Does your Chinese wife have a job in USA?

[amanda1969]

I know no matter what job your wife had in China, after she moves to USA, job hunting could be very different from in China. I would like to know your Chinese wife's story about her job. How many jobs has she had in USA? How to get? Does she like the job?

 

 

 

Amanda from China

[tonado]

My wife had several part-time jobs as cashier/sale associate at retail stores. The best time to apply for these jobs is in November and December (holiday season). She prefers not working but she needs spending money for herself. With these jobs, she can quit anytime when leaving for long China visits.

[Dennis143]

I know no matter what job your wife had in China, after she moves to USA, job hunting could be very different from in China. I would like to know your Chinese wife's story about her job. How many jobs has she had in USA? How to get? Does she like the job?

 

 

 

Amanda from China

If your English skills are fair to good, you will have quite an advantage over most women who arrive here not speaking English.

 

As for my wife, without English, she was stuck in a lot of menial jobs working for crooked Chinese bosses who exploited her the same as those here illegally.

[Randy W]

My wife won't take a job where she has to speak English. Even in a Chinese/Vietnamese business, English would be the common language.

 

She hasn't liked the restaurants, either. So she's worked as a cashier at a couple of different grocery stores. The one she's at now pays everybody minimum wage, but she thinks they may go out of business (her paycheck bounced last week). A new store is opening this fall that she has a connection to.

 

But I think every job she's come across is fully above board, including one at a drumstick factory, and one at a PC board test facility.

[Guest Mike and Lily]

My wife was a student in China and she's a student here. She wants to get here degree in engineering here and get a very nice job.

[credzba]

My wife worries and worries about finding a job quickly.

We don't need the money (though more is always good), but I too would like to hear some ideas of what the best way to job hunt is.

 

My idea was to get her a good resume professionally prepared.

Look on monster or some of the other web based job site.

Look in local news papers.

 

I don't know .. anyone else can contribute ideas that work well ?

[jim_julian]

Lao Po does not have a job ... and this is partly my doing. I don't want her to take a job "below" what she did in China where she owned a good size restaurant. Her language skills now would doom her to a lower position even though she is sharp as a tack.

 

I'm not sure how this will resolve over the next few years. I have convinced her that opening a restaurant in the US is a whole different ball game than her series of restaurants in Chongqing. It's not something I want to take on at this point in my life.

 

It's an interesting problem and I welocome any insights in this thread; thanks for starting it Amanda.

[david_dawei]

My wife entered the US with almost no english; I found her first job and make the contact; she found her second job by networking with chinese; her third job was the charm and she makes good money;

 

It's partly motivation/drive, partly connection, and partly luck; work them together in the required balance.

[credzba]

My wife entered the US with almost no english; I found her first job and make the contact; she found her second job by networking with chinese; her third job was the charm and she makes good money;

 

It's partly motivation/drive, partly connection, and partly luck; work them together in the required balance.

 

David, what kinds of jobs did she get.

One thing I'd like ideas on is what kind of jobs work out best.

 

I dream I can find a job that requires english and mandarin (my wife is good at english, and obviously excellent at mandarin).

She was a production planner in China, so I think any planning type of work she could do.

 

But I know she will accept any job, so I worry like Jim said that she will take a lower job.

 

What jobs have people found that their wives liked ?

[Guest WenDylan]

I know no matter what job your wife had in China, after she moves to USA, job hunting could be very different from in China. I would like to know your Chinese wife's story about her job. How many jobs has she had in USA? How to get? Does she like the job?

 

 

 

Amanda from China

Have you filed for your visa yet?

 

What job are you interested in here?

 

That is the question. If you have an idea of what you would like to do, it is easier to prepare now, and to know what are the requirements so that when the time comes that you can work, employers will seek you out over other applicants.

[david_dawei]

I think this topic is a difficult one since I'm aware of the difficulty it is for most SOs to find work in the first place... without even considering whether they like it or not; Is it up to their standard and worth? Is it beneath them to do it? Do they have the english in the first place?

 

Over the years, I see a few issues; some come from the SO and some come for the USC who tries to control or dictate what the SO should or shouldn't do. I don't care how much money you have to offer to your SO to be comfortable, if she wants to work I would suggest you realize this goes much deeper than just a desire but can include a cultural ingrained feeling of responsibility to participate in a normal part of life. People work; that's life.

 

I do think this is one of the biggest challenges since her ability to stay busy or sit at home may affect her emotionally and mentally. Alot depends on her makeup, her motivation and her maturity (let's call that the 3 M's just for grins).

 

For those well educated and with good english, this may come easier and for the rest of us it comes with alot of trial and error. One has to work with what they have; which means you have to measure up your SO and the area you live in. If your trying to get her a job only in the american sector then I think it's also more challenging and will require more work. If you are able to make some chinese connections that will give more more opportunities which may not be best for you (or her) but may be a start.

 

It's such a personal issue because there are personal factors at play (the 3 M's after all). Some have posted on CFL how the USC will not help at all; let her walk the front line alone. I took a very active part and found her first job and found her the chinese connections in South Florida, even though we just moved here and I didn't know any.. but I knew there must be a way to find them... and we did.

 

My wife's jobs will not necessarily work for another; what works is how you can judge her makeup (her abilities), her motivation (her drive) and her maturity (her resolve)... and what you can do for her.

 

I'm inclined to find a balance between what she wants to do (she's an adult who survived a culture we could not) and what you can help with without controlling her. But where you live will be a factor that cannot be changed much.

 

I started with: What is my wife's strengths? First off... she speaks chinese (and not english)... so I looked online and in papers for anything asking for chinese speakers; even found nanny jobs in NY paying alot of money!! But we left the north for a reason...

 

Finally found a job telemarketing to chinese; a phone company wanted to reach out to chinese... she had done this before in china... well, most any day is a telemarketing day in china anyways.

 

Next: What skill does she have? She had background in medical related stuff.. so we heard from someone to check out acupuncture doctors.. did that; by pure luck we called the wrong place and she got a job (that's the luck factor; just do something).

 

Next: how does the previous work extend her capabilities? She now learned more english (although first two jobs were alot of chinese speaking) but she has learned more about a field within the US and how business and clients operate.

 

She currently works as a massage therapist; got her national and state license (tests were in english... of course... studied for them at a chinese run school... duh)... has a facial license as well...

 

She is currently trying to open her own business. We've looked at locations from Miami to Orlando for a year... If she wants to do it she can do it; I'm not stopping her.

 

How is her english? Quite good considering how little ESL she ever went to. She realized she can learn english and get paid at a job.

 

How is her motivation? Full steam ahead, regardless of obstacles, although much depended on me in the beginning she has the connections she needs to make things happen.

 

Does this necessarily work for another? No... there are alot of factors which are about the two of you which determine what the outcome is.

[NewDay2006]

I guess we will all have obstacles when our wives try to find jobs here.

 

My wife's English is pretty good, but transportation will be the problem.

 

She doesn't drive at the moment, She said she will take lessons before she comes, that will be good.But even then she won't have a car right anytime soon.

 

I work a part-time job officating youth sports games, so my evenings and saturdays will be busy starting in a month or so.

 

Public transportation is not close, at least a mile or 2 away... Abike is not an option, the cars go too fast and not many sidewalks.

 

I guess no one said this would be easy.

[izus]

my wife taught english and japanese in china so she teaches chinese and japanese here in the states. she started out with tutoring privately and now shes teaching at a private school.

[JingJoseph]

my wife taught english and japanese in china so she teaches chinese and japanese here in the states. she started out with tutoring privately and now shes teaching at a private school.

 

My wife has no ssn yet but the other day we went to the

dry cleaners. A family from south korea owns it.

They found out wife is chinese, now she is teaching

the kids and adults how to read, write and sing songs

in chinese. Seems to be more demand for that than we

both knew. Its not what she did in china but she loves

it. These people treat her like a queen.

Edited July 22, 2008 by JingJoseph (see edit history)

[C4Racer]

My wife received some very good advice from her grandmother. She lived with her grandmother in Nanning while going to school. The advise was, "learn massage" and you'll have a job no matter where you go in the world.

 

So my wife went to three years training at a Medical University in Nanning. She then worked for the university, clinincs and hospitals in Guangzhou. Later when she moved back to Nanning after divorce, she got her beauty licenses. She worked in Nanning doing facials.

 

After she came to the US, she started out going to ESL classes. Then she went to beauty school. She got her Nail and Esthetician (facial) licenses. She fist rented a station, but just couldn't get it off the ground. The economy being what it is, she decide to go to work for a Vietnamese salon. She has been working for the salon for about 8 months. Now the owners are interested in selling. We are talking with them about the possiblity of buying.

 

I am not sure if this will work out or not. The asking price seems a little high to me, but then it is in a good area. The salon seems to remain quite busy, except it does slow down in the winter. If it works, then she will be a salon owner soon. If not then she will go back to school and get her massage license. The she will basically have come full circle. Meaning she will have all of the licenses she had in China, with all of the possible opportunities. Her goal is to own her own business.

Edited July 22, 2008 by C4Racer (see edit history)