it took some people here longer but I am getting stressed with the fact that I am unemployed (plus the fact that I am bored!) and my husband asking me everyday if I already have a job doesn't help either. I live in a small county 70 miles off the City where job opportunities are pretty scarce so I am doing part-time remote admin assistance. This does not pay much but at least I have something to do on the computer other than reading the news.

Anyway I tried applying everywhere, finance where I have 14 yrs experience, clerical and retail but no success yet. Going personally to offices with your resume at hand does not work anymore since they will just refer you apply through their websites. Staffing agencies such as Kelly Services and Manpower don't have openings either.

I know I should be more patient, I guess I only wanted to vent. I just want a job that takes me out of the house and be with other people.

Definitely start with a used car.. Thank God I was a Manila driver before I came here. The only bad part was I was so used to honking in Manila and I had to learn to tone it down when I got here. Haha

I hear you! The car horn was my bestfriend while I was driving in Manila and now I seldom hear one! I remember when I was here 2 years ago that I had problems too making my turns since I was used to coming to almost a full stop to navigate through the narrow streets of Manila.

Bearcat, the nervousness will go eventually. I remember the first time I drove my then-boyfriend's car, we were both nervous that I completely missed a 3-way Stop sign. Fortunately, ours was the only car at the intersection. When you're ready, start driving on your own even just to go to the nearest store. Good luck!

Lahat tayo nanggaling dyan.

AKO!

Sige, sasali ako sa facebook group.

Hi Amy-Rose!

Although they usually say you will receive it the mail within 30 days, it will come earlier than that. I received mine 9 days after the interview. Enjoy your party!

I can't beleive I wasted 2 hours reading 22 pages of this sh!t. I only kept going because I thought there might be an interesting finale. Oh well, back to work.

PS: It ain't love, you're just horny.

This cracked me up, big time!

Hey Karen,

How did it go? I hope your interview went well. Send me a message

Already got the welcome letter in the mail! Now it's confirmed. hehe.

Good news!

I just received an email alert saying that I-485 Application is already on its Card/Document Production! Woohoo!!! Just to make sure, I likewise checked the case status on the USCIS website. My husband's I-130 application is still under "Initial Review" though.

Yeah, I'm always excited to check my incoming emails now!

Kish, just the bunch of questions that we normally check NO in the form . If you've ever been arrested....if you've been a prostitute... no need to be worried.

Sounds like you were approved.

When is a plan of action, right?

You will breathe once you get the approval email/letter.

I hope so, Myopia! Hopefully it does not take 30 days though. One hurdle down...more to go!

Hello everyone! I had my interview last Thursday at the Chicago USCIS Office and I would just like to share my experience with those who are still anxious and stressed out waiting for their own scheds.

As adviced by our lawyer, we came in just 15 minutes ahead of the time stated on the notice (we were scheduled for 9:30am) however we had to wait for a little over an hour for our turn. The lady officer was nice yet professional. She was able to make the meeting light. Basic questions of how did I come to US (I came in a B-2 visa), how we met, how long we knew each other, names of parents, dates of birth etc. She even asked if my husband went on 1 knee when he proposed. She asked for our ID's and Passports (she took my I-94 and gave me back my EAD), evidences of relationships (i gave copies of bank statements and insurance docs)and pictures too and then that was it. When she was about to start asking those questions on the form, she even told me "I will be asking you uncomfortable questions. I hate to do this but it's my job to ask them".

All in all, I think it went well however she did not really say if my application was Approved or Denied. She went thru discussing the conditions on the greencard though and its removal after how many months. Based on what I've read here, it seems like it's ordinary now. She did not say "IF" you receive your greencard...she said "WHEN".

What do you guys think?

It will not affect DHS,

What will close.

That is good news! Thanks, Myopia. Woohoo!!!!

After 4 months of waiting for THE Day, here comes the threat of a government shutdown, isn't that funny? I'm scheduled for the interview of Thursday! Argh!

Most likely they'll ask for copies of your husband's pay stubs for the last 6 months since you submitted your husband's employment letter. they might likewise ask for other evidences of income such as SS benefits or tax-exempt interest.

that's what they asked from me to submit when i got an RFE.

good luck!

That almost happened to me too. If I did not ask for a referral from my lawyer, a only CS within my area would have charged me $300 for the consultation, tuberculin and blood work. Since I only had 1 vaccine required for my age, I had to get the other 2 and he charges $50 more per vaccine than the ones administered by the local health center.

Compared to what could have been more than $500, I paid $180 for the CS in Chicago Chinatown plus $90 for the two vaccines. Plus I got to go around the city too twice which I enjoyed. If one is more concerned on the convenience however, paying a lot more would not really matter (and that is what the CS thinks too). You just have to make a choice.

Woo the USCIS online thingy says my interview is scheduled for April 15! So happy

Mine's on the 14th! Good luck to both of us.

try www.yeheytv.com. it's free too.

Is she taking JAL to Nagoya then AA to Detroit and Boston? Usually you don't have to check-in each and every time. The airlines take care of it. When I travelled with Cathay and UA going to ORD, I didn't have to check-in twice.

Hi.

I got the same email message from USCIS this morning. It freaked me out when I looked how long the drive would be from IL to MO. Maybe the instructions on the notice will include calling the nearest local field office?

Hopefully...

Hi kos,

Just to share how my HR Manager prepared my employment letter before when I applied for a Tourist visa. Her letter included the following: employment date, year-to-date income and number of available sick and vacation leaves. She stressed that the available SL and VL will show that you are only using your paid leaves for your vacation.

Hope this helps!