Chinese ladies immigrating to the US, how to restart your career?

[tsap seui]

This question has always been on my mind.

I met so many Chinese women who held professional jobs in China, who were well educated and spoke good English, couldn't find equivalent jobs in the US.

 

Why? You have to tell me your reason.

For me, I didn't have the confidence.

I had trouble understand fast American English; I had trouble communicating to American,

How would I work in a local company that requires communication?

That was my greatest doubt for myself.

 

 

So how do we picked up our confidence again?

Is there a pathway for Chinese ladies to adjust, learn and prepare themselves for a professional job in the US?

 

That was also my question?

I like to hear your thoughts too

- what do you do, when you lost all your confidence?

- what do you do, when you became a completely foreigner in a strange country?

 

 

I started a quest to find that pathway for Chinese women.

I would like to share my findings along the way. Everyone, please chime in.

 

 

 

Have you tried a Immigrant Job Replacement Agency?

1. They match entry level jobs for all immigrants coming from different countries.

2. You need a green card, and driver license.

3. Their career consultant might speaks English. These consultant were once immigrants themselves.

4. Are you willing to lower your expectations? Say work in a Casio for $12 per hour?

5. They also offer training for small business owners. A lot of their women business owners do trading with their home countries.

 

 

I went to one in Philadelphia and interviewed them.

Here's the details :

 

English Version:

http://en.youmayus.org/NewsShow.asp?id=400

 

Chinese version:

http://www.youmayus.org/NewsShow.asp?id=384

Joecy, my heart goes out to you and your work to help other Chinese women, and it goes out to any Chinese woman who comes to America with an education they worked hard for in CHina, and find it is practically worthless....unless they go to more school and get American credentials.

 

We were still on the plane at the airport, rolling up to the gate and Wenyan asked me when she could start looking for work. I told her, "let's let the plane get to the gate, go through customs and what not and then we'll start looking. Wenyan had spent 4 years studying to be a physicians assistant, graduated at the top of her class....and it was completely worthless in America, unless she wanted to attend an American university for a bunch of more years.

 

.Her first month here, in August 2011, we put in 4 applications for "starter" types of jobs.....we're still waiting to hear from the employers.

 

I really agonized over bringing Wenyan to American, taking her totally out of her element and into a whole new life with a young son who would soon be ready to attend university. I spent many sleepless nights worrying about if I was doing the right thing for them both....if I should have a heart attack or something happened to me before I could get her on her feet. My worst fear was something happened to me and she and Fengqi would have to run back to China....darn near ruining both of their lives. So, in January 2012 I bought her 3 houses with 6 apartments on 2 1/2 acres of ground that was approved for 2 more homes , or a row of townhouses to be built on it. I put it all into her name and she formed a company called CM Solutions (Chairman Mao Solutions) and after much construction work, from both of us we got those run down apartments into better than new condition and quickly got all 6 of the apartments filled with tenants. A short while later I got the permits, hired some Mennonite builders to erect a row of 8 townhouses for CM Solutions and she rented those out too.

 

Wenyan had never held a paint brush in her hands or done any sort of manual labor but she painted every apartment she has....and did a much better job than any American male I ever hired when I was in the business of flipping houses (buying junk home homes, renovating and putting additions on them, and quickly putting them right back on the market).

 

The little rabbit, Wenyan is really good with talking to tenants. If a problem comes up she sweet talks with them, and rules with an iron fist when she needs to. I taught her how to run the books, pay the bills, and how to hire and fire tenants. It didn't take much in way of teaching her how to paint, do the book work, or talk to tenants...the girl is a natural business woman...and I would be hesitant to be on the wrong end of her.....LOL....that sweet exterior she shows tenants has a raging tigress lurking just beneath the surface. And she doesn't tolerate fools trying to say "I didn't understand you"....it is all in writing bozo, and everything has your signature on it.

 

I can sleep happily now, knowing they both will be okay and self supporting should I run off to meet Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix...so to speak. We did sell off the townhouses for a nice profit to a small consortium of doctors and a lawyer who may have had more money to burn than I would have paid for apartments,but she banked the money in CM Solutions and we keep our eye out for good deals on property of various sorts. Six tenants is enough...Fourteen.....oh God, that is way too much like work. She has her eye on a property that is coming up for sheriff's sale this Thursday. The bank will take it, I will call the local realtors and see who gets it to sale for the bank, then she can put in a quick offer on it. With the property she has now we have plans to put up 8 storage sheds in an out of the way corner so she can add to her monthly income. Again, being selfish and loving to sleep well at night I have tried to do everything I could to make her be self sufficient. The last thing I want to do if I had a few minutes before my death is to go out worrying about my little rabbit and son.

