Living
Finding Work
Finding a job bussing tables in NYC is easy, finding a job in your chosen field is another story. People from all over America and countries around the world come to NYC searching for their dream position. With so many employees for companies to choose from, competition can be tough, to say the least. Those with masters degrees, prior experience (always highly valued), and a knowledge of one or more languages (especially Arabic, German, Japanese, Mandarin and Hindi) are at a great advantage.
Finding Work Before You Come
Many internationals come to New York without employment, and though it is possible to find work and apply for a visa once you are already in the country, with the rivalry to find a job in New York, you might find this to be a difficult and expensive task. Searching for work beforehand will save you time and money. If you are able to afford it, set up interviews in NYC before you move. Remember, you will also need to ask interviewers whether their company sponsors foreign nationals to come to the US – some may not want to go through the hassle.
Finding work in New York while outside of the United States is the same as if you were in the country, as long as you have the internet. The four main sites to visit to begin your search are www.nytimes.com, www.newyork.craigslist.org, www.monster.com, and www.villagevoice.com. The New York Times and Village Voice list the same classifieds as their print versions and often have more up-to-date listings.
If you wish to sign up with a recruitment agency (see below), you can also do this while outside the country. For example, Adecco Staffing has an online assessment form for those unable to come into the office. You will also find that many larger companies have online application forms, such as Deutche Bank (www.db.com/careers), Universal Music (www.careers-umusic.com) and Time Warner (www.timewarner.com). NYTimes.com also has a pay feature on their site that will automatically fax your uploaded resume to the employers advertising on their site, making the process even simpler.
Finding Work While You’re Here
Going for daily interviews is of course easier if you already live in the city. The process for finding job openings is similar to the above search options, but you may also want to visit firms and set up appointments with their HR departments to discuss the company and any openings they may have in the future. This shows that you are interested in working for them and hopefully will give you an edge when a vacancy arises. If searching through newspapers for classifieds, be sure to pick up the Monday and Sunday editions, particularly The New York Times, as they will have the most jobs posted.
Networking in New York is an important skill: it is a city based on the concept that it’s not what you know, but who you know. And remember, just because someone is wearing jeans and a ratty T-shirt, doesn’t mean they don’t own a house in the Hamptons as well as a loft in Soho. If you plan on finding a job using this method, a bit of research about the different areas where industry people hang out is in order. For example, bands and music people are in the Lower East Side bars, gallerists and artists are in Soho and Chelsea, and you’ll find general business people in the bars all along Second Avenue from Midtown to the East Village.
Recruitment Agencies
Registering with recruitment, or temp, agencies is easy and usually requires simply a copy of your resume, your licence or passport (which will need the necessary visas since you will technically become an employee of the agency at first) and in most cases, a few exams to test your computer skills. Job competition in New York is tough and it is not a good idea to rely solely on recruitment agencies for employment. However, if going through an agency, it is important to keep close contact with them. In other words, annoy them. An agency can have thousands of applicants per week, but if you are the one person to call and make sure your name is remembered, they will want to get you a job as soon as possible – if only to stop you phoning.
Third Party Recruiters or Headhunters
If you wish to go the less stressful route of attaining work and a visa before arriving in the US, you may want to hire a headhunter. Headhunters work differently to recruitment agencies, they are people working just for you to find you a job while recruitment companies work for employers looking to fill openings. A headhunter’s fee will come from your first year’s salary, typically 20-30% of it. This may seem like a lot to ask, but headhunters are often very specialised in different fields and have connections that could land you the perfect job, or a job that pays much higher than expected. There are even some firms that specialise in computer and IT jobs that help employees gain an H-1B visa.
Finding Work Before You Come
Many internationals come to New York without employment, and though it is possible to find work and apply for a visa once you are already in the country, with the rivalry to find a job in New York, you might find this to be a difficult and expensive task. Searching for work beforehand will save you time and money. If you are able to afford it, set up interviews in NYC before you move. Remember, you will also need to ask interviewers whether their company sponsors foreign nationals to come to the US – some may not want to go through the hassle.
Finding work in New York while outside of the United States is the same as if you were in the country, as long as you have the internet. The four main sites to visit to begin your search are www.nytimes.com, www.newyork.craigslist.org, www.monster.com, and www.villagevoice.com. The New York Times and Village Voice list the same classifieds as their print versions and often have more up-to-date listings.
If you wish to sign up with a recruitment agency (see below), you can also do this while outside the country. For example, Adecco Staffing has an online assessment form for those unable to come into the office. You will also find that many larger companies have online application forms, such as Deutche Bank (www.db.com/careers), Universal Music (www.careers-umusic.com) and Time Warner (www.timewarner.com). NYTimes.com also has a pay feature on their site that will automatically fax your uploaded resume to the employers advertising on their site, making the process even simpler.
Finding Work While You’re Here
Going for daily interviews is of course easier if you already live in the city. The process for finding job openings is similar to the above search options, but you may also want to visit firms and set up appointments with their HR departments to discuss the company and any openings they may have in the future. This shows that you are interested in working for them and hopefully will give you an edge when a vacancy arises. If searching through newspapers for classifieds, be sure to pick up the Monday and Sunday editions, particularly The New York Times, as they will have the most jobs posted.
Networking in New York is an important skill: it is a city based on the concept that it’s not what you know, but who you know. And remember, just because someone is wearing jeans and a ratty T-shirt, doesn’t mean they don’t own a house in the Hamptons as well as a loft in Soho. If you plan on finding a job using this method, a bit of research about the different areas where industry people hang out is in order. For example, bands and music people are in the Lower East Side bars, gallerists and artists are in Soho and Chelsea, and you’ll find general business people in the bars all along Second Avenue from Midtown to the East Village.
Recruitment Agencies
Registering with recruitment, or temp, agencies is easy and usually requires simply a copy of your resume, your licence or passport (which will need the necessary visas since you will technically become an employee of the agency at first) and in most cases, a few exams to test your computer skills. Job competition in New York is tough and it is not a good idea to rely solely on recruitment agencies for employment. However, if going through an agency, it is important to keep close contact with them. In other words, annoy them. An agency can have thousands of applicants per week, but if you are the one person to call and make sure your name is remembered, they will want to get you a job as soon as possible – if only to stop you phoning.
Third Party Recruiters or Headhunters
If you wish to go the less stressful route of attaining work and a visa before arriving in the US, you may want to hire a headhunter. Headhunters work differently to recruitment agencies, they are people working just for you to find you a job while recruitment companies work for employers looking to fill openings. A headhunter’s fee will come from your first year’s salary, typically 20-30% of it. This may seem like a lot to ask, but headhunters are often very specialised in different fields and have connections that could land you the perfect job, or a job that pays much higher than expected. There are even some firms that specialise in computer and IT jobs that help employees gain an H-1B visa.
