| Sajha.com Archives | |
| Username | Post |
| Krishna_1 | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 11:22 AM
Hello everyone, I have observed the discussions on sajha for quite some time now and have thoroughly enjoyed the suggestions and advices that the sajhaites abroad have to offer to those who need them. Now comes my turn to participate in the discussion and seek some help from you. Here's my situation. I am a network engineer working a big name company in Nepal for the last 5 years. Soon, I will be migrating to USA on a permanent resident visa. I know there are alot of people like me who migrate to USA every year. Some find their dream job right away, and for some, it takes years of work in a unpreffered profession before they actually find a job that they want and enjoy. To those of you who have experiences, could you please share how "adjusting in USA " can be boosted upon arrival in the country? What would be some smart ways to follow in order to find a job where I can use years of experiences that I have gathered in the computer networking field? The job market sure is tough, and I am counting on my green card to ease my struggle. To those of you who are prominent personalities in some USA based Nepalese organizations, and also to those who are in this profession, I seek your help and suggestions regarding opportunites for me that you or someone you know may be aware of. In general, I would love to hear from anyone who may have a few words to share on their experiences and advices. [And yet if everything turns out all well, the best part is that, someday, I might be able to provide suggestions and ideas to future immigrants from Nepal !] - Krishna |
| Deep | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 11:39 AM
"To those of you who have experiences, could you please share how "adjusting in USA " can be boosted upon arrival in the country? " What do you want to boost upon arrival in the US, again? I probably did not get this correct. Krishnaji, forget about boosting anything for now. You say you work for a big name company. You perhaps can get some references from there (if the company has its presence in the US as well). Come by yourself, first [If you are married]. Your family can join you later once you find a job and a place to live. Green card will certainly help you ease your struggle but won't find you a job. Your experience may give a competitive edge against many less experienced ones but the job market is going through a rough terrain these days. You may find a job right away, but be prepare to struggle for a few months. Have faith in yourself. You will be fine. Ma tyasto prominent srominent manchhe ta haina..tyahi ni lekhde tak tuk parera. Krishna ji Number 1, wish you a sweet migration (afno migration lai ta ke bho ke bho chini rog lagya jasto chha achel ). |
| hyaterica | Posted
on 24-Apr-03 06:08 PM
Krishna, Deep has given you some great advices. Here's some from me. Even if you are working for a big name company in Nepal right now, make sure you understand that it might take you a while to find the job you want here in the US. The Key--> Perseverance. Yes, Be patient and keep your eyes open for any and all opportunities that exist out there in your field or in any other field. If you have a degree, it will get you the job you want. Also, try contacting your friends and relatives who may already be in USA. Trust me, they can be of great help. Good luck with your immigration and welcome to the USA in advance! :) |
| well-wisher | Posted
on 25-Apr-03 12:01 PM
Krishna, You expect these Nepalese Organizations in USA to actually "help" you? I feel sorry for you. These organizations are here just to organize get-togethers and parties. When someone needs their help< i know "help" is a vague word>, they are notorious for pretending that they don't exist. If only the members of those organizations could get over their "khutta tanne " attitude, believe me, most of us Nepalese in USA would have done an incredible amount of progress because of the comparitively higher level of intellect and reasoning ability that we posses in a a field of general interest. Take for example this thread. It's been about 24 hours since you posted and there aren't very many people who are willing to write down a few words of suggestions. But this shouldn't let you down. I am certain and wish you good luck in your aspiration to acquire a job that truly makes use of your prior experiences as an engineer. I support Deep's points and word of advices too. Good luck ~well-wisher |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 25-Apr-03 02:15 PM
