I will let you in a secret that other people think is impossible. No, I am not a magician nor a miracle worker. But I will try to demystify the urban legend circulating around by attempting to help you re-wire your brain by stating facts in place of fiction.
That you have a chance to find your job, make a living, and even stay in America for yourself and your family.
Let me be clear. While I said that it is not impossible, that neither miracle nor magic is required, I also mean that it will require careful planning, hard work, patience and perseverance are all required. So I will cut to the chase and let us begin.
First, let us begin with a challenge.
The job market is flat. Companies have money but are not hiring new workers. The US economy is in the dumps and even the government is now operating under borrowed money and is struggling to borrow more money to keep it in business. In the meantime, US companies are trying to find new ways to boost its business, but are just afraid to spend money in hiring new workers for the fear of the uncertainty in the economy. These are the facts that will stare you in the face the moment you link in your mind the words job and America. Your first challenge then is to believe that you are the exception. If you can’t believe that, then there is no point for reading the rest of this article and you can go on with the rest of your routine.
Second, let us examine if you fit the bill to be that exception.
This is nothing more than a self-check, an honest assessment of your qualifications and skills to stand head and shoulder above the rest. It doesn’t really matter what kind of job you are in as long as it is a job that requires skills and training. This skills and training I am talking about has to be real, concrete and demonstrable. In other words, it has to be legit. A letter of recommendation even from a Congressman or Senator will only boost your ego that you have strong connection, but will not serve you any good. It has the same value as that counterfeit diploma from Recto even if the same is notarized. If you think you have the skills and experience, do not fret about getting your diploma from a University outside of Manila that it will reduce your chances. For all American employers would care is that you came from overseas and they will look first to what you can bring to the table immediately.
If you do not have any of these, then I recommend that you start working to build it. As they say in Amkor Annam “kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw me dahilan”.
Third, know which way you are going in.
Now that you know your strengths based on your skills and experience, the next challenge is to know what bridge you are taking. The sad truth about looking for job opportunity in the US is that most people think that the only way to find a job here is through the H-1B visa. That is not exactly true. The link (http://tinyurl.com/yfaxpfa)lists several kinds of temporary work visas and the H-1B is only one among the long list. Each category in the list has its unique requirements for qualification and engagement that primarily governs the petitioning company rather than the potential employee. The list will enable you to determine which category you are mostly comfortable with, particularly with the limits on the stay and the salary requirements.
As a potential employee, your role is to position yourself in the industry that has the most potential to need your services. Sounds difficult? Think again. The United States encourages the freedom of information and that includes sharing the information about the job market and the projection where this market is heading. To see what career is hot and what is not, click this link (http://www.onetonline.org/) and begin searching for a job that you think is best match. Then look for those job categories with the sun and the word “Bright Outlook”. From there, click the job zone to see if your current educational level and skill set falls in squarely. Now, this is very helpful since this will guide you with what the USCIS is looking for whether to approve or to deny the petition filed for in your behalf. This will also help you “filter out” the garbage and the sales talk the recruiters are telling you about the skills required in the position offered.
Fourth, find a match.
Now that you have the visa category and the job category that you think is the bridge that will connect you to your American dream job, your next step is to look for the companies who are willing to hire. I have to be honest that this is not exactly a walk in the park because as I mentioned earlier, companies are just not hiring. The upside however is that we can rely on the American business model that was used then and is still being used to this day. American companies love cheap, skilled labor. This is the secret that everybody knows but do not want to talk about because of its political implications. That is why I still see the influx of foreign workers while the news is that the US economy is still in shambles. All I am saying is this, as long as you have the skills and experience and is willing to take risk, you have a chance.
The explosion of internet technology particularly the social networking sites make job hunting easier. However, it also make it more complicated since a million other workers like you flood the internet and job hunting site with resumes. But nothing beats the old system of referrals. Referral can get you to the door faster than a professionally crafted resume by 9 to 1. You can get referrals through your job networks particularly in Linkedin (www.linkedin.com) or even in Facebook. Get in touch with your friends, former co-workers and buddies and at the same time continue to be the best in your field.
Lastly, grind it out.
I have said it hundreds of times that “you are the walking, talking, billboard of yourself.” So think of yourself as the manager and your services as the product and that how you carry yourself is your ad. This is true with what you do in your personal life and what you in your identity in the internet. In short, you should know how to brand yourself and likewise know how to promote and protect your brand. Having the reputation that you are a trustworthy grinder in your field will create an echo that is so loud that eventually recruiters and headhunters will notice. And once they notice, you can bet on it that you better be ready when they come calling.
If you have any immigration questions, feel free to contact me using my information below:
