USchances

Hi ALL,

Firstly thank you all for your input to this forum. I have been
reading for a while but first time poster.

Now I know there are so many who come here and ask for help and
you guys are left with answering the same questions over and over
again. So I am another one - here we go again.

I *wish* to relocate to the USofA and here is the information I know
you may need :
1. Age 29 years - don't know if you need to know but just in case
2. Banking and Finance work experience 6 years (Mostly multinational
companies) - mostly worked in the FInance areas.
3. Based in SYdney
4. MS in Accounting Finance.
5. Let me know if you need to know more.

What I want to know is - is there a realistic chance of moving to the
US ? I am Australian Citizen for the past 2 years now and I would love
to move in 2009. I say that because currently the markets are not
doing well so assume it must have slowed down in banking/finance area.

I would appreciate if you can share some thoughts you may have on how
to go about it (if I do have a chance that is) and generally how is
the financial area looking for roles in Finance/Management Accounting
areas.

Any help will be much appreciated.
Regards,

Ray

Start here ..

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consul...as/niv/e3.html

USchances

Thanks Ray for your prompt response.

Ok, so eligible for E-3 that's great !However how is the general market there.
Anyone from Finance/Banking back ground. Anyone can help me explain if 6 yrs
experience is good enough.

dreamercon

Six years experience is good, but with the recession finance jobs are scarce. Have a few friends who finished their MBA program this year and they all had a very hard time getting finance jobs (and they weren't foreigners)

USchances

Thanks a lot for your help. Appreciated.

I agree with the financial markets the way they are, it's
bound to be tough. Add to that I am not in US which makes
it harder.

I was thinking if its worth to visit US on the waiver program
which I think I have access to and try and get some interviews?

I think the E-3 link that Ray posted tells me I can do that...

I still am keen and will target 2009..but doing leg work now.

I understand your friends's issues. Hopefully 6 years experience
may be helpful afterall.

Don't mean to be too ambitious but any chance of me contacting
your friends for advice or not really ?

Michael

Monster.com should give you a pretty good idea of the jobs that are available in the US for finance/accounting.

http://www.monster.com/

USchances

Hi Michael,

Thanks. I have been tracking Careerbuilder for a while but no luck
yet. I think being overseas here in Australia is the issue.

There are bucket loads of jobs as a Financial Analyst - so I know
opportunities exist but hey - that's one thing; I need to know if
I stand a chance.

Hence I was thinking of coming over on the waiver. But I think it
gets down to convincing them that I am eligible for E-3.. .. ..

So far - lots of issues and no luck

Ray

There a big E-3 thread here worth reading ..
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=328064

USchances

Ray,
Good stuff. I have been reading that all day. Its Huge !!!
So far no one that is from Financial background.

I know of 2-3 people who went there on contracts (IT background
though so less helpful). I also have been reading the forum and
found a few others with IT experience and have gone there.

I am just searching for some mentor so as to speak from Finance
area who can guide me, share experiences,know what is involved
or perhaps even help me network.

Cheers for that again

augigi

You can definitely come on VWP and go for interviews etc try to set up someone to petition you for E3. I wouldn't say "sponsor" as it brings to mind the H1B requirements which are more onerous and expensive for employers.

USchances

Thanks Augigi,
I have been glued to the screen since morning in hope of some
response to my thread so thank you.
So what is the fundamental difference between 'petition' and
sponsor. I read on that big E3 thread a trick to mention on
resume something like "NO PETITION,NO COST TO EMPLOYER and EASY
to OBTAIN". So is that false when I say no petition ?

In fact I thought sponsorship = sponsor for my job
Petition = going away and proving that I have skills not found
in US etc etc.

A tad confused. The way i was thinking was to call recruitment
consultants and have some interviews ready. I do not think so
I can stay there more than 2-3 weeks and I do not knowif thats
enough. I have heard (again mroe so IT thanFinance background)
of cases where they have got jobs in 2-3 weeks but it all depends.
Hence basically trying to find out even if its worth coming
there and if my education+experience offers any hope. Then
comes to hard part convincing the consultants and employers...

you from finance background ?

Cheers

Orangepants

Hi,

Lucky you being eligible for the E-3!

I cant really speak for financial service providers or accountancy firms as I'm in Investment Banking. The situation in banking especially is pretty dire at the moment. I work for a multinational bank based in Charlotte, NC although I'm in London at the moment getting ready to submit L1 papers. We have just cut 7,000 jobs across the country and closed out 4,400 open positions across the whole of the bank including retail (mainly mortgage origination) and we are one of the only banks that I know of that that will employ visa holders. (We also have probably suffered more than the other banks due to our mortgage exposure).

I was in a fortunate position to have personal contacts ( quite senior) at these two major banks and was based in the Caribbean so only a short hop on a plane.

BofA will not accept visa holders after 9/11 (or so they told me after when they offered me a position and I told them I didn't have the right to work.)

I would assume that as the country is hiking pdq towards recession this malaise will spread though other sectors. Sorry to be so negative but at the same time all FSPs will have to maintain the existing status quo and keep their current clients happy. I believe my bank has a hiring freeze in most dept. on external candidates but there are always exceptions!

You are in a better position than most with the Visa though. Send me your resume and a detailed explanation of what you have done and I'll see if I can throw it at somebody in HR and it might stick!

Orangepants

It's not HBOS, it's a large US bank, the cuts are in the States and I can't put the name as they scan the web overnight for mention of the name and one can be subject to disciplinary for "negative media" especially on blogs or chat rooms. Not that I would consider this negative media but everything is logged and investigated.

My fiance and I have long distanced for 5 years in our legal efforts to live in the States, with him moving up first and me starting my journey 3 years later (by way of London). Fortunately as I mentioned the Caribbean was home for most of it so it wasn't too tough - kept up the diving and windsurfing whilst the wheels were turning.

It's a long journey but as long as you do it legally and with good legal advice, should be worth it (bloody hope so!) Good Luck

USchances

Hi,
PM sent.
Thanks.

augigi

Well, technically they just have to fill out the LCA online, and post it in the workplace. It's not a time-consuming process, is what you are trying to convey to the prospective employer.

The common yes/no question is "Are you authorized to work in the USA?". you need to convince them saying "no" is not a deal-breaker. I knew my employer already via networking (in medicine field, not finance) so it was easy. If you're going in cold it would be harder.

I would definitely try to set up as many interviews as possible for the time you'll be in-country.

The other alternative is to try for L1 visa - get a job at a company in Australia that has a US office and transfer after 12 months, or get a job at a company in Australia with US offices and convince them to transfer you on an E3 as soon as you can.