User Name

It's very tough trying to get decently priced healthcare for small businesses. Rates are much higher, probably because our bargaining power is so low.

BigDavyG

Nice post

Lynne

I am not sure about now, but years ago in the UK you hardly saw office managers of general management staff at a real young age. But here you often see office managers or system analysts who look like they have just got out of nappies. They may have the piece of paper to say they can do a job but their people skills and general common sense are way down low.

I would really love to change career but sadly round here any half reasonable job requires some kind of security clearance, so it looks like I may be stuck working with lawyers until I go for my citizenship. lolol

I have also noticed the lack of employment agencies. In the UK they were almost as common as estate agents.

st326

It is not absolutely essential to have citizenship to get security clearance. As I understand it, the further up the immigration ladder, the easier it is to get higher levels of clearance, but it may of course depend on how much your employer wants you. I have (fairly low levels of) clearance for both NASA and USAF, and I am a British citizen. I have a rare specialism, though (radiation hard electronics), which maybe made them try a bit harder to get the clearance through, but I actually doubt it.

Lynne

Most of the high end industry here is NASA and defense. Although there are a lot of sub-contractors depending on the type of work they do, even the receptionist has low security clearance. Some are so shit hot, so to speak, that if you work for them and file bankruptcy you are instantly fired


Citizenship is something we have been looking at and which will make my husband's job a little easier as he gets called to several military establishments which mean tons of paperwork and an escort. lolol

We have actually been checked out since when friends of ours get their security renewed they have to declare that they know "foreigners" and twice in the last few years we have had visits from the auhorities but it seems they now realize we are allies. lolol

Bob

Does depend where you live, but I know what you mean, but around here, there ain't many, and they are right shite too.

Bob

something to think about, but if your going for high up clearance that might require you to relinquish UK citizenship, that still might not be enough to get the clearance, read about some poor sod that it happened to last year on the visa forums basically because he still had friends and family in the UK *l*

Boylerz

Hi all,

Cheers for all the replies. Really interesting reading about all your feelings on the American job market and healthcare costs etc. There's defo some serious issues in the country.

Anyway's I'm going to tell you guys a little bit more bout my work experience and maybe see if any of you have been or are in the same game. I worked in Hewlett Packard as an Equipment Technician for 5 years. It was at their Inkjet Manufacturing plant. Skills obtained were Mechanical, Electronic, Electrical and Systems by work on Hi-tech machinery. I now work for a vendor based Intel as a Field Service Engineer.It is in Semiconductor manufacturing. I have been here bout 1.5 years. Again doing a lot of the stuff as above along with Radio freq, Vacuum etc.

So I'm a little bit worried about the state of manufacturing in the US and my job prospects without a 4 year degree. Can anyone put my mind at ease?!!!! Or maybe I should change careers and be a male stripper or something!!!!!

Thanks folks,
Boylerz.

Elvira

May I be the first to ask you to post your picture in the Gallery.

I shall give you a comprehensive assessment of your likely prospects!

Dan725

Theoretically, you declare yourself as pledging your allegiance to the USA and dumping all others at your naturalisation ceremony though, don't you? So in effect, you have relinquished your citizenship anyway(according to the US authorities). I suppose they could make you say it again, and turn in your UK passport, but in the eyes of the UK you'll still be an expat citizen.

Dan725

Can't really put your mind at ease, as there just isn't any job security over here for the most part. I hear its getting the same way in the UK, but at least in the UK if you lose your job, your family isn't all of a sudden preying they don't have an accident that could send you into bankruptcy due to your medical benefits being canned.

I am currently in a job that requires a 4 year degree, and I don't have one. I was able to talk my way in through drawing similarities with my past 12 years work experience. However, it took the best part of 6 months of applying for literally hundreds of jobs, talking to people, networking, and all the rest of that tedious shite that goes with looking for a job. I am well aware that if I leave this job, it'll be back at square one, having to fight twice as hard as the next bloke who has the degree tick in the box, but no experience, and it will take longer again because I do not have that tick.

Because of this, I'm going to bite the bullet and shell out and take an online degree in my spare time (even though for me it'll be of no use other than having that tick in the box). You can rage and do your best to buck the system, but I'm finding thats it's easier just to try to accept it for the crap it is, you can't beat the mentality of people, and therefore you just need to make sure you conform to their model.

CarlM

Get a degree..

Vicky88

Whatever you do, don't do that online degree with University of Phoenix. I'm working with a couple of people who have their Accounting degrees from there and have to say they know jackshit about Accounting.

However, I do believe that having that piece of paper is important. There are lots of agencies here in San Diego. The one agency I registered at, had me redo my CV, and list my Accounting degree at the top because they are highly sought after. They did ask me to sign something to send to my University to get proof that I did study and get my degree, however I told them not to bother as there was no way that my Australian University would release such information to them. I showed them a copy of my transcript and they accepted that. I had a job within a week of getting my work permit.

I think the biggest killer if you don't have a degree is they will pay you accordingly. In most cases (not all), the monkey with the degree will get more money than the megastar doing the same job but not having that piece of paper.

Good luck to everyone who is searching.

Dan725

The degree I do will be the one I know most about and can claim the most semester credit for, from a proper accredited university, for the least amount of time and cash! I don't plan on working outside of my career field for too long, and within that, to be able to do a decent job you need the experience, which I have. My sole reason for getting a degree is to be able to tick that irritating check box that says "Do you have a 4 year degree?", and thus manage to get past the auto rejectors and HR mongs. The fact that it will be somewhat relevant is a bonus.

anotherlimey

If you have 12 years experience, you would probably get given a degree as long as you make some monetary contribution.

I was told UK universities accept 4 years of employment in a field as 1 years worth of a degree.