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Some advice about money in the USA for new immigrants

SusieQQQ said:
If you have a university degree you can get an equivalency done. A site like WES will give you a provisional equivalency for free through their online tool,but if you want a proper one you can use for employers you need to pay. The free online took is useful to check if it is worth paying for I guess in case it comes up as not recognised, or something.
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What??. Thats wonderful. COULD you help me with there site link or thier full name I look them up.
That is the best news I have had ever about LPR.
thx
 
kakjose said:
Hey Simon. Just wondering do our african papers really mean anything. Say from Uganda and you want to apply for a job. The otherthing. If I worked for a multinational like diageo do you think employee referrals could mean anything out there.
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Yes, but it also depends on the line of work. I am from Uganda and I used my KYU Telcom degree to land my first gig as an independent consultant for a multinational organization 3 months after moving. 4 months later, they offered me a full-time position. I got to learn later that I was the only one on the team who didn't have a post grad degree and I immediately went back to school. Anyhow, what I did is what has been suggested on here. I had my credentials evaluated before looking for Jobs. For fields like Medicine, you might have to go back to school in order to start practicing. Engineering; you probably can start working right away depending on the specialization. Computers i.e. software/hardware, you can start working right away. If I'm not mistaken Diageo has operations in the US, you can actually try requesting for an internal transfer within Diageo (that's if you are still an employee).
I've seen this work for someone (they were moving from Brazil to the US a while back).
 
xkyova said:
Yes, but it also depends on the line of work. I am from Uganda and I used my KYU Telcom degree to land my first gig as an independent consultant for a multinational organization 3 months after moving. 4 months later, they offered me a full-time position. I got to learn later that I was the only one on the team who didn't have a post grad degree and I immediately went back to school. Anyhow, what I did is what has been suggested on here. I had my credentials evaluated before looking for Jobs. For fields like Medicine, you might have to go back to school in order to start practicing. Engineering; you probably can start working right away depending on the specialization. Computers i.e. software/hardware, you can start working right away. If I'm not mistaken Diageo has operations in the US, you can actually try requesting for an internal transfer within Diageo (that's if you are still an employee).
I've seen this work for someone (they were moving from Brazil to the US a while back).
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Thx Xkyova, kind of like you i have a Bsc ELE, MUK, engineering.
Please send me a PM we can be intouch about the evaluation agencies,
Iasked about the transfer, but it seems there are no openings at the moment, i will have to look elsewhere if all goes well.
But thank you so much for that info, it really worries alot of people i guess knowing that you have to start from scratch go for further education which is very expensive out there not like these ends in Ug.
So thanks man, and continue the good work, congs about yo gig.
 
kakjose said:
Thx Xkyova, kind of like you i have a Bsc ELE, MUK, engineering.
Please send me a PM we can be intouch about the evaluation agencies,
Iasked about the transfer, but it seems there are no openings at the moment, i will have to look elsewhere if all goes well.
But thank you so much for that info, it really worries alot of people i guess knowing that you have to start from scratch go for further education which is very expensive out there not like these ends in Ug.
So thanks man, and continue the good work, congs about yo gig.
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I saw a friend emigrate to Ca. He had difficulties getting his Kenya Bsc. eng approved after equivalency. He went north to Washington where they approved his degree. Then he went back to ca and enrolled for masters.
His view-try get your first degree equated, find some work but GO BACK to class for masters.Its a competetetive market .
 
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usken go said:
I saw a friend emigrate to Ca. He had difficulties getting his Kenya Bsc. eng approved after equivalency. He went north to Washington where they approved his degree. Then he went back to ca and enrolled for masters.
His view-try get your first degree equated, find some work but GO BACK to class for masters.Its a competetetive market .
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Ca == California?? I live in San Diego, CA and I had my papers evaluated with ease. I even talked to a few UC professors and they believed my papers were equivalent to an American Bsc. EE. I used http://www.thedegreepeople.com for evaluating my documents. It was suggested by an enrollment advisor at one of the colleges I was trying to get in.
Nonetheless, I think going back to school boils down to your long term goals... Having an Engineering undergraduate degree is sufficient to get you a job - probably an entry level job - but in case you plan on progressing up the career ladder you'll definitely need a graduate level education. With EE you'll manage to find a job (full time) within the range $45k - $72k/year, give or take, but to get into the six figure, you'll need to upgrade, and get into a field that pays well.... So, all you need to go for an MS in EE or Computer Engineering, etc. (assuming you don't want to change your career) is a certified copy of your transcripts, the evaluation report, and a score of 3.0/4.0 == 3.75/5.0 on the Ug scale. That's it. Not quite sure if GRE is needed for engineering course (look into it).
On the contrary, in case you decide to go solo (independent contractor) you'll have the potential of making a lot more money. The downside is that it requires a bit of experience and you are not always assured of a paycheck.
 