Krishna_1, looks like you have a very positive attitude. You should have no problems adjusting in USA. All the advice and precautions given here by Deep, Hyaterica and Well-wisher is timely. If you keep your expectations low you will immensely enjoy the hospitality. Remember it is you who needs to adjust as a new comer. Unlike what Well-wisher said, I think the Nepalease organization will be helpful depending on whom you ask help from, your approach also matters. I feel these are essential and helpful hints for the new comers: 1) Be very assertive in your dealings with others, 2) Be truthful and don't try to come up with stories about your problems, 3) Respect others, you will be immensely respected. 4) Prepare your resume in US style, get hold of head hunters early on who will work on your resume. 5) Don't bother others too much but don't hesitate in asking for information More survival guide at http://www.anmausa.org/resources/anmahandbook.pdf if you are new in USA. These are good advise. Try writing to these organization early on you will be definitely welcomed. Good luck and keep reaching for stars but kep your foot in grounds. - iti |
| tick | Posted
on 25-Apr-03 03:54 PM
Krishna ji, Congratulations. I wish you all the best in your new adventure to umrika. Few words of wisdom. 1. Have high hopes not on people but on yourself. People will help but it will depend on YOU to get the most of it. 2. Be prepared to survive for many months while looking for work. Looking for work will also cost you be prepared for that as well. 3. Job market is extremely competitive be prepared to show your best. 4. Good luck! Are you coming to East or West coast? |
| NepaliThito | Posted
on 26-Apr-03 12:56 PM
Krishna ji Really glad to hear you are migrating on PR status. PR status does have benefits over the immigrants. When i came to US, i found it totally different than what i used to think of. So i would suggest you to be prepared for the struggle you will face in this so called " land of Oppurtunity untill you land" (this is just my perspective) but you might not feel the same. Since you mentioned you are working on a big name company for 5 years that is what, is gonna kill you for the time being. i mean, since you are in your professional job.. you might not get professional job here for a while which will really piss you off but what i wrote is not to dishearten you, i am only putting my words or reality that most of us face. This happened to me so i am letting you know. My situation and yours in qualification and work environment is same besides the PR status and immigrant status. I was also working in a big name company in Nepal as a software Engineer and i came here for my MS, but the way US looked to me was totally different from the way i used to assume of. At this time of year, you must be really lucky to get your dream job. Finally i got my dream job and am happy. You know what i believe in "Hard work Pays". Since you are qualified and experienced you will definately will have your hand on the upper side but taking in the consideration of today's economy and layoffs we are hearing i would suggest you not to loose your determination. Be prepared to face and tackle what US will give you as a gift in the beginning days of your migration. On top believe in you. This will guide you towards your success. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!! and Welcome to SUPERNATION............ That is US of A...... |
| Free Thinker | Posted
on 26-Apr-03 06:43 PM
Congratulations Krishna jee. I have just finished posting a topic about whether Nepalese living in America should immerse themselves in the ways of the land to be successfull. I shouldn't be bothering you about this before you even get here but nonetheless it is some thing for all Nepalese in America to think about. In answer to your questions, I think the key to success in America is hard work, good communication skills, good people skills and your ability to blend in with the people you work and live with. The job market maybe depressed and it may take you a while to get a job of your liking like you pointed out, so be prepared to be flexible with what you do. My advice is reach out to people both inside and outside the Nepalese community after you get here and start networking. With your experience and education , I hope you find a job sooner or later -good luck and welcome to America! |
| czar | Posted
on 26-Apr-03 07:17 PM
