ms_bhon

Hubby immigrated in June of 2001. Started seriously looking around mid-July. Here it is Feb and he is still looking...
He, of course, works in IT. He didn't have much trouble at all finding lucrative contract work when he was living in the UK. His resume shows lots of experience and even with some of the OS mentioned above.
We live in the mid-Atlantic with both the Baltimore and DC markets open to him...
Still...nothing...
You guys ain't the only ones...its rough all over!

Jjoe

Hi Nikki,

I had sort of a similar problem: I wend to graduate school in the US. Before that I
had approximately 8 years of work experience. After I graduated the employers did not
want to consider my overseas experience at all. So I had to take entry job with an
entry pay level. Basically they want to lowball you. DO NOT LET THEM DO THIS TO YOU:

Looking back to my experience this is what I should have done:
1) Get your diploma evaluated by US educational evaluation agencies. There are many
of them (search the Internet). The cost is approximately $100. It takes 2 to 8
weeks to get everything evaluated. I used www.ece.org
2) Meanwhile take exams and get certified or get a license. Some state licensing
boards allow overseas experience. Check with your relevant state board.
3) Rewrite your resume to reflect your degrees and US equivalents. Say that you are
on your way to get certified or on your way to get a license. Show the relevant
progress towards the license, if you took exams, say: took exam, results unknown
yet, etc.. etc..
4) Rewrite your resume to target specific employers and emphasize relevant work
experience
5) Your resume should state that you are fully authorized to engage in
employment in the US

Send your resume to everybody... to recruiters, to companies, everybody. This is
easy... use internet, friends, etc.. etc..

On the interview:
6) Emphasize how you will benefit the company based on your international exposure,
experience and education level.
7) Do not say your rate up front. Say the rate depends on the level of
responsibility, etc.. etc...
8) Leave your US status for last. You want them to be interested in you, not in your
current status. Just say that your are fully authorized to work in the US and can
provide appropriate documentation. They probably are not interested in your
marital status, so just say that you can work and will show the documentation.

Anybody would like to add anything else???

Good luck, joe

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Terje Johan Abrahams

in
    >

[usenetquote2]>> >.......[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >> I think it is easier for americans than for foreigners. I have also sent about[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >> 400 applications so far during the last 6 months. <<snip>>[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >When there is no response to this paper barrage, and you are ready for[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]>> >everyman's job as a stopgap measure, toss that resume, forget the past[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]>> >get yourself that GED. A GED shows that you had been an American[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]>> >dropout and immediately earns you the cool-hood you deserve. It would immediately[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >wipe out your foreigner-ness. You could be a schoolbus[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]>> >and make $10 an hour, easy ![/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>>[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> I did actually graduate from american high school...[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>>[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >> But, it is definitively harder for foreigners. I don't have a single american[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >> friend that I graduated with last august that hasn't gotten a job. Even those[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >> with way worse results and way less experience.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> >I do not know a single american citizen who needed an H1B visa to get an[/usenetquote2]
    >
[usenetquote2]>> >job.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>>[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> I don't need a H1B visa either. I have a visa, and the company does not have to do[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]>> anything else in order to hire me compared to hire an american.[/usenetquote2]
    >

Nikki

"jjoe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected] gy.com>...
    > Hi Nikki,
    >
    > I had sort of a similar problem: I wend to graduate school in the US. Before that
    > I had approximately 8 years of work experience. After I graduated the employers
    > did not want to consider my overseas experience at all. So I had to take entry job
    > with an entry pay level. Basically they want to lowball you. DO NOT LET THEM DO
    > THIS TO YOU:
    >
    > Looking back to my experience this is what I should have done:
    > 1) Get your diploma evaluated by US educational evaluation agencies. There are many
    > of them (search the Internet). The cost is approximately $100. It takes 2 to 8
    > weeks to get everything evaluated. I used www.ece.org
    > 2) Meanwhile take exams and get certified or get a license. Some state licensing
    > boards allow overseas experience. Check with your relevant state board.
    > 2) Rewrite your resume to reflect your degrees and US equivalents. Say that you are
    > on your way to get certified or on your way to get a license. Show the relevant
    > progress towards the license, if you took exams, say: took exam, results unknown
    > yet, etc.. etc..
    > 3) Rewrite your resume to target specific employers and emphasize relevant work
    > experience
    > 4) Your resume should state that you are fully authorized to engage in employment
    > in the US
    >
    > Send your resume to everybody... to recruiters, to companies, everybody. This is
    > easy... use internet, friends, etc.. etc..
    >
    > On the interview:
    > 1) Emphasize how you will benefit the company based on your international exposure,
    > experience and education level.
    > 2) Do not say your rate up front. Say the rate depends on the level of
    > responsibility, etc.. etc...
    > 3) Leave your US status for last. You want them to be interested in you, not in
    > your current status. Just say that your are fully authorized to work in the US
    > and can provide appropriate documentation. They probably are not interested in
    > your marital status, so just say that you can work and will show the
    > documentation.
    >
    > Anybody would like to add anything else???
    >
    > Good luck, joe
    >
    >
Hi,

Thanks for the advice! Well, my husband has gone to all of the employment agencies
here(San Antonio) and none of them had anything. We've faxed, emailed, and mailed out
resumes for just about everything possible. He did manage to get two part-time jobs
in the meantime so at least that's something. It's just a little discouraging. We
realize that IT jobs are hard to come by lately. Hopefully it will turn around soon.
I have all of my friends and family helping also.

Thanks,

Nicole






    > "nikki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Hi,
    > >
    > > My husband moved here the end of November from Australia. Since then, he has got
    > > a social security card, a work authorization card, and a TX driver's liscence. It
    > > seems like it is impossible for him to get a job. He worked for 2 major US
    > > companies in Australia and he just can't seem to even get an interview here. He
    > > is a Systmes Analyst and has extensive IT experience, but he can't seeem to get
    > > hired anywhere. He has even gone to places like Wal-mart, target, Lowes,
    > > home-depot, etc, and no one will even talk to him. He even had to places ask him
    > > where he was from and then they told him not to even bother filling out an
    > > application since he wasn't a US citizen. (It was for a job that paid $6.00 and
    > > hour, so it's not something that required a secrity clearance, but it was a job
    > > and he was willing to do it). It has really started to get him down. It seems
    > > that when he applies for those kind of jobs they question why he's applying since
    > > he has so much IT experience and then they act all suspicious. But he just wants
    > > to work and have some kind of income comming in, but that doesn't seem to be the
    > > right answer. I feel bad for him because he's really smart, reliable, and has
    > > lots of experience, but no one wants to give him a chance. Does anyone have any
    > > suggentions?
    > >
    > > Nicole
    > >
    > > Thanks, Nicole

Yair Leibovich

Do not be discouraged. Many people have the same problem and I really do believe it's
because of the recession.

Regardless of what employers told you, your experience and education overseas IS
EXTREMELY valuable to most (if not all) employers here in the US; and as proof of
that, consider the enormous amount of H1 visas (professional people) that the US
government has decided to issue due to demand by US corporations. These visas were
issued when demand was high and supply was low. Right now the demand is low because
of the recession but once the country pulls out of this situation, you can be sure
they are going to be after you like...

a little patients.

Yair

Nikki

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. It's just discouraging. Especially when we mail, email, and
fax so many resumes out and rarely get any response. He's only had 2 IT interviews
since he got here the end of November But at least he has to two part-time jobs. He
is from Australia and there have been a few employers that mention what happened in
sept. and say that they are concerend about hiring Non-US citizens. I guess I don't
blame them, because they don't know him, but it is still discouraging. I guess we
just have to keep trying.

Thanks, Nicole

"Yair Leibovich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > Do not be discouraged. Many people have the same problem and I really do believe
    > it's because of the recession.
    >
    > Regardless of what employers told you, your experience and education overseas IS
    > EXTREMELY valuable to most (if not all) employers here in the US; and as proof of
    > that, consider the enormous amount of H1 visas (professional people) that the US
    > government has decided to issue due to demand by US corporations. These visas were
    > issued when demand was high and supply was low. Right now the demand is low because
    > of the recession but once the country pulls out of this situation, you can be sure
    > they are going to be after you like...
    >
    > a little patients.
    >
    > Yair

William Sanders

Nikki - if this is your husband and he came in on a K-1 then he is already
work-authorized and doesn't need any other type of work authorization. Perhaps that
part isn't clear on his resume, and the employer's are shying away thinking that they
have to sponser him. perhaps you can change his resume to reflect this concept?
regards [Bill] "nikki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi,
    >
    > Thanks for the advice. It's just discouraging. Especially when we mail, email, and
    > fax so many resumes out and rarely get any response. He's only had 2 IT interviews
    > since he got here the end of November But at least he has to two part-time jobs. He
    > is from Australia and there have been a few employers that mention what happened in
    > sept. and say that they are concerend about hiring Non-US citizens. I guess I don't
    > blame them, because they don't know him, but it is still discouraging. I guess we
    > just have to keep trying.
    >
    > Thanks, Nicole
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > "Yair Leibovich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > > Do not be discouraged. Many people have the same problem and I really do believe
    > > it's because of the recession.
    > >
    > > Regardless of what employers told you, your experience and education overseas IS
    > > EXTREMELY valuable to most (if not all) employers here in
the
    > > US; and as proof of that, consider the enormous amount of H1 visas (professional
    > > people) that the US government has decided to issue due to demand by US
    > > corporations. These visas were issued when demand was high
and
    > > supply was low. Right now the demand is low because of the recession but once the
country
    > > pulls out of this situation, you can be sure they are going to be after
you
    > > like...
    > >
    > > a little patients.
    > >
    > > Yair

Eoin

Maybe certain employers should be made aware that Australia was one of the first to
commit to sending troops for the "war on terror"

And another thing - isn't is illegal to discriminate against people based on their
national origin in federal law?

Eoin (NZ)

    > "nikki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >
    >>Hi,
<snip>

He is from Australia and there have been a few employers that mention what happened
in sept. and say that they are concerend about hiring Non-US citizens. I guess I
don't blame them, because they don't know him, but it is still discouraging. I guess
we just have to keep trying.

    >>
    >>Thanks, Nicole