johnnybanda said:
You go for training for one month for a fee of about USD700. Then afterwards, you are game. Just humble yourself
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I wasn't suggesting the job was beneath him or whatever, just that it doesn't make since to completely ignore a person's experience and expertise and go off work on something totally different just because it's a starting point... It's not much of a starting point if it's not going to help you get a better job in your field.

This isn't good advice for everyone, so there's not one "best way to start". It all depends on what's your personal situation.
 
Rute said:
I wasn't suggesting the job was beneath him or whatever, just that it doesn't make since to completely ignore a person's experience and expertise and go off work on something totally different just because it's a starting point... It's not much of a starting point if it's not going to help you get a better job in your field.

This isn't good advice for everyone, so there's not one "best way to start". It all depends on what's your personal situation.
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You are right. I was trying to help. I think we should try and do a small survey on how the guys who have gone on DV are doing and how they started. I feel that if you just arrive in US and compete for jobs with the people who are already established or already "broken in" into the system, you are at a disadvantage.
 
johnnybanda said:
Talk to some some guys from Africa just there. They must know this
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Whilst I am all for being realistic, I think you are actually taking a pretty negative view on this. Sure, we all expect to take one or two steps back compared to where we are in our careers in our home country, but that's not to say we need to start from zero or indeed changes careers completely.

In the end it will be about adapting to their culture and customs and selling yourself well in an interview - the latter part is what gets you the job regardless of what country/industry you are in.
 
EU2015 said:
Whilst I am all for being realistic, I think you are actually taking a pretty negative view on this. Sure, we all expect to take one or two steps back compared to where we are in our careers in our home country, but that's not to say we need to start from zero or indeed changes careers completely.

In the end it will be about adapting to their culture and customs and selling yourself well in an interview - the latter part is what gets you the job regardless of what country/industry you are in.
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I'm not so sure about this. Just heard tit bits from people. I think when you have bachelor, strive to get an American masters, which will take about 2 semesters then you are in. For you guys coming from Eu, most of your universities are recognized world wide so it may be easier to break thru
 
johnnybanda said:
I'm not so sure about this. Just heard tit bits from people. I think when you have bachelor, strive to get an American masters, which will take about 2 semesters then you are in. For you guys coming from Eu, most of your universities are recognized world wide so it may be easier to break thru
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You are probably right, being from Europe I cannot speak for other regions. It might very well be harder (but not impossible).

On a side note, I have no desire to get a masters (unless/until it is required to move up).
 
johnnybanda said:
This is called CNA. Certified Nursing Assistant. Looks it up and find a sch in yiur area
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johnnybanda said:
Talk to some some guys from Africa just there. They must know this
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Don't you think it's high time you stopped advising people on how to get a job or the line of work they should start with in the US since you haven't been through the process yourself? Not everyone is interested in starting life as a nursing assistant or even working along that line for that matter.

You're telling people to go spend money and get certified without telling them what that line of work entails. As a matter of fact, not all immigrants from Africa started out along that line to start with and they are doing well. Stop giving a one size fits all advise please!
 