A few pointers on job hunting in the US - take a look at the resume tips on web sites such as monster.com . The key to an eye catching resume is to stress achievements, not job descriptions. eg.Improved performance by redesigning network ; Enhanced corporate messaging reliability by optimizing Excahnge Server; Improved resolution of problem by..etc.. - monster.com is a great place to start looking for jobs - provide a local US address, if you can, in your resume. There will be very little interest in a resume with a foreign address. - skill sets: network security is the hot area, so is bio-informatics. Certifications are a must, such as MCSE/CNE/CCNA/CISSP etc. If you have them, fine, if not, consider buying books and preparing for those exams immediately. I don't know if KTM has a Prometric/Vue exam centre yet, but I know Delhi does where you can take the Cisco/MCSE exams. It might cost you less in terms of stress and pressure to come here prepared. Its very difficult to get a decent job unless you're certified. - References from your present employer and customer will be valuable The IT job centres are dispersed throughout the US into several areas. West coast- Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and the Seattle area. South-west, you have Dallas-Forth Wort, Houston and the Austin/Round Rock area of Texas which are the major tech hubs. south- Atlanta is a secondary market for IT jobs, but still quite quite good. North and east: the greater Chicago area, the greater Boston area, and the NYC area. Finally, the Washington DC/ and the surrounding northern VA and MD areas. A word of caution about the VA/MD/DC area: close to 70 % of networking jobs require security clearance, which can take anywhere from 12-18 months to obtain. The employer has to request this clearance; you, as an individual can not obtain it. - If you know how to drive, fine, if not, learn quickly. Many jobs do not have public transport close by. Commuting distances of 200 km to work and back each day is no big deal here. Yes, its a huge country. Good luck. |
| jeep_wrangler | Posted
on 26-Apr-03 08:19 PM
wow...........wat a guuud .....people with excellent advice......... after readin all that.....i also wanna throw something....... all i wanna say is....................usa kicks azz............u gotta work real hard to live in ....usa............ peace out!!!!!!!! |
| well-wisher | Posted
on 29-Apr-03 12:55 PM
Hey Krishna, It's a good thing that you have been an observer of Sajha since quite some time and that you will now be migrating to USA soon. I am sure you already have a feel of how the lifestyle is here thorugh different people's posts, opinions and advices.. I wish I had been familiar with Sajha before I came here! |
| tick | Posted
on 29-Apr-03 05:25 PM
Krishna ji, Also wanted to add certifications are certainly good to have and it might get you a job. I know many laid off people have not been able to find jobs despite CCNP/CISSP and MSCE certifications. |
| czar | Posted
on 29-Apr-03 05:41 PM
Tick, could it be that they are located in a particularly hard hit region? Or is it that they are evenly dispersed throughout the country. If so, that is really scary news ! By the whiskers of Tapleyjung's sainla bajey, I am agonna get me a drink. Dayum! |
| acharya | Posted
on 30-Apr-03 12:39 PM
Czar and tick, I am new to this certification thing. Could you explain me how it works? How much do these tests cost and what are the benefits of it ? I know I sound too ignorant, but I really want to know HOw I can be certified since I am already in this field. Acharya |
| czar | Posted
on 30-Apr-03 02:10 PM
Prometric and Vue are two companies that administer computer based testing for over 1500 certifications on everything from nursing to computers. Exam fees vary depending on the exam you choose to take. Rates are determined by each corresponding organization, such as CompTIA, or companies, such as Cisco. Certifications vary, depending the subject you choose. There are industry supported certifications, such as those offered by CompTIA, or they can be product specific, such as those from Cisco, Novell, Microsoft, Canon, Adobe, Red Hat etc. Log on to their respective websites and look for 'Certification and/or Training' and you will find plenty of information on it. Why certify ? For career progression reasons mostly. Certifications help demonstrate proficiency. Mind you, there are some certifications that prove nothing but test taking skills. Charges were levelled that it merely created paper tigers. As for those hoping to break into the field, certifications used to provide a foot in the door, but these are hard times. Those that considered using certifications as a means of making a career change got caught out in the open. Some certifications were met with scepticism, especially when backed by little or no paid work experience in the field. Gone are the heady days when all one had to do was correctly spell "Technology" to get an IT job. Of course, the debate on standardized testing rages on, but that how it is at this time. Good luck! |
| tick | Posted
on 01-May-03 11:32 AM
Krishna ji, Please check Microsoft and Cisco sites for the certification you are interested in, it will give you a good idea on what you should know for the certification. There are many books that will help you prepare for the tests. Sybase, McGrah Hill are good publishers there are others as well. Will you be coming to the East coast or the West Coast? I might be able to help if you are in my area. Regards. |