Let’s face it, coming from a different country to look for opportunities in America can be an overwhelming experience. It doesn’t matter if you have the level of skills and educational background that’s needed for crops to meet the job requirements. It can still be very difficult for you to find something that’s lucrative.
In some cases, you might come across employers that are reluctant to hire you even though you have the right kind of papers. But, this shouldn’t discourage you from looking for a job even though it’s such a challenge. Fortunately, there are jobs that you can do that require less from you. Read on to find out more.
1. Graders and Sorters in Agriculture
The agricultural industry has a lot of work that needs to be done. Fortunately, some of this work doesn’t require the use of excavators. Most of the work that’s available for legal immigrants in the United States is grading and sorting vast amounts of produce.
This is a job that doesn’t necessarily require a certain skill set. If you have an idea of how to sort products according to their grades and to put them in containers, then you should know how to get it done. In addition, you should know how to safely get rid of defective products within the production line.
However, you do need to have a basic set of skills to ensure that you can handle the pressure of this work. In most cases, employers look for this.
- Someone with basic skills.
- A person who knows how to be a proactive problem-solver.
- You should pay attention to details.
- Have exceptional hand and finger coordination.
- Have basic language skills to hear and listen to instructions given to you.
2. Sewing Machine Operators
The textile industry is one of the largest industries in this country. As a result, there are always job opportunities that are open to native and international citizens. If you’re having a tough time securing a job, then you should consider looking for one in the field.
If you’re uncertain about what’s expected of you in this industry, you’re not alone. On simple terms when you work as a sewing machine operator, your main job is to sew various fabrics using a sewing machine. Nowadays, this means using an electronic machine.
As a result, you might find that there’s a lot of machine moving items from one fabric to the next. It’s essential for you to have some knowledge of the textile industry before you decide to venture into this career. Your type of job will mostly determine the type of duties that you have. Yet, the most common duties can be summarized as follows.
- You should assemble fabrics according to different types of patterns.
- Operate different types of sewing machines.
- Identify any issues with your sewing machine.
- Operate different styles on your machine.
- Compile all production reports.
3. General Workers
The fact of the matter is that when you’re an immigrant, it can be a bit more difficult to secure a prominent job in the country that you go to. Sometimes, the job opportunities that you have access to can be very limited. It doesn’t matter if your citizenship lawyer has cleared you for jobs.
At times, there are employers who aren’t willing to hire you for various reasons. If you ever find yourself in this predicament, you should always consider the pool of general work that you have access to. This type of work can be anything, from working for a commercial garage door repair service company to working as a janitor.
The requirements for this type of job aren’t as extreme in most cases. The main thing that you should know to do is to meet the physical demands of most general work that you’ll likely undertake. The following are common requirements that employers should look for if you’re seeking employment as a general worker.
- Be able to use a transloader for lifting heavy loads.
- Understand how to use basic heavy machinery.
- Be committed to following safety rules.
- Have some form of certificate to show that you’ve worked as a general worker before.
- Have above par communication and teamwork skills.
- Have excellent hand to eye coordination.
4. Housekeeping Services
As cliché as this type of job opportunity is, but as a legal immigrant who wishes to work an honest day’s work in this country, you should consider venturing into cleaning and housekeeping. The thing about starting in this industry is that you still have a lot more opportunities as you gain more experience.
There are many motivational stories of immigrants who start off as housekeepers and end up running businesses of their own. It goes without saying that to land a job in this Services industry, you should be a great cleaner overall. If you’re still feeling like you need more tips, the following should help you with landing an entry-level cleaning job.
- Clean as if you’re cleaning your home. This should increase your customer satisfaction by a margin.
- Have a cleaning system that can help to make it easier for you to manage your workload.
- Have contacts to help you improve. Even if it means being friends with the roll off dumpster rental guys.
- Always know about what’s going with the developments in your industry.
- Provide a niche based cleaning service.
- Keep on networking until you break ceilings in your profession.
5. Roofing Assistant
In America, you’ll notice that there are a lot of people that decide to repair or replace the roofs. If you want to find a job that can teach you a lot more than you know, you should look at becoming an assistant for a commercial roof company. What’s even better is that you can also consider starting your own roofing business.