xkyova said:
Ca == California?? I live in San Diego, CA and I had my papers evaluated with ease. I even talked to a few UC professors and they believed my papers were equivalent to an American Bsc. EE. I used http://www.thedegreepeople.com for evaluating my documents. It was suggested by an enrollment advisor at one of the colleges I was trying to get in.
Nonetheless, I think going back to school boils down to your long term goals... Having an Engineering undergraduate degree is sufficient to get you a job - probably an entry level job - but in case you plan on progressing up the career ladder you'll definitely need a graduate level education. With EE you'll manage to find a job (full time) within the range $45k - $72k/year, give or take, but to get into the six figure, you'll need to upgrade, and get into a field that pays well.... So, all you need to go for an MS in EE or Computer Engineering, etc. (assuming you don't want to change your career) is a certified copy of your transcripts, the evaluation report, and a score of 3.0/4.0 == 3.75/5.0 on the Ug scale. That's it. Not quite sure if GRE is needed for engineering course (look into it).
On the contrary, in case you decide to go solo (independent contractor) you'll have the potential of making a lot more money. The downside is that it requires a bit of experience and you are not always assured of a paycheck.
Click to expand...
xkyova said:
Ca == California?? I live in San Diego, CA and I had my papers evaluated with ease. I even talked to a few UC professors and they believed my papers were equivalent to an American Bsc. EE. I used http://www.thedegreepeople.com for evaluating my documents. It was suggested by an enrollment advisor at one of the colleges I was trying to get in.
Nonetheless, I think going back to school boils down to your long term goals... Having an Engineering undergraduate degree is sufficient to get you a job - probably an entry level job - but in case you plan on progressing up the career ladder you'll definitely need a graduate level education. With EE you'll manage to find a job (full time) within the range $45k - $72k/year, give or take, but to get into the six figure, you'll need to upgrade, and get into a field that pays well.... So, all you need to go for an MS in EE or Computer Engineering, etc. (assuming you don't want to change your career) is a certified copy of your transcripts, the evaluation report, and a score of 3.0/4.0 == 3.75/5.0 on the Ug scale. That's it. Not quite sure if GRE is needed for engineering course (look into it).
On the contrary, in case you decide to go solo (independent contractor) you'll have the potential of making a lot more money. The downside is that it requires a bit of experience and you are not always assured of a paycheck.
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He has a bsc. civil eng. from Kenya.He informed me that in ca., professional registration was an issue.The two of you live there and I could link you to each other, could be you already know one another.
I agree academic equivalency may not be an issue
True.In the contracting business, a regular income is a tricky affair not meant for the faint hearted but in the long run,it works.Could youPlease tell us a little about Irvine?
 
Just a point, if people are reading here for advice, you really could be a bit more careful about how you phrase things. There is a huge difference between what your original post implied (academic equivalency) and what you are now saying (professional registration).
 
SusieQQQ said:
Just a point, if people are reading here for advice, you really could be a bit more careful about how you phrase things. There is a huge difference between what your original post implied (academic equivalency) and what you are now saying (professional registration).
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Kindly remind me where i used the word ACADEMIC equivalency in my post that you quote.
Professional equivalency is what was in contention-that i did not elaborate
as the context of the discussion was WORK, not schooling, only that I said further schooling is worth it in a tough job market.
Comment- if you come to practice in Kenya, the eng. board of Kenya (EBK)will review your papers while a university will be interested only if you want to study.
 
usken go said:
I saw a friend emigrate to Ca. He had difficulties getting his Kenya Bsc. eng approved after equivalency. He went north to Washington where they approved his degree. Then he went back to ca and enrolled for masters.
His view-try get your first degree equated, find some work but GO BACK to class for masters.Its a competetetive market .
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@susie- .......bsc. eng approved AFTER EQUIVALENCY............had his degree APPROVED.......Susie??
 
usken go said:
@susie- .......bsc. eng approved AFTER EQUIVALENCY............had his degree APPROVED.......Susie??
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I am this close to telling you to gfy. I know PLENTY people with engineering etc degrees from AFRICAN universities who have no problems using them in CALIFORNIA.

Go back and read your post - all you were talking about was "they" did not "approve" his degree in CA but "they" "approved" his degree in WA. Actually that makes no sense to anyone. Who is "they" and what do you mean by "approve" when there is no official designation of approval, is there? Your post is so vague as to be meaningless, which is probably the best way to treat it.
 
SusieQQQ said:
I am this close to telling you to gfy. I know PLENTY people with engineering etc degrees from AFRICAN universities who have no problems using them in CALIFORNIA.

Go back and read your post - all you were talking about was "they" did not "approve" his degree in CA but "they" "approved" his degree in WA. Actually that makes no sense to anyone. Who is "they" and what do you mean by "approve" when there is no official designation of approval, is there? Your post is so vague as to be meaningless, which is probably the best way to treat it.
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Susie I am not used to the direction you are taking remember Tew an B.simon. THEY refers to whatever you call the body that registers engineered in ca
Its true that concise statements mean nothing to those who cannot read them in context.
There is no such thing as a general approval and this was meant for a professional again in CONTEXT, like the good guy who has answered
The guy I mention here is well known and close to me and if you need to hear from him, you are welcome to his e-mail
 
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