 

With all of that said, we still have the problem of LITTLE RABBIT BEING BUSY. She goes crazy being at home with nothing to do. She is a worker bee and desperately needs to have a working job. Not so much for the money, but to have something to do. So, she is going to open the door on a foot massage business in two weeks.

 

It seems that massage of some sort, working for other Chinese bosses in restaurants or their massage businesses is the easiest way of finding a job in America. So many Chinese women that Wenyan has met all fall into those categories. It is sad to see, especially for the women that spent the time and effort and money to get nice degrees in China. I wish I had something better to tell you. My wife's English would never allow her to do more study in America. We have been blessed to be able to do what we have done so far.

 

You and the other highly intelligent Chinese ladies who post on Candle have very good English skills, I wish you all the best of luck, and I wish you well with your great work on helping other Chinese women who come to America. You all deserve the best in life. That is one huge step you ladies have taken by giving up your lives in China and practically having to completely start over here in a new country.

 

Ronny

[Joecy]

Tackle the big challenges and learn from your mistakes in interviews. I just never knew that woman to get very, if any, set back from not landing a job. She just set out for the next one. She may have felt a little blue every time she didn't win, but that lasted just an hour or two, Her aim was always for the job she wanted, and the pay she expected, which was high. She had no doubt about her worth in a particular job. Incredible in many ways, watching it unfold in front of me.

Thank you for the encouraging words, Doug!

 

I guess women who has high confidence and not very sensitive to what the other think , will do really well in the US.

[Joecy]

 

I spent many sleepless nights worrying about if I was doing the right thing for them both....if I should have a heart attack or something happened to me before I could get her on her feet. My worst fear was something happened to me and she and Fengqi would have to run back to China....darn near ruining both of their lives. So, in January 2012 I bought her 3 houses with 6 apartments on 2 1/2 acres of ground that was approved for 2 more homes , or a row of townhouses to be built on it. I put it all into her name ...

 

.....

 

It seems that massage of some sort, working for other Chinese bosses in restaurants or their massage businesses is the easiest way of finding a job in America. So many Chinese women that Wenyan has met all fall into those categories. It is sad to see, especially for the women that spent the time and effort and money to get nice degrees in China. I wish I had something better to tell you. My wife's English would never allow her to do more study in America. We have been blessed to be able to do what we have done so far.

 

You and the other highly intelligent Chinese ladies who post on Candle have very good English skills, I wish you all the best of luck, and I wish you well with your great work on helping other Chinese women who come to America. You all deserve the best in life. That is one huge step you ladies have taken by giving up your lives in China and practically having to completely start over here in a new country.

 

Ronny

 

Ronny, thank you for sharing this, I'm very touched how you help Wenyan standing on her feet again -- Managing the tenants, the houses, now setting up a business... you help her grow into a confident entrepreneur in the US! She's very lucky to have you.

 

I know starting a small business is probably in the blood of every Chinese women.

We should share more resource around that topic too, such as get loan, funding...

[Doug]

 

Tackle the big challenges and learn from your mistakes in interviews. I just never knew that woman to get very, if any, set back from not landing a job. She just set out for the next one. She may have felt a little blue every time she didn't win, but that lasted just an hour or two, Her aim was always for the job she wanted, and the pay she expected, which was high. She had no doubt about her worth in a particular job. Incredible in many ways, watching it unfold in front of me.

Thank you for the encouraging words, Doug!

 

I guess women who has high confidence and not very sensitive to what the other think , will do really well in the US.

 

Well think about it. What makes people attractive? Think of the very pretty people who are not attractive, and then think of the not so pretty who are. Confidence mingled with some kind of honesty and goodness is what people like. My gosh poor Cindy Lauper, she is definitely not my type to look at, but I like her.

[tsap seui]

 

 

I spent many sleepless nights worrying about if I was doing the right thing for them both....if I should have a heart attack or something happened to me before I could get her on her feet. My worst fear was something happened to me and she and Fengqi would have to run back to China....darn near ruining both of their lives. So, in January 2012 I bought her 3 houses with 6 apartments on 2 1/2 acres of ground that was approved for 2 more homes , or a row of townhouses to be built on it. I put it all into her name ...

 

.....

 

It seems that massage of some sort, working for other Chinese bosses in restaurants or their massage businesses is the easiest way of finding a job in America. So many Chinese women that Wenyan has met all fall into those categories. It is sad to see, especially for the women that spent the time and effort and money to get nice degrees in China. I wish I had something better to tell you. My wife's English would never allow her to do more study in America. We have been blessed to be able to do what we have done so far.

