Hi!

8 Comments

1. Barb HansenMay 23,2022 at 6:04PM UTC

   I agree with being patient. I'm not too sure if I agree with have a plan before applying for a job.

   Based on your work experience (what did you do for work before you moved to the US), and what you want to do (what skills do you have and what skills do you need to get), start applying for jobs.

   If you don't know what job you want to do - get part-time retail job or a job at a coffee shop or a job at a local doggie day care just to get out of the house and meet new people. You may not want to work at a coffee shop or at a doggie day care forever but you can still look for another job while you are working.

   The book "What color is your parachute" is a good book to read when trying to figure out what you want to do and it's available at your local library (and speaking of libraries - many libraries have career-help drop-in classes)

   There is no harm in applying for low-level or part-time jobs, in fact it's probably a good idea to get a resume ready, write up a cover letter, find the types of jobs that you want to do, and just apply. If you get an interview, take the interview. The more you apply and the more interviews you do, the better you'll get at interviewing.

   Another suggestion is to reach out to your nationalities community in your town. You don't say what country you are from so let's say you immigrated from Norway. Reach out to your city's or your state's Norwegian American group(s) and see what that group can do for you. There might be jobs available through their members and you can use that job to kick-start your career.

   Good luck!

2. AlexandraMay 23,2022 at 8:56PM UTC

   Hi Barb,

   I've been applying for the past 4 months and the feedbacks are negative. I have little patience left and I feel burnt out already and not motivated to do it anymore. I don't like to interact with people face to face. I've done it in my past jobs and I don't feel comfortable, I would prefer a job where I have clear goals and responsibilities and it doesn't involve customer facing. I can start with low level jobs or part time, I keep on trying but I don't know how much patience and motivations I still have.

   Thank you for your advice.

3. Barb HansenMay 24,2022 at 3:57PM UTC

   I'm sorry that you're in this situation. I'm happy to help if you want to chat or have someone (else) look at your resume.

   You are welcome to DM me and we can find some time to chat on the phone. Seriously, I'm very happy to help

   I'm an immigrant to the US, although I come from an English speaking country so my transition was not like yours. Even so, I felt like an outsider and I "pass" as American.

4. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachMay 23,2022 at 7:26PM UTC

   Do you have on your resume that you are eligible to work in the U.S.? Many employers run away from people that they perceive may create immigration/paperwork issues. They often incorrectly assume it will cost a lot of money and time. If visa status is not an issue (e.g. say you don't need an H1-B) then make sure it's clear to employers that you are eligible to work here without needing any special paperwork or immigration lawyers.

   Also, depending on where you are from, different countries have different resume preferences so make sure you are presenting yourself using a format common in the US (e.g. we don't include personal information but in some countries they do).

   Good luck. Job search takes patience and persistence.

5. AlexandraMay 23,2022 at 8:50PM UTC

   Hey Susan,

   I am eligible to work in U.S. I have a green card, I am from Romania and I updated my resume according to U.S. guidelines. I mentioned that I am eligible to work for any employer in U.S. I don't have any personal informations on my resume. I guess, I'll have to keep trying.

   Thank you for advices.

6. Cyndi RosenblattMay 23,2022 at 9:20PM UTC

   I'd be willing to take a look at your resume and do a mock interview with you to give you some feedback if you're interested. Also, I spoke with a couple of people just today who are hiring people who don't even have bachelor degrees and doing on-the-job training for positions they would have required science degrees and experience to even interview a few years ago.

7. AlexandraMay 24,2022 at 2:32AM UTC

   Hi Cyndi,

   I would love and appreciate your help. That sounds very nice and promising, I'd be very interested.

   Thank you so much!

8. Anne KrookMay 24,2022 at 4:08PM UTC

   It might help for you to get any job at all in customer service, to help you feel more confident that you have a job and have some money coming in. Employers really like to hire the employed -- it's one of the strongest workplace biases, along with the one against pregnant women -- and it's easy to explain why you took a temporary job while looking for your next good job.