helenmaine

I started out temping at the University for a few months and now I'm working as a project manager for a start-up company.

I found that it was good to get back into the work place as soon as possible, even though I wasn't working in my field. After that the opportunities just sort of 'found me'. I think the accent helped...

Rockgurl

Welcome mclemony...nice to meet another ICU nurse. That was with OT. I work the night shift but don't get any differential (extra money for unsocial hours) which I was really annoyed about. All the US nurses get about $5-8 more an hour for working nights, but my agency were less than upfront with that. When I got here I was told that people were being cancelled at least one shift a fortnight and I was worried that that would happen to me, but in fact the opposite happened: they don't have enough staff and as soon as I was off orientation they signed my up for as much overtime as I could handle. I just did 7 nights and they have called me every day since to ask me to work then as well. I do need at least 1 day off before the next stint! I am only required to work 3 nights a week, and so ther's plenty of room for overtime which is paid as time and a half. That equates to a rather decent paycheck.

Are you working in England or the US and if you're in England are you planning on moving over here to work?

mclemony

No extra for nights? Is that just arizona??. Remember lol I am with OGP too.

At the moment I am about a month into the process of moving so long way to go and up until now I have been doing bed management but I have seven years ICU experience and start back in ICU begining of March 3 nights a week to leave me room to do the extra shifts to save money for the states.

Dant3

I'm not looking for anybody to tell me what job to do, I'm just realistic enough to know that the first job I get once the EAD comes through might not be in my dream career. I'm just curious what crappy first jobs other people got, that's all.

Manc

I was a steeplejack in the UK, climbing chimneys on power station and oil refineries...........

First job here was a resident painter in a hotel.
got laid off.

Sports Reporter at the local paper, great job but crap pay, no benefits.

Now
Insurance agent with State Farm. Ace job, mediocre pay.

Also currently work part time as a radio sports show producer (board op) for local high school sports games, brings in an extra $60 per week for 2 nights work, so not to shabby for sitting on my fat arse pressing buttons.

Rockgurl

No, that's not just AZ...I think that's pretty standard for ogp. Rip off! Of course they didn't tell me that until the day I accepted the job offer....talk about pressure! It's ok though...nights are much better and the OT is even better than that! Good luck!

Rockgurl

manc...did you have any previous experience with insurance or did you start afresh in the US? Just interested as my sister used to be in insurance.

CitySimon

Still on the job search since arriving here!

I am still living under the dilluded impression that the first job that I get will be in the same industry as I was working in England (UNIX System Administration).

It has yet to sink in that there are simply no UNIX jobs, or too many applicants, in the Rochester NY area.

I will probably be working at the local Kwik-e-Mart before long!:scared: :scared:

Manc

Nope went to class and got my licensing over here.

Patrick

I got rejection letters from

the Uni, Walmart, Target, city, county and state, pepsi, Lowes, Jewelery firms, paper firms, pharma firms, mobile phone stores, electric company, phone company.....

Almost got offered a job as software test engineer until they lost a contract and stopped hiring, almost got a job with the government until someone realised I wasn't a US citizen and couldn't get Secret clearance.

Had interviews in Tampa, Miami and Minessota, been lined up for interviews in Charlotte and Raleigh until they realised I lived too far away.

In 1 year I have not been offered a job that I could (in all seriousness without a relocation package) accept.

I have started 2 businesses, lay floors for a guy who pays me under the table, am an extra at the film studios and am a volunteer fireman.

I love my life and wouldn't have it any other way, if I get frustrated I just come on here and take it out on someone who aggrevates me - its like annonymous PMS but without the cramps.

Patrick

matt_in_philly

My record in US is 1 1/2 days in a car dealership as a salesman ( 5 or 6 months the longest in car sales).
In UK it's approximately 40 minutes in Honda Logistics in Swindon. Beat that! I swang to hit the shift supervisor after he cursed me for no bloody reason !!! I missed the asshole's jaw but still ended up in the Swindon Police Station and had a slap on the wrist.

Current job, Armed Custom Protection Officer. In other words I wear dark suits, carry a gun and give people dirty dirty looks when I'm babysitting some asshole businessman who's visiting Philly. That's after busting my arse off for a Bachelor's in Turkey and Master's in England. I was lucky to have military experience, otherwise I would be washing cars or something right now, I guess. Go figure ...

Looking on the bright side, I get the opportunity to meet a lot of 25 years old Vietnam veterans every day through my job. It's amazing to see how many of them are out there.

Still looking for a decent job just to make myself feel better about the years that I wasted to get degrees and other bollocks.

Pharrya

I did lots of fairly boring IT contracting when as my first bits of employment here, really piss easy stuff. Then I got a permanent place doing IT stuff for The Catholic Church. Now there's an organisation in need of good PR.

Nowadays I'm a lazy assed State Govt. Employee, working for the Elections board.

nathan barley

I'm an admin assistant in the placement department of a big temp staffing agency in NYC; we are the biggest supplier of temps to New York city's government agencies. I mainly deal with those agencies; handling job orders, payroll issues and policy & procedure, along with keeping the department whipped into shape. Doesn't pay much, but it's a start, which is what counts.

I did engineering and then an art degree at Uni, so it's quite a switch. In the end, I wouldn't mind going back to college and doing a business related or poli sci degree, then getting into HR or being a nameless, faceless government employee.