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Greetings to the stranger from a different culture! I feel you because I am you—an immigrant in the land of Hollywood movies. I hope you didn’t picture that this journey would be like those movies because it is not. And let’s be clear, who wants to be chased by a herd of agents named Smith just because they followed a white rabbit? Not me; I’m taking the blue pill. Just kidding, red pill all the way! Let’s dive in.
You will deal with culture shock (if you haven’t already), which is a real struggle. You’re alone in a different land, and even worse, you’re unemployed. That’s just great! Yet, your unique story can inspire many immigrating people. You might have come to the US through marriage or school. Or it could even be through a career, but things didn’t work out. Maybe you were a doctor or engineer in your homeland and emigrated here because you were mistreated. You might have faced discrimination because of your sexual orientation, gender, or race. Or perhaps there was an excellent opportunity for you, and you decided to take it. However it happened, you are here now. And you need a job!
Oh, I see. You’re saying that you have already started applying for jobs. Guess what? Denied! One of the most common answers you’re getting, if any, is a “Thanks, but no thanks. You don’t have experience.” Say what? You didn’t even give me a chance!? It’s a crazy loop! My time is running out! These were my thoughts, and you might be thinking similarly. You try to stay positive, but in the back of your head, you know you are stuck in this loop of madness: The Experience Loop. So how do you get out of this paradox?
“I didn’t come to America to work at McDonald’s with my Ph.D.!” I get it. We want what we deserve, but sometimes we must bite the bullet. Actualizing your dreams doesn’t happen overnight, not for us immigrants. We have to work hard and reach far for our desires. There is no shame in doing simple jobs. It’s not wrong to get diverted from our pursuit of success.
There is a bowling alley where I live. The workers are very friendly and know that I’m looking for a job. Each time we go there, they ask me when I’m going to apply. “Don’t bring your resume, just come!” I started spreading the word that I might apply for it. It’s not that it will hurt my Bachelor’s Degree, right? Although I’m not sure, I never asked about its feelings. But I know about my mom’s feelings! She was NOT pleased when she heard I might start working there with my literature degree, trilingualism, and other skills. But if you don’t have another chance, you must do what’s necessary. So maybe you should call the number on the ‘cashier wanted’ sign. Or disguise yourself as an Uber driver while actually being a teacher. Perhaps you’re a surgeon, but maybe you should work at that customer service job, hoping that you won’t cut open the customers’ heads to see if there is any brain inside. Okay, just kidding, don’t ever do that.
I encourage you to start working somewhere! Go for it and get as much experience as you can. There is no shame in doing any of those jobs. In fact, many successful people have done unrelated jobs until they found their purpose. Did you know that the guy who launched BuzzFeed and HuffPost used to be a teacher? Also, having gap years doesn’t look good on your resume. Hard work is always appreciated. If you keep an open mind with your desire in your heart, you’ll get where you want to be!
So did I end up working at that bowling alley? Well, life has a funny way of helping you out. I got hired as a Comedy Content Writer here at our company – with an intern position. I’m doing it because writing is my passion, and I want to improve it. Believe it or not, this internship will have a hell of a benefit for me! Do an internship. Whether it is paid or unpaid, or you think you’re too old for it, get experience! Volunteer as an assistant for your desired position. Work for free and load your resume! I know it sounds like exploitation, but you know what? Many successful people started as interns, like Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey. Their internships were only the beginning of their grand success.
Get internships that suit YOUR desire. If you want to be a writer like me, be an intern somewhere as a writer or editor. If you’re going to be a mechanic, ask to help as an apprentice where you can improve yourself. Do you desire to be a famous actor/actress? Then volunteer to work at your local theatre and meet new people. Having a large network plays a major role in finding your desired career! Who knows, you might even be hired by the place you did an internship at.
If you start an internship, ask them to remove the title ‘intern’ from your position. Unfortunately, most companies have a bias against interns. As if being an immigrant doesn’t give them enough of a bias about you. This deserves a big eye roll! Ask them for a favor; you already aren’t being paid, so what would they lose? If they say that it would be unfair to the other interns, ask them to change others’ titles too! It will only help interns and never hurt the company. In fact, they might get favored for treating their workers right. And might I remind you that you did the same work as anybody else without getting paid a penny. They owe you that much! The days of interns carrying suitcases and bringing coffees are in the past!
Sometimes, things aren’t fair for immigrants in the US. People might judge you, look down on you, or even tell you to ‘go back where you came from!’ The biggest irony is that immigrants founded the United States. Don’t forget that you are here with the right causes, and don’t ever let anyone bring you down! People’s words and actions only tell us who they are, not who we are. Allow people to judge you by your character, not by where you’re from. You will be where you want to be with good ethics and hard work. I wish you all the luck and patience in this journey!
Check out our blog if you want more advice on finding a purposeful career.
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As a child, I had a hard time speaking about my thoughts and feelings. That's when writing came to my rescue. Since then, we've been inseparable.
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