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Starting Work In Usa

Discussion in 'General Discussions - USA & Canada' started by papapandu, Aug 13, 2016.

  1. KashmirFlower

    KashmirFlower IL Hall of Fame

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    Volunteering means no pay. People do that to get experience and some do few hours per week, along with their main paying job, just to help a non profit org.
     
  2. papapandu

    papapandu New IL'ite

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    Thanks for explaining the meaning of volunteering. Volunteering also means working for no pay without having any job. One can also volunteer for A-Profit organisation to gain experience. To showcase in your resume the wide range of interests you have. Although it can also mean to give back to society, its not always altruistic.

    When I wrote what I wrote, I meant I have volunteered and worked for HR block.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2016
  3. papapandu

    papapandu New IL'ite

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    I have worked in a responsible position supervising a team of 15. I understand Corporate culture and its demands. I also understand that long hours, travel, intense and competitive working environment are a given in certain industries. Finance and Accounting being one of them. That's the reason I wrote this post to get alternate viewpoints else the first option would be moot.

    Working in a job and having a challenging career are two different paths. I see many many men and women (as I have seen in my previous role) who are in the first category and who still are working. I do not see why I cannot be one of them.

    In case you are not aware, CA is an academic and practical intense course which requires solid hard work and some more to merely pass. I am also aware that freshers need to put in more hours just to learn the ropes. I did the same thing when I started my career. And when I changed jobs. Many times.

    Having said that, a lot of men and women like to pretend that they are working very hard just because they log in many hours. And hold other people to the same standard without questioning productivity. And like to insinuate that the people who do not log in those hours are perhaps not hard-working enough or not motivated enough or whatever they want to fill up their judgemental stories with. Similar to the judgemental MILs we hear about.

    I haven't also stated in my post the need for flex hours. I said 8 hours. I would obviously put in additional time in the night to learn. Also I haven't ignored any suggestions. The post recommending teller job had inaccurate information. Nothing in that post suggested that my post was read or understood. Can you please point to what suggestions I ignored?

    Thanks for your suggestion regarding tutoring centre. I had not considered it.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2016
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  4. papapandu

    papapandu New IL'ite

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    Thanks for sharing the experience of your friend. I will explore this area. Can you share what kind of tutoring center? Is it like Kumon targeting young children or the AoPS/Huntington variety targeting middle/high schoolers or those helping students with exams like GRE/SAT/GMAT?
     
  5. papapandu

    papapandu New IL'ite

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    I thank you very much for posting a detailed and useful answer. I appreciate it very much. I was also not aware of the course you mentioned. Your post gives a road-map not just for me, but for anyone who wants to pursue technical writing as a career.

    I am especially thankful to you for writing in without being needlessly judgemental, snubbing or rude which is so typical when someone asks for advice. Your post means a lot more to me than the technical writing advice you have given.
     
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  6. aspha

    aspha Gold IL'ite

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    Glad I was helpful!
     
  7. Rajkum846

    Rajkum846 Platinum IL'ite

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    My suggestion was based on someone I have seen (wife of a friend) with your background. B.Com, CA from India. Came to US due to marriage, had a few years break due to kids etc. Got EAD as dependent for hubby (L1 dependent). Started as teller. Moved to be a banker in an year. Moved as a BA for the IT Org of the same bank next year. I clearly suggested to 'start' as teller, not that it has to be your destination. Wondering what inaccurate info I gave you :)

    oh by the way - she is now making close to 100k as the bank considered her total experience in the bank, starting from her teller days as 'associate' experience, while determining her pay package.
     
  8. blessings1010

    blessings1010 Gold IL'ite

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    @aspha.. I must say your humble attitude and willingness to learn along with your skills and experience is helping you. Keep at it girl!
    Your signature line " Stay hungry, stay foolish" says it all. There is no stopping to learn new skills with that attitude.
     
