Employment in the USA

[turtle777]

Well my master is in Applied Economics. So I did not major in aspects of government or so. It was meant for business, but hopeless theoretical.

That's the catch you're going to run into.

If you have no actual work experience in any field of economics, businesses are going to be reluctant to hire you.

You would be competing with people that are 10 years younger than you, fresh out of school, willing to work ungodly hours.

-t

 

[63dot]

That's the catch you're going to run into.

If you have no actual work experience in any field of economics, businesses are going to be reluctant to hire you.

You would be competing with people that are 10 years younger than you, fresh out of school, willing to work ungodly hours.

-t

It's those young ones with student debt who will work at any pay and at any time just to get a foot in the door.

My friend worked for a specialized tech company that billed out at $5 grand per hour and he himself only got paid for gas to go to locations and do all the work. He was like a doctor intern and six months of that got "Dell" on his resume and then he was able to land a regular, high paying job in the tech rich state of Texas. Until then he was just a ten dollar an hour computer tech with no real chance of advancement so he had to live off of credit cards and rack up debt as an intern but after a couple of years, he paid off debts and got much steadier and better paying work. It was a calculated risk but it paid off but only in the long run.

Your six years for master's and then coming to America will be a short term loss (6-10 years) versus your peers who entered the work force right after high school, but by the time you are in your mid-40s, you will be glad you did school and got out of your comfort zone and came to America.

Since at least the end of World War II, I see a trend where a kid goes to school or learns a trade, then comes to America and works for a few years, and then somewhere in their 30s or 40s starts a business and before they retire they are pretty well off. Convenience stores, service businesses, restaurants, motels, retail stores and the like are mostly owned by former immigrants from Asia, Europe, Central, and South America where I live. Us lazy Americans usually don't want to work that hard but almost every time, a young person from another country, whether rich or poor nation, seems to be willing to work twice as hard as any American and do so in some entrepreneurial way to great effect.

As a general rule, most Americans are conditioned to work 40 hours a week, or a little more, and work for somebody else and won't go into a higher risk entrepreneurial adventure. But stuff like that is kid's play for anybody wanting to come to America and play catch up. Sometimes not having the same culture or language simply acts as a huge motivator to make a person a great entrepreneur.

 

[grandM]

It's those young ones with student debt who will work at any pay and at any time just to get a foot in the door.

My friend worked for a specialized tech company that billed out at $5 grand per hour and he himself only got paid for gas to go to locations and do all the work. He was like a doctor intern and six months of that got "Dell" on his resume and then he was able to land a regular, high paying job in the tech rich state of Texas. Until then he was just a ten dollar an hour computer tech with no real chance of advancement so he had to live off of credit cards and rack up debt as an intern but after a couple of years, he paid off debts and got much steadier and better paying work. It was a calculated risk but it paid off but only in the long run.

Your six years for master's and then coming to America will be a short term loss (6-10 years) versus your peers who entered the work force right after high school, but by the time you are in your mid-40s, you will be glad you did school and got out of your comfort zone and came to America.

Since at least the end of World War II, I see a trend where a kid goes to school or learns a trade, then comes to America and works for a few years, and then somewhere in their 30s or 40s starts a business and before they retire they are pretty well off. Convenience stores, service businesses, restaurants, motels, retail stores and the like are mostly owned by former immigrants from Asia, Europe, Central, and South America where I live. Us lazy Americans usually don't want to work that hard but almost every time, a young person from another country, whether rich or poor nation, seems to be willing to work twice as hard as any American and do so in some entrepreneurial way to great effect.

As a general rule, most Americans are conditioned to work 40 hours a week, or a little more, and work for somebody else and won't go into a higher risk entrepreneurial adventure. But stuff like that is kid's play for anybody wanting to come to America and play catch up. Sometimes not having the same culture or language simply acts as a huge motivator to make a person a great entrepreneur.

Uhu, I recently saw a documentary about some belgians who went to the States and raised an own firm. It already has a gross of 1 million dollars. They bake pies, something that is sold in every bakery here. They deliver at google, apple etc. The couple used to work in consulting in Belgium (I even recognized one of them, could be I saw her at university).

Sometimes a new country just gives you a new perspective. Just to try out I have set up an account on an American dating site posting as a local. I was astonished: women actually talk to me over there :d Believe me, I'm not used to that here. So chances I'm coming increase by the second. Of today I'm diving into iOS courses, to increase my chances at a job in the USA. Goal is of course my own firm.

But you're right that foreigners heading in are enormously motivated. Thing is the best try to immigrate. It's a certain gene pool and character of people knowing where they are heading. Sometimes it's simply not possible in the country you live at. My country for instance is GREAT when you are rich. Many rich Europeans are heading towards Belgium because the tax system is interesting to them. Lol but it you're not rich, you're taxed to the ground.

Another thing that REALLY inspires me in the USA is the generosity of some people who made it. I mean people giving millions of dollars to a cause. In my country that's simple NEVER done. I find this grand that people decide to help out others because they want to do so.

 

[63dot]

Uhu, I recently saw a documentary about some belgians who went to the States and raised an own firm. It already has a gross of 1 million dollars. They bake pies, something that is sold in every bakery here. They deliver at google, apple etc. The couple used to work in consulting in Belgium (I even recognized one of them, could be I saw her at university).

Sometimes a new country just gives you a new perspective. Just to try out I have set up an account on an American dating site posting as a local. I was astonished: women actually talk to me over there :d Believe me, I'm not used to that here. So chances I'm coming increase by the second. Of today I'm diving into iOS courses, to increase my chances at a job in the USA. Goal is of course my own firm.

But you're right that foreigners heading in are enormously motivated. Thing is the best try to immigrate. It's a certain gene pool and character of people knowing where they are heading. Sometimes it's simply not possible in the country you live at. My country for instance is GREAT when you are rich. Many rich Europeans are heading towards Belgium because the tax system is interesting to them. Lol but it you're not rich, you're taxed to the ground.

Another thing that REALLY inspires me in the USA is the generosity of some people who made it. I mean people giving millions of dollars to a cause. In my country that's simple NEVER done. I find this grand that people decide to help out others because they want to do so.

I think a lot of the motivation of immigrants in the USA and their almost always better work ethic is twofold.

First the people who come to America are often the motivated people from other countries who are often the most motivated people in their native country.

But secondly, you can't underestimate the change in culture. Too many successful immigrants who did better than the average American (median salary/wage) did so because they felt at a great disadvantage and it made them work twice as hard. Whether you are at an advantage or not, smart or not, working twice as hard will almost always pay off. If you never get comfortable, you will tend to strive for more. Getting out of one's comfort zone is almost a must for moving up. But whether moving up fulfills a person or not is very speculative and controversial. Do you work to live, or live to work? There's no right or wrong answer to that and each of us has a different balance.

 

[grandM]

I think a lot of the motivation of immigrants in the USA and their almost always better work ethic is twofold.

First the people who come to America are often the motivated people from other countries who are often the most motivated people in their native country.

But secondly, you can't underestimate the change in culture. Too many successful immigrants who did better than the average American (median salary/wage) did so because they felt at a great disadvantage and it made them work twice as hard. Whether you are at an advantage or not, smart or not, working twice as hard will almost always pay off. If you never get comfortable, you will tend to strive for more. Getting out of one's comfort zone is almost a must for moving up. But whether moving up fulfills a person or not is very speculative and controversial. Do you work to live, or live to work? There's no right or wrong answer to that and each of us has a different balance.

In my opinion one of the advantages is also not being used to a situation. If you get to know another culture you see what's illogical. This insight opens opportunities. It's also a new start, and starting new is inspiring. It's a bit like a second life, but not the game lol. Everything seems possible.

The first category of people is another topic: they mostly have lots of money empowering them to start up easier. Working hard has to do with motivation of course and indeed, the more you work the harder your chances at success.

