Living and Working in the USA
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LOL. The divorce option might not be the best idea. Married an Italian. ;)
:laugh: WTF??? Now I get down-voted for laughing? Jeez: get a fücking life you retard.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
modified on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 10:09 AM
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
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Oh oh, and you'll always be worried that some immigrant will take your job from you, too!
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
LOL.
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
The bottom-line, if you can find professional work in the United States and are fluent in English you are hard pressed to find a country that offers more. If you don't like the culture in the State you live in move to another. Do a list to find out what you and the wife want where you live and there is a State and a city for that. The US is huge. The job market for competent professionals always exist. The problem is many people who think they are competent are not.
Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. I also do Android Programming as I find it a refreshing break from the MS. "And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" -- Robert Frost
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
As far as job market goes, I get a lot of calls looking for SharePoint developers. Doesn't seem like too many people are interested in developing for it, at least in my area, and even less know what they are doing.
Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
I'm looking forward to it; primarily because it should wipe that smug grin off Steve Jobs face.
CPallini wrote:
You cannot argue with agile people so just take the extreme approach and shoot him. :Smile:
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The hardest part is getting the appropriate visa. You should go see a good immigration lawyer before you do anything else if you are not being wooed by a bone-fide employer in the US offering you an entry through the H1-B visa. Be wary of sites offering easy entry; it just doesn't work like that: the best entry is via a Green Card (which is actually blue and white) but, unless you have immediate family who are US Citizens, that can take years as they only issue so many every year and the number of applications, worldwide, is enormous though if, for instance, your son was an American citizen over 21 you would knock another applicant off the top of the pile. Best bet is divorce your wife and marry and American! :-)
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
This. Finding a nice location is comparatively easy - there is so much variety it would be difficult to find someplace that *doesn't* fit your particular weather/social preferences. The economy is down of course, so the job will be slightly more difficult, though not at all impossible, especially if you're a decent dev. All of that though is a drop in the bucket compared to labyrinthine monstrosity that is DHS/ICE. If you can actually manage to get here legally and long-term, then the rest will seem like a piece of cake.
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
Direct immigration is very difficult. If that's what you are looking for, you may want to consider Canada. Pretty similar to the US except much colder in general, but if you keep to the southern cities, it's not a lot colder than most northern states in the US. Plus you get free healthcare. If you are alright with the "work-visa first and then immigration" route, that may take a few years, although since you are from South Africa the entire process could finish in 3-4 years compared to 11-15 for Indians, Pakistanis etc. (due to the country specific quotas being filled up and backlogged several years).
Regards, Nish
Are you addicted to CP? If so, check this out: The Code Project Forum Analyzer : Find out how much of a life you don't have! My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
I lived and worked for a year and a half in Clearwater, Florida, and both my wife and I had a fantastic time. We comfortably lived on one Salary, had the two cars in the driveway (a Mustang - Just because, brought that one home with us, and a Miata because you've got to have a convertible in Florida). Folklore may perpetuate myths of Ireland being a friendly welcoming country, and the US being some sort of over commercialised, gun totin', isolationist asylum. I have to say that didn't tally at all with reality. We made more friends and better friends during our short stay in the US that we have in Ireland. We got to know our neighbours better, we went to the movies with them, to restaurants, to coffee shops etc. Americans we met both in a personal capacity and in the course of day to day activities were almost universally friendly. Some of that may be down to the fact that at least some of them were relying on us for tips, but I do think you can only pretend to be happy and helpful for so long before your true self shines through and for the most part they were great people. America is (at least from the perspective of an Irish person) a very efficient place. We had two minor car accidents in which we were rear ended (same road, within a month of each other). The Police were insanely helpful and efficient. The work situation is a little different in the US. I was a contractor so my European pay and conditions were what I worked under. It seemed to me that Americans work quite long hours. I don't know if it's a pride thing, or a peer pressure thing, or just a peculiarity of the American Psyche, but work is VERY important, it's a reflection of your personality. Depending on the job you might find the hours and the conditions less favourable than work in your own country. All things considered I loved every minute of my time in the US. If the chance came up to go back I'd have a very hard time saying no. That's it. That was Florida (which many American's hate). Going to different states in the US is a bit like going to different countries. Downsides: Society is very divided in the US, the rich poor divide is nothing new, all countries have that, but the phoney Liberal Conservative divide gets tiresome. Particularly when you realise that it's in large part a divide created to bolster particular voting blocks and sell books and tv programming. It seems that most of the people most entrenched in their hatred of the other half of the country, don't even realise that they are be
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
My advice is to be sure you have a job before you go and that the company which hires you will sponsor you for a Green Card - you will not be able to change jobs during the process which takes 3 - 7 years. Your immigration lawyer will have to prove that no American could do or want your job. So a lot of the Green Card process is to do with how creative the lawyer is. Once you get your Green Card you have complete freedom to come and go and can change jobs if you wish. Basically the only thing you won't be able to do is vote. As for living in the US, it was a culture shock even though I speak English. I moved from Amsterdam to Chicago and it took me a year or two to feel at home. People are very welcoming and you'll make loads of friends. If you have any specific questions, fire away. BTW I ended up staying 17 years and am now back in Scotland, but all my clients are in the US.