The thing about starting your own company is that you can make more money to sustain yourself and your family. However, starting any company is not as easy as you might think it is. Especially if you’re not someone from that country.
While America is known as the land of milk and honey, making it isn’t as easy as you might think it is. This is why you should have a plan to ensure that your roofing business can make it despite anything. These are some tips that you should consider when you’re planning out your move into the roofing business.
- Always start with a business plan to detail out your entire business strategy.
- Find your target audience.
- Ensure that you’re in line with special legal requirements for immigrants.
- Invest in quality equipment.
- Try to find a dedicated team.
- Have a sales strategy to market your business.
6. Painters and Plasterers
The great thing about moving to a country that’s as big as America is that you’ll never run out of things that you can do. As the country gears more towards developing, there are various types of buildings that are being built. While steel buildings remain the most common that you’ll find, there are also a lot more smart buildings that are being built.
Even if you don’t have an extensive background and experience in the construction industry, there are still many things that you can do as a legal immigrant. One of these is to become a painter or a plasterer during the process. This job can be very demanding if you’re not someone who’s used to working long hours.
Moreover, there’ll be times when your job is affected by environmental factors such as rain and snowy weather. If you want a job in this industry, these are things that you should consider. But, it’s always advisable for you to have more than one type of income stream especially if you’re a legal immigrant.
7. Truck Driver
Amongst the many jobs that you can do and that can help you with a head start, it’s a job as a truck driver. The logistics industry is booming in this country. It’s important for you to get your foot in the right door.
So, if you know a little more about truck and trailer alignments, you should consider looking for a job in this industry. According to sources, the US truck driving industry is in need of over a million truck drivers. And legal immigrants could be the help that the country needs to resolve this issue.
There are a number of requirements that you should meet before you can get hired as a truck driver. These can be summarized as follows.
- You should be over the age of 18.
- Possess a heavy-duty vehicle license.
- Be physically fit to work.
- Pass an assessment examination regularly.
- Have all your updated and legal documentation.
8. Chauffeur or Taxi Driver
Have you seen how many taxis the major cities in this country have? Thanks to e-hailing taxi services, it’s easier to become your own boss when you have the resources such as a car. Although, when you move into a new country it’s not easy to come in your car.
However, if you can afford to buy a car or to work for someone else, you can run your own business as a taxi driver. If you happen to get into this as a service provider, you should expect to have a lot more fun than you think. For instance, you’re bound to meet people from all walks of life.
On the other hand, you can choose to take a personal driver job a little further by becoming a chauffeur. The great thing about going this private driving route is that you have the opportunity to work for high-paying clients. Who knows who you might meet along the way to open the doors that you need to get to where you need to?
If you want to get into this type of service offering as a legal immigrant, you should ensure that you have all of your documentation in order.
9. Various Corporate Jobs
There are various jobs that you can still find in corporate organizations in this country. If you already meet the job requirements it’s usually easier for you to find employment in the field of your choice. In certain instances, you can even be fortunate enough to get head-hunted by the company that you’re working for.
However, there are times when you’ll need to study further to ensure that your educational status matches the one that your organization needs. It’s possible for you to have the company fit the bill for you while you’re pursuing an apprenticeship with them. The greatness is that you have a lot of resources that you can use to find out how corporate companies work so that you can secure your dream job one day.
It’s always important for you to remember that the corporate industry is quite competitive. In fact, even people from this country still struggle to climb the corporate ladder. This means that you shouldn’t give up if you find that things aren’t going as well as you had anticipated.
Being a legal immigrant and competing for the best company seat requires a lot more hard work and determination from you. For a better perspective into the jobs that you can apply for, you should do more research on the companies that you’ve identified.
In summary, looking for employment is a very difficult process that you have to go through. It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to find an entry-level job in a forklift rental company or a top-notch car dealership company. At the end of the day, when you’re a legal immigrant, there are certain challenges that you face when you’re looking for work.
Yet, this shouldn’t discourage you. In fact, it should be motivation enough for your come-up story. Luckily, there are still many industries that don’t mind hiring you. And, you can still gain enough experience to get noticed and pave your way for a success story.
It’s very crucial for you to maintain a clear criminal record to ensure that you don’t jeopardize your legal status.