Athena13

Linkedin isn't just for your current job, you put all of your past experience and education on your profile. It is an "onlone" resume of sorts.

Personally, I have only had one interview from Monster.com. It is good for searching relavent jobs, but not so much in terms of actually providing results.

On the other hand, I get contacted at least once every other week due to my Linkedin profile.

I have detailed info of my background, education, professional experience (work history) on my linkedin page.

what sort of job do you do?

I don't think someone like me, looking for aba therapist job or pet shop job will be contacted by linkedin people right? how do i let 'aba therapy' people see my 'occupational therapy' profile and take interest?

1. Yes i already have a Linked account, but it's mainly for OT job and i can't do any at the moment
2. yes I've done my research, i'm missing course syllabi from my university, otherwise i might be able to just do the certification exam without doing the master degree
3. I will google 'networking'. i don't know about meetups
4. and thank you 'perfect' for all the agency names
5. Very good knowledge about CV and resume, i'm writing a new one now.

I live in Southern California and whilst those websites are helpful to some extent, most jobs here are found through recruiters, so perhaps see if you can register with some recommended recruiters (pick them carefully because some are no more than sales people!) Even if you can't immediately get a permanent job in the field you prefer, you should be able to get a temporary ot temp-to hire position which will at least give you some US experience and references. When I moved here I decided I would temp for 6 months to try out the marketplace and see where I felt my skills and personality were best suited, being that the US workplace is very different than at home in Britain! I fele that was time well spent and my first permanent job I ended up being in for 5 years (Laid off in downturn of economy) and this, my second job, I am in my third year.

Also, I never made in British CV completely into an American resume and it was said many times while I interviewed that was what made it stand out from the literally thousands of others and didn't simply get passed over. When they have hundreds or thoiusands of applications for the same job somethign needs to stand out for your application to be "hot". In my case I was told many times that not having a "standard resume" was the reason I got interviewed. (I made 585 applications, got 58 interviews and was offered 5 jobs over hte course of 9 months).

Just a though as that has been my experience in the California job market.

Thank you perfect! yes im thinking about going through a recruiter but not sure which one. and i tried to make my resume more 'special', e.g. the layout etc. I was told my resume looked clear and easy to read by an senior OT back in my uni days. i will try harder now.

another thing is i worked many temp professional jobs in the past, in Australia and UK. it's a pain to put ALL of those in the online form (name, location, job title, start date, finish date, duties). i wonder if i can just combine them and give a rough sum of time (after all, it is the same job, at different hospitals, from 2005-2011). and the other hard thing is the reference, i only have 1 written professional reference, it's impossible to get non-written ones now. and maybe 1 reference for my receptionist job (via phone, not email).

how do you deal with references?

1. You should update your resume to US standards. One of the standards is that it is a resume, not a CV, and that means that you tailor your resume for the job being sought. You need to highlight your relevant experience for the job you want. Most people have many different versions of their resumes. ooh so a CV is different to a resume? i'm working on a new resume here.

2. Not sure what you mean here. please see the picture.

3. People are busy and have any applicants and probably don't want to field a million phone calls about it. You find out more by applying. but if i don't find out more, how do I know if I can do it or not, or tailor my CV and cover letter around it?

I completely agree with you Athena, I live in East Bay area and have been here for 6 months but finding a job is I guess harder than getting the Visa.

I am an Auditor/Accountant and have Masters, CA and CPA from Australia but it seems all those degrees do not count. I have been trolling all the career sites day and night, have been applying left, right and centre with no luck.

And as you mentioned all those points, they are really frustrating. Comparatively, the Australian website for jobs (www.seek.com.au) was so user friendly and you could directly contact the person in-charge for follow-ups etc.

I guess its going to be another mission to get a relevant job.

Till then....All the Best....

yes, thank you, *shake hands*

Hi guys, my K1 and conditional GC journey has been relatively quick and easy, and yesterday I got my California driver's license.

I posted in my regional area about finding work in USA, as an occupational therapist (OT) from Sydney Australia (with a few years experience). It's a long story, i had to do a master OT degree here in order to work. Luckily i got accepted into an online degree by SJSU, will start in Aug this year, for 2 years.

so in these 2 years i wanted to work, some related field (such as aba therapist) or something i'd really enjoy (like animal related). It has to be part time and local. and i suppose i have to accept the low $10/hour wage.

I live in the edge of Bay area, northern CA. and i looked in local newspaper, and on Monster.com and Indeed.com (they say it's good for temp and or part time jobs), and a bit on Care.com. here are some problems

1. Uploading/submitting my OT resume is pointless, i suppose. If i'm applying for a cashier/admin kind of non-professional job. Someone advised me to shorten/simplify my OT part and write more about my skills. I do have some carer and receptionist job experience.
2. There is no space to put non-USA education and work history! On monster and indeed, my profile, in the drop down lists, I can't put my Australian background! and there is no blank for that kind of info. Why do they do that?!!?!?!?! Sure it states in my resume, but i think many employers or their computer systems will probably ignore that. Very frustrating....
3. Online and in newspaper there is no contact info besides the email. WHY WHY WHY? in Sydney there is always a person's name, phone number and/or email them to find out more info about the position before applying. Here in USA, it just says' send resume to xxx@xxxx or this physical address. Is it OK to email to find out more? I thought they ONLY wanted to see resumes in the email.
4. The only thing you can click to proceed is 'Apply'. Some won't even have an email, it just ask you to apply online, and again, on their website (eg Petco) there is no space to put non-US education and work history. and many of them will want you to apply for an account on their website (great, another set of username and passwords to remember).
5. No way to follow through, and they don't tell you if you are not successful. Yes, applied through the 'apply' option, there is no contact detail, when i google the company, it doesn't even have a contact. If there is a number, i call and it will get to some computer system with no 'career' option. jeez....
6. Ask the salary? It's not listed in the ad. Since I can't even contact someone before I apply or got called to go into an interview, it's not relevant now but will be useful to know definitely. As for my OT job in Sydney, salary is set, i don't need to ask. Here for the non-professional jobs, is it ok to ask about salary in the first meeting/phone call?

so any tips guys? some suggested to apply locally, face to face, in small businesses, so i can have a chat and hand in my resume. The big companies like Petco or Target don't really want to hire people like me.

thank you all for reading )

i don't think there is one in OC. the closest one to you is Southern California University. do you have an OT bachelor degree already?

many people forgot or didn't know about the I-865, i wonder if anyone got in trouble for not sending in this form?

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1ba892623014d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

the link to download the I-865 form is not working last night and today......

That is correct. I had to as the USC fill one out, as the sponsor.

ok thank you! i will get a form printed out for him.

yes he is the sponsor, we don't have other sponsors.

Thank you!

another question, my husband (USC) has to file a 'change of address' too?

copy pasted after i completed mine online.............

Please remember the law also requires permanent residents and U. S. citizens who have financially sponsored another person who has immigrated to the U. S. to report a change of address. The Form I-865, Sponsor's Notice of Change of Address, is used to meet this legal requirement. The Form I-865 is not yet available for electronic filing so if you need to complete the Form I-865, you'll still need to send it by mail.

ooh yes, thank you!

I'm trying to fill out the AR-11 online form for "Change of Address"

it says the fields marked with * must be filled in. I did

some other fields don't apply so i left them blank and it won't let me go to the next page.

anyone experienced this?

please see attachments

thank you

ok I see. thank you two!

what about money from relatives as gifts? does it count as income? even if i leave that money in my overseas bank account, not bringing into US?

HI how is it going Sweetdelish?

you got your marriage certificate quite fast? i heard in Hawaii it takes 60-120 days after the wedding/register to receive it :oS

ok thank you!

thank you

really? any other comments?

HI guys

my best friend, my bridesmaid wants to come to USA to visit me and travel in Spring this year, for about 2-4 weeks, mainly living with me. no other intentions. We also have another best friend in Canada, we might visit her together from US to Canada.

I got my GC in Sept last year, from K1. I'm an Australian citizen.

She is single, 31yo, Chinese citizen, has a valid Australian tourist visa til end of the year (multi entry) she got it for my wedding in Nov last year. and has a Thailand visa (she went last month in Dec). Both are for backpacker type of travel, not with a tour group. she has not been rejected visa for any country. clean criminal history.

i think she will be applying for B-2 tourist visa? fill out form DS-160?

1. what about supporting documents? her saving? she doesn't have property or car. No stable job. does have some savings.
   
2. on http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html#4 it says may need to submit her CV/resume as supporting documents?
   
3. need my invitation letter?
4. or should i book some hotel or tours for her and show the itinerary with the form?
5. how easy it is to get B-2?
6. any other thoughts?

Thank you~~

i have a friend filed hers in June or July, still no answers. she's in Boston.

OK i will do that in Dec or Jan.

Okay so you don't have an Aussie birth certificate? Do you have a naturalisation certificate instead?

On re-reading my thread here: http://www.visajourn...change-process/ I found this link: http://www.usa.embas...ssportsFAQ.html which is where you change your passport in the US. Looks like being born overseas they should accept your US marriage cert!

ooooh YESSSSSSSSSSSS Thank you Vanessa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbs: :dance: it's good news for me! Lucky i haven't posted it yet. Thank you~~~~~

both K1 and CR1?

I'm confused by your post.. here are the requirements: http://www.bdm.nsw.g...hangeofName.htm

(emphasis and numbers added)

So assuming you were born in NSW, you fit criteria one. It's an "OR" situation for 1 OR 2 OR 3 so... I'm confused why if you were born in NSW that you don't think you can change your name.

If you weren't born in NSW but were born in another state of Australia then you change it in that state. If you were naturalised in Australia (born in another country) it's a difference process.

Hi Vanessa

Yes it's #2 that I don't qualify. I'm born overseas, and i haven't been living in NSW or Australia for the last 3 consecutive years 2009-2011.

1. I got married in California, registered first, so i have my marriage certificate, it has my new name on it.
2. Then i applied for AOS, with new name, as it shows on my marriage certificate.
3. and same time as AOS, i applied and got SSN, so it's also in my new name
4. later on i got called to do the AOS interview, got greencard in new name

I don't have CA driver's license yet. I do have a combined bank account with my husband in the new name, we got it after we got married and with SSN.

ETA i don't need that now since I got my green card, but yeah it has my new name, but passport has my old name, I've been told as long as I bring my marriage certificate, US custom shouldn't be a problem. My ticket this time is still in my old name. I just don't know if this time i can't change my Aus passport, for the next few years when I exit/enter US would they question me. and I wonder when my Aus passport naturally expires in 2015 if i CAN change my name.

BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT SERVICE (when i called few days ago from Sydney), I NEED AN AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL 'CHANGE OF NAME' CERTIFICATE TO CHANGE MY PASSPORT, NO MATTER WHERE I AM IN THE WORLD.

Most people in my situation will change their Aus passport during this trip, but I can't as I got a valid visa for another country in my passport that I need to use for this year.

hope that answered your questions )

i also don't want 2 identities.

As you can see from my timeline, i got married in the US, and got my husband's surname on my SSN and green card already.

Now i'm back in Sydney for the wedding, i'm thinking of getting a change of name certificate so i can change the name on my Aus passport later (within 12 months) in the US.

But the NSW BDM requires me to have 'living' in Aus for the last 3 years as one of the criteria, and I don't qualify, i was overseas working for part of 2009, 2010 and 2011.

so i'm writing a letter to go with my application form, see what they say. The good thing is if i got declined they will still refund me the $166.

Just to let you guys know, or if you know any way around it.

isn it strange that criteria? it might mean I can NEVER change my Aus passport?????