It’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that things are difficult. ~Seneca
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
Jacques.Murray wrote:
Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
Thanks to the government, it's slowly but surely turning into the very place that folks from other countries are trying to escape from.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Some people are making such thorough preparation for rainy days that they aren't enjoying today's sunshine." - William Feather
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I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
Jacques.Murray wrote:
Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there?
Depends on what state we're talking about...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997 -
I lived and worked for a year and a half in Clearwater, Florida, and both my wife and I had a fantastic time. We comfortably lived on one Salary, had the two cars in the driveway (a Mustang - Just because, brought that one home with us, and a Miata because you've got to have a convertible in Florida). Folklore may perpetuate myths of Ireland being a friendly welcoming country, and the US being some sort of over commercialised, gun totin', isolationist asylum. I have to say that didn't tally at all with reality. We made more friends and better friends during our short stay in the US that we have in Ireland. We got to know our neighbours better, we went to the movies with them, to restaurants, to coffee shops etc. Americans we met both in a personal capacity and in the course of day to day activities were almost universally friendly. Some of that may be down to the fact that at least some of them were relying on us for tips, but I do think you can only pretend to be happy and helpful for so long before your true self shines through and for the most part they were great people. America is (at least from the perspective of an Irish person) a very efficient place. We had two minor car accidents in which we were rear ended (same road, within a month of each other). The Police were insanely helpful and efficient. The work situation is a little different in the US. I was a contractor so my European pay and conditions were what I worked under. It seemed to me that Americans work quite long hours. I don't know if it's a pride thing, or a peer pressure thing, or just a peculiarity of the American Psyche, but work is VERY important, it's a reflection of your personality. Depending on the job you might find the hours and the conditions less favourable than work in your own country. All things considered I loved every minute of my time in the US. If the chance came up to go back I'd have a very hard time saying no. That's it. That was Florida (which many American's hate). Going to different states in the US is a bit like going to different countries. Downsides: Society is very divided in the US, the rich poor divide is nothing new, all countries have that, but the phoney Liberal Conservative divide gets tiresome. Particularly when you realise that it's in large part a divide created to bolster particular voting blocks and sell books and tv programming. It seems that most of the people most entrenched in their hatred of the other half of the country, don't even realise that they are be
Thank you. It seems rare to hear someone from outside the U.S. make a considered complimentary statement about the country. Most of the time it's either a vehement diatribe or jingoistic cheerleading.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
I'm a SharePoint Developer and Administrator. Sometimes called a SharePoint Specialist or Expert in South Africa. My wife and I started discussion immigrating to the USA. Can anyone tell me what it's like to live and work over there? What is the job market like for SharePoint, etc. Please, don't sugar coat your responses. We would love to know how it really is.
My husband and I moved from SA to the states just less than 3 years ago. I came over on a student visa and did my Masters in Software Engineering. We were in Florida for about 2 years and we loved it. I then got a job in Kansas and we've been here for almost a year. Kansas is a nice state to live and work in. Going the student visa route meant that we had to pay for tuition and my husband is not allowed to work but it did give us a chance to stay in the country for a while and see if we would like it. It is also easier to get a job if you're here already (and have 1 year practical training). My family and I are much less stressed than we were in JHB SA and we don't regret making the move. :-D As others have said, it depends very much on which state you end up in. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have.
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My advice is to be sure you have a job before you go and that the company which hires you will sponsor you for a Green Card - you will not be able to change jobs during the process which takes 3 - 7 years. Your immigration lawyer will have to prove that no American could do or want your job. So a lot of the Green Card process is to do with how creative the lawyer is. Once you get your Green Card you have complete freedom to come and go and can change jobs if you wish. Basically the only thing you won't be able to do is vote. As for living in the US, it was a culture shock even though I speak English. I moved from Amsterdam to Chicago and it took me a year or two to feel at home. People are very welcoming and you'll make loads of friends. If you have any specific questions, fire away. BTW I ended up staying 17 years and am now back in Scotland, but all my clients are in the US.
It’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that things are difficult. ~Seneca
AnnieMacD wrote:
As for living in the US, it was a culture shock even though I speak English. I moved from Amsterdam to Chicago and it took me a year or two to feel at home.
Chicago has that effect.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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AndyInUK wrote:
I would say you are more secure in South Africa than in states. My 2 cents.
Why would you say that? South Africa is recognized as having one of the highest crime rates in the world. Its intentional homicide rate if five times that of the United States. For that matter, Official crime figures in 2009 showed the UK as having a worse rate for all types of violence than the U.S. and even South Africa [^]
The 3-legged stool of understanding is held up by history, languages, and mathematics. Equipped with these three you can learn anything you want to learn. But if you lack any one of them you are just another ignorant peasant with dung on your boots. R. A. H.
