How to find a job in the United States

The US, the original ‘Land of Opportunity’, is always a popular destination for Irish students and graduates looking to work abroad. Most Irish students can work in the US under a Summer J-1 visa or Year long Graduate Visa, where you can visit and take short-term employment.

Labour market information

The US has one of the largest and most technologically powerful economies in the world.

It is a country with vast employment potential though, and is a global leader in most business, scientific and technological fields. If you do decide that the US is the place to go, check out your options on either on a J-1 (Summer or Graduate Visa) through USIT .

Current opportunities

The fastest growing occupations are in software engineering, science, medicine and health, environmental protection, community care facilities (eg for the elderly) and the computer industry (according to the Department of Labor ).

Prospects for foreign workers are best in the high technology fields and niche markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment. Other major industries include chemicals, forestry, iron and steel, motor vehicles and textiles. The economy is overwhelmingly based on service industries, which now account for around 80% of national GDP.

Opportunities by sector

• Accounting and finance: Major cities such as New York, Chicago and Washington DC are financial powerhouses, with major players in all financial sectors operating there.
• Aerospace: A booming industry due to significant global passenger demand and the ongoing demands of overseas military operations
• Biotechnology: The US is a global leader in this field, with many of its major companies also having operations here in Ireland.
• Chemical manufacturing and pharmaceutical: opportunities lie particularly in bioinformatics and nanotechnology.
• Construction sectors: This sector has expanded considerably in recent years, with stimulus packages put in place to revitalise the sector.
• Health and medical care: opportunities are mainly in R&D (research and development) and for medical practitioners.
• ICT, computer design and telecommunication: there are jobs available in programming, computer engineering, system analysis, data communication analysis and information engineering. Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York are major tech and creative hubs

Useful websites

To find out about Irish companies trading in the States or Irish companies with interests in the States, it is worth checking out Enterprise Ireland . The Ireland Chamber of Commerce United States (ICCUSA) may also be of use in providing local business lists.

Applying for jobs

In the US, the term résumé is used instead of CV. A résumé is a one-page summary of personal, education, and experience qualifications. Most employers will ask for a résumé and an accompanying cover letter.

Online applications are becoming more popular. If you send in your résumé electronically, write a concise, formal email to accompany it.

Use American English spelling; an American spell-check programme can help. If you are a graduate, it is worth translating your exam results into the American equivalent.

The interview process in the US is similar to that in Ireland. Some companies may also require a psychometric test to be taken as part of the selection process.

Useful website

The Irish International Immigration Center in Boston has valuable information online on working and living in the US. It provides up-to-date information on the various categories of visa, as well as details on employment opportunities.

Permanent employment may be difficult to find due to visa restrictions. However, there a plenty of temporary job opportunities.

Temporary jobs

If you are going to the States as a student or temporary non-immigrant, you will most likely end up working in tourism, sales or administration. Common places to work at include tourist resorts, amusement parks, hotels, country clubs, golf clubs, restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and offices. As you are only allowed temporary work with a J-1 visa, it may be difficult to get a position of a professional nature or one related to your field of study.

Gap year

There are lots of opportunities to spend a gap year in the States, with organisations such as USIT and BUNAC .

Internships

Internships are a great opportunity to get practical training in your field of study in another country. If you wish to do an internship with a US employer, you will need an exchange visitor (J-1) or trainee (H) visa. The CIEE (The Council on International Educational Exchange) has useful information on how to find an internship in the Us and their agent in Ireland is USIT and you can apply through any office nationwide or online via

• The Washington-Ireland Program of Service and Leadership allocates internships with a variety of governmental bodies, congressional offices, non-governmental agencies and professional companies. Interns also undertake a course in the principles of leadership. Candidates live for eight weeks with an American host family. Further information can be found on their website.
• Mountbatten Institute : offers 12-month internships and training programmes in New York
• Cultural Vistas : internship programmes
• USIT offers internship & Practical Career Training programmes in the USA
• IAESTE : technical internships
• The Fulbright Commission : information on visas and sponsors.
• J1 Visa Exchanges : information on the J1 Visa and Visa exchanges.

Volunteering

Volunteering may come in the form of work experience, which allows you to develop skills, expand your contacts, and increase your employability. Check out USIT , BUNAC or Volunteering and Civic Life in America .

How to find a job

Using an exchange organisation

Several organisations offer programmes that help people find short-term work in the States.

The CIEE works in partnership with organisations such as USIT and BUNAC to promote international work. If you are travelling with any international exchange organisation, they provide advice and assistance in pre-arranging work and accommodation. Their directories provide listings from employers wishing to employ summer/part-time staff, and can help take a lot of stress out of job hunting.

Work exchange programmes vary widely in nature. Some programmes allow participants to do any job available; others are restricted to specific fields. For instance, if you are interested in working with children either as an au pair or counsellor at a summer camp, you need to contact an authorised au pair or summer camp organisation, as arranging such an exchange is not possible on your own.

• Camp USA
• USIT (for Summer Camp Canada & Soccer Coaching USA)
• CoolWorks
• Au Pair in America
• International Au Pair Association (IAPA) .

Employment services/recruitment agencies

State Employment Agencies (sometimes called Job Service) operate a network of around 2,000 local offices in major cities around the country. They provide free counselling, testing and job placements.

• State Workforce Agencies | National Association of State Workforce Agencies (naswa.org)

Job listings in newspapers

Saturday editions of newspapers carry vacancies, and most newspapers also have online editions. Several newspapers have special employment editions. There are many newspapers published daily and weekly. The main ones are listed below:

• USA Today : the only national daily newspaper
• The Wall Street Journal
• The International Herald Tribune
• The New York Times
• The Washington Post
• The Los Angeles Times

University careers offices

Most university careers offices post graduate vacancies on their websites. Even if you haven’t graduated from that particular university, it is worth checking out sites of universities in the area you intend to work.

• The National Association of College and Employers : information on graduate employment prospects in the US.
• Top Universities and Unipage : search courses and colleges in the US and elsewhere. Includes university rankings.