Searching for a Job: What you need to know

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro

The American Dream is an ideal by which most immigrants aspire to live. The United States has long been the land of opportunity, and new Americans or those who have been out of the workforce for a while must learn to navigate not only the culture and the language, but also career options and all the functions that come with having a job.

You can find a job by word-of-mouth, looking for “help wanted” signs on buildings, searching online job engines like Monster.com or Indeed.com, or contacting your local community center, like the Chaldean Community Foundation, for help. We’d like to provide some tips for newcomers to be mindful of as they search for a job in this country.

Use Your Networks

Networking is a valuable way to obtain a job because sometimes it is not what you know, but who you know. Meeting people through church, your neighborhood, or local businesses and then nurturing those relationships may help you get leads on employment opportunities and even get introduced to potential employers.

A referral is a form of flattery in the business world, so do not be shy about reaching out to someone for advice. The connection may easily fall into place. And in the future, you can help someone else.

Resume vs. Application

Depending on what kind of job you are seeking, you will either need to create a resume or complete an application. A resume is a record of your qualifications, including your education and/or training and previous work experience and job duties in detail.

An application includes the same ideas but is much more general in nature. Unlike a resume, an application will ask you to add your birth date, social security number or visa number, a driver’s license number, and even to answer questions regarding your criminal history.

It is in a resume that you can focus on your strengths and tailor those to the specific job. You should keep the resume succinct and not go into detail using paragraphs; bullet points will do. It should not be more than one or two pages in length – you want them to actually read it.

Barriers to Employment

The resume and/or job application can be daunting for newcomers, especially when you must fill out paperwork you are unfamiliar with. It also brings up a host of other matters that may affect your employment, like having to include your Alien Registration Number (A-number) or the necessity to show Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) to work.

As a refugee or asylum seeker, you are permitted to work in the United States. While we have anti-discrimination laws in place, an employer may be reluctant to hire someone who does not have a driver’s license or basic English skills, for fear that person will be unable to perform the job duties effectively. Thus, language is a common barrier to employment for new Americans.

Many school districts offer Adult Education, as do local libraries and community centers, in order to help people gain conversational language skills to acquire jobs as well as to obtain drivers’ licenses.

Additionally, childcare can also be an issue for people with young children. The cost or location or time availability of childcare plays a huge role for people seeking employment. Sometimes, parents will work opposite shifts to care for their children, or people will look for shifts during school hours. It is not easy for most employers to be flexible because they have businesses to run and money to make to keep the business going.

Legal vs. Under the Table

Because of so many barriers to employment, sometimes individuals will accept jobs from employers who will pay them cash. This is known as working “under the table,” which generally means the employer is not paying social security taxes toward your future benefits. You need to know your responsibilities in these situations.

If you find yourself in a position of having to accept a temporary job like this, you should do your best to protect yourself by: drawing up a written agreement between yourself and your employer; keeping track of all your hours for services rendered; opening a bank account in order to save and organize your money and to make safe and quick payments for rent, utilities, phone, and set some aside for taxes; and be prepared with a health savings account for possible injury or illness.

Money not reported to the government comes with risks, including fines to the IRS (Internal Revenue Service), injuries in the workplace that are not covered by law, or even losing permanent resident status. You should seek financial advice for filing and paying taxes as an independent contractor – you would need to request a 1099-NEC from your employer.

Of course, legitimate jobs in which the owner or company provides a paycheck and reports your employment is the best way to go. That way, there is evidence of your work history, it is easier to prove for tax purposes or other issues in the workplace, and you are saving for the future by paying into the social security system.

Assessing the Offer

While looking for a job, it is important to understand what benefits come with that opportunity. The best scenarios include healthcare, retirement, and 401K packages that help you build financial wealth and security; it is usually major corporations that will offer that.

For example, last year big box store Target increased their minimum wage and made employees eligible for healthcare if they worked 25 hours a week for the first three months. Target also gave team members a chance to start a 401(k) savings plan sooner than ever before, matching up to 5% of their earnings.

The company offers other helpful perks, like 10% discount off their merchandise, virtual doctor visits, and online mental health counseling. Flexible opportunities like these, job security, and room for advancement are important features for employers of the future.

Searching for a job in a different country can be unnerving, but with these tips, hopefully you will be able to find something you are comfortable with in order to establish yourself in your new home. With a job, you will not only gain money for your needs and wants, but also learn valuable communication, problem-solving, money management, and interpersonal skills that will help you be successful in the workplace and in life.