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AndyInUK wrote:
I would say you are more secure in South Africa than in states. My 2 cents.
Why would you say that? South Africa is recognized as having one of the highest crime rates in the world. Its intentional homicide rate if five times that of the United States. For that matter, Official crime figures in 2009 showed the UK as having a worse rate for all types of violence than the U.S. and even South Africa [^]
The 3-legged stool of understanding is held up by history, languages, and mathematics. Equipped with these three you can learn anything you want to learn. But if you lack any one of them you are just another ignorant peasant with dung on your boots. R. A. H.
Those figures are bullsh*t as different countries have a very different idea of what constitutes a 'violent' crime. The Daily Mail is a notorious right-wing scaremongering rag that tries to convince people that the sky is falling at every opportunity. The UK is far from perfect but please don't let that shitty excuse for a newspaper cloud your view. But I do agree with you about AndyInUK's comment - it was bizarre. I wouldn't live in South Africa if you paid me but would jump at the chance to live in the USA. Judging by the amount of South Africans who have emigrated to the UK in the last 20 years I don't think I'm alone in this view.
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I lived and worked for a year and a half in Clearwater, Florida, and both my wife and I had a fantastic time. We comfortably lived on one Salary, had the two cars in the driveway (a Mustang - Just because, brought that one home with us, and a Miata because you've got to have a convertible in Florida). Folklore may perpetuate myths of Ireland being a friendly welcoming country, and the US being some sort of over commercialised, gun totin', isolationist asylum. I have to say that didn't tally at all with reality. We made more friends and better friends during our short stay in the US that we have in Ireland. We got to know our neighbours better, we went to the movies with them, to restaurants, to coffee shops etc. Americans we met both in a personal capacity and in the course of day to day activities were almost universally friendly. Some of that may be down to the fact that at least some of them were relying on us for tips, but I do think you can only pretend to be happy and helpful for so long before your true self shines through and for the most part they were great people. America is (at least from the perspective of an Irish person) a very efficient place. We had two minor car accidents in which we were rear ended (same road, within a month of each other). The Police were insanely helpful and efficient. The work situation is a little different in the US. I was a contractor so my European pay and conditions were what I worked under. It seemed to me that Americans work quite long hours. I don't know if it's a pride thing, or a peer pressure thing, or just a peculiarity of the American Psyche, but work is VERY important, it's a reflection of your personality. Depending on the job you might find the hours and the conditions less favourable than work in your own country. All things considered I loved every minute of my time in the US. If the chance came up to go back I'd have a very hard time saying no. That's it. That was Florida (which many American's hate). Going to different states in the US is a bit like going to different countries. Downsides: Society is very divided in the US, the rich poor divide is nothing new, all countries have that, but the phoney Liberal Conservative divide gets tiresome. Particularly when you realise that it's in large part a divide created to bolster particular voting blocks and sell books and tv programming. It seems that most of the people most entrenched in their hatred of the other half of the country, don't even realise that they are be
Richard A. Dalton wrote:
Going to different states in the US is a bit like going to different countries.
This is one very nice part about the US. If you don't like one place, pack and move to another that is very different. You don't need to worry about visas or immigration, just move. At most, you'll have to get a new drivers license, but that's not a big deal.
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If you want to know what the hiring environment is like, check out hiring boards. monster, craigslist, etc. If you know what area you would like to live in, check out recruiters in that area. If you want to know what it's like to live here, it's a large country and I think it differs greatly depending on where you live.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
Honestly, the whole "It's different depending on where you live" thing is a little hard to digest, I've live here 4 years...been to 15+ states and they all seem carbon copies of each other. I mean I can be sure I'll spot a walmart/J.C. Penny/Macy's/Dunkin/Pep boys everywhere. Everything just seems to be a corporate chain :-D . Don't get me wrong, it nice they're consistent BUT it does get a little boring after some time ;P
I are n00b. This message brought to you by "The Devil's Advocate, LLC". Our slogan - "If you suck, we'll damn well tell you about it." -- JSOP
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Honestly, the whole "It's different depending on where you live" thing is a little hard to digest, I've live here 4 years...been to 15+ states and they all seem carbon copies of each other. I mean I can be sure I'll spot a walmart/J.C. Penny/Macy's/Dunkin/Pep boys everywhere. Everything just seems to be a corporate chain :-D . Don't get me wrong, it nice they're consistent BUT it does get a little boring after some time ;P
I are n00b. This message brought to you by "The Devil's Advocate, LLC". Our slogan - "If you suck, we'll damn well tell you about it." -- JSOP
Seems like you never lived any where long enough to notice the differences. "Been to x number of places" only qualifies you to make ignorant statements about x number of places. Are you a social person? I would expect talking to the people in these 15 different states would definitely bring out the difference. The entire Western world is populated with chain stores (urban areas usually lesser so), but does the name of the store in which you buy your pants dictate what it's like to live there? It seems you are very focused on the commercialism, which is odd considering you seem to despise it.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson