SO's work opportunities in the US

[bill23]

I have been curious as to how difficult it is for SO's coming to the US and getting decent job's here. My SO is on her way to becoming a physician in China. I know that may be a pipe dream here and she also has English to overcome. She is young and a hard worker. I have no idea what is realistic for her as far as a career path. She seems to just like the idea of getting a job and contributing. I would like to assist her in learning a skill so she can

find a career instead of just having a job.

 

This is ultimately up to her but I hope she finds something that she can feel valuable. Any advice on this?

[tonado]

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3632&hl=

[david_dawei]

oops.. posted some comments in your other thread on this...

 

We've been looking into the same thing.. my SO has medical experience background in china.. although not on a strictly licensing level. This makes almost all of her past experience non-transferrable to the US, except to chinese offices here. She has been offered many jobs here, and has worked in a few chinese doctor offices here in the US. So far, every office she's talked to did not want any resume and in some cases they were not even advertising a position. She called, they chatted and it ended with a job offer. Done.

 

But, looking back, we wish there was something we had taken care of while she was in china. It's not easy sorting out and seems to differ by state requirement in some cases... so you have to do some research. One silly issue we are hearing is that it is easier to transfer being an acupuncturist in china than it is if you were say a licensed massage therapist. the former past training can be transferred; the latter still requires you to take a tough exam IN ENGLISH covering the entire body, trigger points, etc... If you cannot produce a massage license, you must do the schooling at a tune of almost $10K and 8 months on top of it... Easier to go back to china.. get the license.. then you can usually skip the required school... just need the test IN ENGLISH...

 

If she wants to chat with my wife.. let me know... but you guys should talk more...but it's hard for her to see a direction from that side of the world without knowing the barriers on this side...

[bill23]

David,

 

She will not discuss this much with me right now. All I know is that she wants to work and contribute. It was my plan to have her tutored English or go to school for a good while when she got here. Lately I think she has been on the internet finding out more information about life here.

 

My SO is actually a medical doctor but I am not sure she has a license on anything in particular. She is working in some sort of research now since the end of last year. I imagine that she would like to talk to your wife but now I cannot get much out of her as far as what she wants to do.

 

I think she wants to work, learn English, and have children all at the same time. I thought we had a plan on her studying English full time for a while but she mentioned getting a job and learning English at the same time. Who knows--all of this will have to work itself out when she gets here. I have learned to get ignored when discussing a career.

[Carl]

When Ying first got here she was somewhat inteested in getting a job, but she was not seriously looking. After a somewhat bitter argument one night we both went to bed mad. She was angry because she was bored at being home all alone all day and I was hurt beause she thought I did not care. When I came home from work I suggested she do volunteer work at the VA hospital I work at. It would give her something to do and would give her a chance to interact with others. She did, had a great time and made new friends.

 

After a month she told me she wanted to look for a real job. She put out some applications at various businesses in the area including the local Walmart. Of course it helped that my mother currently works there, I have worked there so they knew me and the references from the volunteer services from the VA hospital and the people she worked with were absolutely glowing, that she got a call within 24 hours of putting in her application.

 

She started at $6.70 an hour and immeadiately made such an impression on the store management that when her 120 day trial period was over, instead of the normal raise of @ $0.50, she got instead a $1.30 raise.

 

All I can say is keep your options open.

[ptcrusier333rph]

There a outfit in america that will check your SO college background and show if it acreddit or not. Missouri Education dept gave me several address that i send her transcript to plus a fee and wait to see if her college eduction in teaching quilifies her to be a teacher in Missouri.

 

Also talk to the local college and they may allow her 3 year of college to equal 60 credit hours of general education so she could substitute teach.

 

I figure there has to be other like that for medical, I know of a doctor here that from tawian and another from india both got degree from their own countries.

[jbray]

I actually posted a similar question a few months ago... We kept looking and sending resumes out. A friend of mine here at work was on the board of a school. he got her a volunteer position at the school. Here English was already pretty good, but volunteering allowed her to get out of the house, learn more English, meet people, learn American working culture, and build work experience. And, after a month the school offered her a full time position.

 

So, if possible, I recommend finding a place to volunteer.

[BillV 8-16-2004]

I actually posted a similar question a few months ago... We kept looking and sending resumes out. A friend of mine here at work was on the board of a school. he got her a volunteer position at the school. Here English was already pretty good, but volunteering allowed her to get out of the house, learn more English, meet people, learn American working culture, and build work experience. And, after a month the school offered her a full time position.

 

So, if possible, I recommend finding a place to volunteer.

234042[/snapback]

My wife worked at an Import/Export Food Company and had a couple of restaurants in China. After she got acclimated a little she attended ESL class for two months. I checked out craiglist.com and saw an advertisement for work at a private college needing kitchen help I took my wife to the interview and a couple of days later they offered her the job originally as part time. After one week they saw how proficient she was in food preparation and made her full time they started her out at $9.00 hour. She is able to walk to work since it is within 10 minutes which she likes, her English is improving much better than when attending ESL class, and most importantly she is able to send money home to help her family which has given her so much satisfaction and happiness.

[bill23]

There a outfit in america that will check your SO college background and show if it acreddit or not. Missouri Education dept gave me several address that i send her transcript to plus a fee and wait to see if her college eduction in teaching quilifies her to be a teacher in Missouri.

 

Also talk to the local college and they may allow her 3 year of college to equal 60 credit hours of general education so she could substitute teach.

 

I figure there has to be other like that for medical, I know of a doctor here that from tawian and another from india both got degree from their own countries.

234010[/snapback]

PT,

 

I did not know that. I will check into that when she is here.