New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Hi there

I'm moving to PA soon, after getting my visa last month. I'll be looking for a project management (PM) related job and could do with some professional support on how to sell my UK qualifications and make my resume and LinkedIn work well in the US.

My main concerns are applying for roles without having a degree, which seems to be key in the US. I am a qualified Chartered Accountant and have Project Management and other proffessional qualifciations. I've been working as a PM for the last 15+ years.

I've spoken to one person, but she has struggled with interpretting qualifications. Has anyone found or been working with anyone that has experianece with helping expats?

SJD

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Just for others reading, you are coming to the USA on an immigrant visa, so will be work authorized from Day 1.

Project Management is pretty broad. In what field were you specially? I work for a civil engineering firm and we have engineering project managers. I'm with the Facilities department and we contract out PM services when we do office relocations. We use CBRE.

I can't help with qualifications, but was just wondering what specific field you were looking at.

Rene

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Where in PA? Where we are in State College employers are a little less bewildered by international qualifications due to the overwhelming presence of Penn State University. However smaller towns are a different story.

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Hi Rene

Thanks for responding so quickly. Yes, I'm authorised to work from day 1.

I come from a Finance and Shared Services background. I'm an ex systems manager, so have been employed in the past to getting people/teams through various levels of systems related change, whether it upgrades or improving/simplifying processes. I specialise in reducing the pain of change, keeping it simple and getting people working as one team.


SJD

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Hi

I'm in Bucks County, North East of Philly.

Thanks, that's interesting to know!

SJD

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Join linked in, set your location to where you will be, and start connecting to recruiters. Investigate the process for PMP certification and also consider a scrum master certification if you enter an agile business.

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Your lack of 'paper' is going to be a serious problem trying to obtain a job at the same level that you started at. That's not to say you can't get back to that level in a couple of years, but you might have to take something that is a little lower than you were in the UK in order to get your foot in the door.

I know I had too. I started at my current job as a glorified janitor (and it wasn't that gloried) and was promoted several times over the course of a couple of years (4 times in 2 years, in fact) to where I have been for the last 4 years.

Re: New Job Guidance/Help in the US
 

Thanks Civil Servant
Well, I was looking to take a step down anyway, so maybe I'll finally be forced too! :)

Thanks Tom
I'm in the process of updating my LinkedIn profile, prior to releasing myself on the US! I've found a PMP course too, I thought I'd wait until I moved and do a classroom one, as it would be opportunity to meet people.

SJD