 

You and the other highly intelligent Chinese ladies who post on Candle have very good English skills, I wish you all the best of luck, and I wish you well with your great work on helping other Chinese women who come to America. You all deserve the best in life. That is one huge step you ladies have taken by giving up your lives in China and practically having to completely start over here in a new country.

 

Ronny

 

Ronny, thank you for sharing this, I'm very touched how you help Wenyan standing on her feet again -- Managing the tenants, the houses, now setting up a business... you help her grow into a confident entrepreneur in the US! She's very lucky to have you.

 

I know starting a small business is probably in the blood of every Chinese women.

We should share more resource around that topic too, such as get loan, funding...

 

Thank you, Joecy. I thought, and agonized long and hard about bringing a Chinese woman and her son to America. Was I doing the right thing for her and her son by taking them out of their element and everything they knew? Love is one thing, but it doesn't pay any bills, keep a person busy, or give them financial freedom/confidence/independence, or that special feeling (personal satisfaction) a person gets from a job well done. Wenyan, like most Chinese women hit the tarmac at the airport LOOKING for a job.

 

I am pretty healthy but I have had open heart surgery, I strongly felt I needed to get Wenyan QUICKLY set up where she would be fairly independent should I pass away unexpectedly. It would be a nightmare should Wenyan and Fengqi be left helpless and hopeless in America should I not be here to help them. We were lucky to find the first apartments at a dirt cheap price. Yes, four of the apartments weren't even rentable at the time of purchase but, again, we were lucky that I had been a home renovator/builder. One contractor friend told me I had saved at least $70,000 by being my own plumber, electrician, and carpenter. It was all a very happy labor of love for me as I taught Wenyan different things and worked along beside her as we renovated those four apartments into like new condition....at the same time working with the knowledge that each day I was more close to helping Wenyan become financially independent.

 

Okay, I made that goal come true, but while that is nice and all, Wenyan needs to be busy....she has studied tirelessly to learn foot, finger, and face massage. I can't wait for her first day in her own business (or second business).

 

I think everyone has thoughts of entrepreneurship, in particular Chinese women and men. Many dream of their own business but only some folks take that chance or shot at it. I know I never had real happiness working for others, no matter how good the money was on some jobs. Working in a traveling and busy nightclub band gave me a good taste of working for myself, but it also had other "bosses", bosses who worked as a team for the common goal, but bosses who could quit at any time. It was only when I started my own business that I found REAL happiness. I see that Wenyan needs to be busy, and to gain that feeling of accomplishment that all of us seek in our working lives. It is a great feeling to help her reach this goal

 

I used to travel all around the US, New Zealand, and Australia teaching two day certification classes in the carpet and upholstery cleaning field. I had to teach the test but I also taught the classes about running their businesses, often giving class a third day were I could get deeper into running a business successfully. I found some many really wanted and needed that "coach" or "motivator" aspect for their business as you could be the best carpet cleaner in the world and still not make any real money with your business. Entrepreneurship is much more than just being a good technician. There are so many things that many people don't even see that are what sets one's business apart from the herd, and makes them REALLY successful.

 

Oh well, I could run my mouth here for hours about being an entrepreneur...LOL...it was a passion of mine for many years. I loved showing others the "hidden" things that are what makes the difference with a person building a "real" and very successful business, instead, of just having a "job" with their name on the business....LOL There is one HUGE difference in those two things.As was taught to me long ago, "many folks thing they have their own business, in reality, they just have a job....the potential to have a true business, but in the end, it is only another job".

 

I am highly respectful of anyone, Chinese women in particular, who have the drive and spirit to become entrepreneurs. You ladies have given up everything you knew in China and stepped into an almost alien world. I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors. One big thing for you ladies is, from your arrival in America "you are driven". Driven much more so than many Americans. I appreciate the whys of this and respect the hard work you are willing to invest. No resting on your laurels,or expecting anything to be "given" to you.

 

As far as business loans.....oh brother...yes, they advertise business loans to help folks get started....I heard one the other day on the radio, at the end it stated...."for businesses that have been in business for two years and have an income stream $20,000 per month." Yeah right.....LOL That is to "grow" your business, not start it. One advantage you ladies have for business loan help, especially from governmental programs is....you are minority owned, to include being female. You get to go to the top of priority as far as getting any sort of loan.

 

Good luck. Find your niche in whatever business you seek, work it with a true passion, and always keep your eyes open to improve your business....set it apart from the herd. NO matter that some try to make it, or look at it, like the land of the handout, it is still America, the land of opportunity. For those willing to work for it. Mick's wife is a great example of one Chinese woman who is willing to work for it, there are many many more examples.

 

Ronny

Edited February 14, 2015 by tsap seui (see edit history)