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  9. Lady1

    Lady1 Silver IL'ite

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    Dear Papanadu,
    I have lived, attended college to get my masters' degree and worked in Pvt. Industry and with the U.S. Govt. for thirty years and now I am retired..
    I have raised two children one of whom my son, is an entrepreneur and the other, my daughter is a physician. My husband is a senior scientist and is still working full time.
    I came to the USA when I was just turning 20, and married and received my Indian baccalaureate degree with honors in the mail because we moved before my graduation ceremony.
    So, I think I can offer you some helpful tips on your query:

    Working in the USA is easy and fruitful once you understand some basics.
    Pros to build on:
    1. You have a visa that permits you to work here.
    2. You have college-level education in a useful field viz: accounting.
    3. Tax, budgeting, contractual agreements, real-estate and general office work can all use a worker with book-keeping skills, basic or advanced.
    4. You need to build up your three essential bases:

    a. Professional-work EXPERIENCE base
    b. Sound FINANCIALS base, built with acceptable earnings record from reputable organization(s).
    And,
    c. Strengthen FAMILY/COMMUNITY/SOCIAL base (WORK-FAMILYlife balance)

    Steps I would take myself and therefore recommend:
    First and foremost, learn to think of yourself in terms of an 'INTERNATIONAL' citizen NOT as an INDIAN in AMERICA. This basic self perception will help you move about smoothly with comfort in any circle, without unnecessary awkwardness.
    Now, an important 'inter-cultural' insight: Just because you train yourself to acclimate quickly to a foreign environment in your mindset with tolerance, doesn't mean the person you interact will have the same level of enlightenment.
    The key to handling any uncomfortable cultural comeback is to 'educate' in an amicable manner, the person who makes any off-color remark, after identifying their specific gap in understanding and then cool-ly move on....keeping your career-goals central in mind.

    1. Locate a couple of businesses located close to your house which deal with tax-preparation or other accounting type work. Every company's profile is available to filter out unknowns.
    Or, move your residence close to such an area (commercial district or industrial park); suburban life can wait.

    2. After you have two good companies selected, do obtain their job application forms but first do the following:
    a. Locate a person who works there already in a position you would someday want to occupy and ask if you may shadow them for two working days to gain perspective. Most executives will permit happily as long as you do not get in their way during their working hours but truly just 'observe' to learn what it is really like to work in that position and what knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) it entails.

    3. Also request to meet over lunch and while at work someone who would be a peer, or already has the type job you intend to apply for. Again there are people who will be comfortable allowing you to observe to learn IF you do just that. AND, do learn-nothing tells you how anything is until you are actually IN it, much like driving to a place yourself. They are your GPS.

    Now you will be more aware of the true expectations of a vacancy-position when you sit down to fill up that application and will be in a better position to present your own qualifications in those terms. Use the same phrases the vacancy announcement uses in describing your qualifications and experience without plagiarizing verbatim.

    The cover-letter is the most important part of your job application and should courteously introduce your 'professional' self to your prospective employer in the most succinct and effective manner. Good samples abound on the Internet.

    If you try for three well-chosen jobs, you may be successful in getting the interview call for one.

    So, first try with the qualifications you already have. No need to go rack up more expenses in further education/training. Many times your first job will have the resources you need in this in the form of orientation and training by someone experienced in it as well as your supervisor who will help you tailor your output to the company's specifications. Treat these people from day one as your professional 'friends' and essential guides.

    In the U.S. Work culture, unnecessary formalities are not valued such as addressing everyone as 'sir' or 'madam.' What is valued is your work-performance and your inter-personal skills where you know how to play team (Together Everyone Achieves More). So, if you show that you are vested in your company's progress in what you have offered to do and see to it that your performance improves constantly to 'above and beyond,' you will succeed. This is because in doing so, you start building 'trust,' based on which your supervisor/trainer will recommend you when you will need it in future. So, remember that you are building the steps of your career that you will be climbing as time goes by...and pay good attention to doing that well. That's what counts here in the U.S.

    Do the following things at the same time:
    1. Look up the USAJOBS website and build an online resume in it.
    Look up the equivalent of India's Civil Service System, U.S. OPM (U.S. Office Of Personnel Management) job categories and descriptions and a few vacancies to understand the types of jobs and what elements comprise them and what qualifications are sought...even if you are not a U.S. Citizen, yet.

    I would enroll in a Dale-Carnegie type course that will give you further insight into interpersonal relations so essential for success in the career and social worlds.
    On the family-front look up two more like minded young mothers with similar interest in career building and set up play-groups for your child. Every time, in exchange for giving your service once, you'll get two turns at receiving free trusted baby-sitting for catching up on hubby-time, housework, resting-recreation, studying Etc.
    Good Luck!
    Malathi
     
  10. blessings1010

    blessings1010 Gold IL'ite

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    Thank you for this awesome post @Lady1 . Though, I have not posted in this thread with any active suggestions to OP, your post satisfies my hunger to learn more to a great extent. It is jam packed with learning for people like me :worship2:. I would love to have a mentor like you one day.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2016
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