Another thing what's important to me is the vast space you guys have. My country is so full. And moving to another place in Europe you're directly confronted with another language. Granted in the USA one speaks English. But this isn't a problem to me. For some reason French is harder on me (and Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German). Lol, German seems impossible to me :d And the fact they slaughtered us twice in the two world wars: let me put it this way, it doesn't give me a warm feeling... Thanks by the way for saving our butts TWICE.

 

[63dot]

In my opinion one of the advantages is also not being used to a situation. If you get to know another culture you see what's illogical. This insight opens opportunities. It's also a new start, and starting new is inspiring. It's a bit like a second life, but not the game lol. Everything seems possible.

The first category of people is another topic: they mostly have lots of money empowering them to start up easier. Working hard has to do with motivation of course and indeed, the more you work the harder your chances at success.

Another thing what's important to me is the vast space you guys have. My country is so full. And moving to another place in Europe you're directly confronted with another language. Granted in the USA one speaks English. But this isn't a problem to me. For some reason French is harder on me (and Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German). Lol, German seems impossible to me :d And the fact they slaughtered us twice in the two world wars: let me put it this way, it doesn't give me a warm feeling... Thanks by the way for saving our butts TWICE.

You're welcome.

Unfortunately when we tried to "save" Iraq, we went in for totally bogus and manufactured reasons and history may paint us as the bad guy, especially since our invasions into that country has been the single biggest factor in making ISIS what it is in all its brutality. We could have left a dictator to his own resources but now it just may end up being several potential dictators the world may have to face in that region. It's as if the region was a sleeping tiger and hit it with a fly swatter to wake it up.

America may still remain a destination for entrepreneurship and success but I know we have certainly lost a lot of credibility with our foreign policy decisions of several of the last presidents including this one.

 

[grandM]

You're welcome.

Unfortunately when we tried to "save" Iraq, we went in for totally bogus and manufactured reasons and history may paint us as the bad guy, especially since our invasions into that country has been the single biggest factor in making ISIS what it is in all its brutality. We could have left a dictator to his own resources but now it just may end up being several potential dictators the world may have to face in that region. It's as if the region was a sleeping tiger and hit it with a fly swatter to wake it up.

America may still remain a destination for entrepreneurship and success but I know we have certainly lost a lot of credibility with our foreign policy decisions of several of the last presidents including this one.

Well the USA are always criticized for their interventions. Let me put it this way: Europe ought to thank you. Europe keeps telling what should have been done. But let's face it: the USA are the only country willing to put in the dollars and soldiers/body bags for a cause not theirs. And indeed, not all interventions were thought through but some were.

So I do not agree with the continuing criticism on the States. If it hadn't been for the States Europe'd be speaking German. Some other dictator would already have developed the A-bomb and so on. The States have built up an enormous debt trying to save the world. Granted sometimes they did a bad job, but everyone makes mistakes. By the way: Europe shouldn't dictate about war faring, we did PLENTY.

 

[bruinsrme]

It was said as a joke. I hope you're not seriously considering marrying someone just for the citizenship.

Well there are female sailors now

 

[63dot]

Well the USA are always criticized for their interventions. Let me put it this way: Europe ought to thank you. Europe keeps telling what should have been done. But let's face it: the USA are the only country willing to put in the dollars and soldiers/body bags for a cause not theirs. And indeed, not all interventions were thought trough but some were.

So I do not agree with the continuing criticism on the States. If it hadn't been for the States Europe'd be speaking German. Some other dictator would already have developed the A-bomb and so on. The States have built up an enormous debt trying to save the world. Granted sometimes they did a bad job, but everyone makes mistakes. By the way: Europe shouldn't dictate about war faring, we did PLENTY.

I think over our more than 200 year history, we look very good but people mostly remember the most recent stuff and George W Bush and Barack Obama are not names too popular in the world and certainly not in America. The lowest presidential approval ratings I have seen in my voting lifetime belong to those two guys. It's almost as if whoever is elected next, regardless of party, could only go up in approval ratings. I hope this bottoming out of trust in presidents/Congress (and state governors) does not affect our economy.