How to Get a Job in America

If you are considering a move to the USA, you are probably wondering how to get a job in America. You will be glad to hear that, despite the recession, things are looking hopeful for the US job market, and the economy as a whole. The country’s GDP is expected to grow up to 1.7% by 2020. So, although there is an ongoing political shift with Donald Trump as president, which, some would argue, is not the best thing to have happened to America, the economy there has certainly changed for the better after the great recession. The decade-long expansion of the American economy is reported to have created $20 million, and the unemployment rate has seen a recent decrease from 4% in January of this year to 3.8% in March. This means that things are looking up for job seekers in the US, including expats. To help make your job search that little bit easier, Send My Bag is here to offer some guidance on how to get a job in America.

Job Sectors with the Highest Demand 

The job sectors in the US with the highest demand are reported to be Engineering, Healthcare, and Technology, but other occupations where there are skills shortages include those within the financial and legal services, management consultancy, and school teachers. The US offers a visa to individuals specializing in these occupations, called the H-1B visa, so having any training or professional experience in any of these sectors is a plus!

In the technology sector, software development tops the list, which just goes to show the growing demand for digital technology and the tech-savvy skills needed to meet this demand. Job prospects in this field are projected to rise 30% by 2026. New York City has snapped up the 3^rd spot in the top tech-savvy cities in the world, whilst San Francisco, California has been placed in 10^th position. A move to America for a career in software development would be worth it, with an average annual salary of around $100,000.

In the healthcare sector, jobs with high salaries of between $100-200,000 and increasing job prospects include physicians, paediatricians, surgeons, nursing, dentistry, and psychological and physiological therapy.

The US Workplace 

The US workplace has benefits like high-paying salaries, with the US being ranked the country with the 4^th highest average income in 2019. However, you will need to be prepared to work long hours to enjoy this. Americans have been reported to work more hours than workers in other counties. In 2018 the International Labour Organization identified that they work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more than British workers, and 499 more hours than French workers. Americans are also known to take fewer holidays as US employers are not required by law to provide paid leave, although some businesses do offer it.

Despite this somewhat strenuous work structure, the US was recently reported to have the highest job satisfaction since 2005 due to job security, high salaries, and better opportunities. Full-time workers in professional fields can also benefit from healthcare packages, which is particularly beneficial because free healthcare isn’t a thing in America. Work in the United States is undoubtedly appealing to many as it snapped up the top spot in the most attractive countries to move to for work.

Job Sources

Recruitment agencies are a useful source when it comes to finding jobs. Turning to an agency might also be a faster process, as recruitment consultants from these agencies use their resources and connections to find jobs for their candidates. You would still have to go through the normal hiring process, like uploading your CV and doing an interview, but with the help of a recruiter it should be easier and more convenient for you.

Forbes produced a list of the top American recruitment firms in 2018 and identified that data-driven recruiting has been a huge success for firms like Korn Ferry, Lucas Group, and MRI Network. These recruitment firms collect and analyse different types of data like candidates’ job interests and/or any changes in these interests to make the hiring process more time-efficient and to build effective relationships with their candidates. This goes to show how digital technology is important in the business of recruitment, so the internet and social networks are key for job searching, as data now means that recommended jobs will be shown to you based on your search interests!

Twitter is a useful source for job-seekers in the US, and the top recruiters on this network that you should follow include The Select Group, XTech Staffing, and Adecco USA, who share job postings, CV & interview tips, industry trends, and advice for the American workplace. US recruitment agencies specialising in hiring internationals include Alliance and Robert Half International.

LinkedIn is a key social network for your job hunt, with over 26 million companies, 15 million active job listings on the network, and more than 90% of recruiters on the network. An interesting fact about the network is that user profiles with professional headshots get 14 times more profile views, so you should spruce up your profile by including your headshot and a list of your skills, and connect with companies and employees in the area you’re interested in.

Top Companies to Work for in the US 

A 2018 survey collected millions of employee reviews from the site Glassdoor and produced a list of the top 100 companies to work for in the US based on these. Fox Business narrowed down the list to the top 10, which mostly included companies in the technology sector, and therefore proving again that technology is a successful sector to join in America. One company that you mightn’t expect to be in the top 10 is fast-food chain, In-N-Out burger.

1. Bain and Company: Management consultancy firm with a good work environment, as rated by employees.
2. Zoom Video Communications: Software company specialising in cloud-based services.
3. In-N-Out Burger: Fast-food chain with a 4.5 employee rating due to training and opportunities in managerial roles.
4. Procore Technologies: Software firm with many opportunities for career growth.
5. Boston Consulting Group: Management consulting firm with offices in 50 countries and 16,000 employees.
6. LinkedIn: Professional social network jumping up from the 21^st spot in 2017.
7. Facebook: Social media platform which has led the list for three years.
8. Google: Search engine that has fallen from fifth position in 2017.
9. Lululemon: An athletic apparel company with an employee rating of 4.4.
10. Southwest Airlines: Jumped up from the 23^rd position in 2017, which is said to be due to the company’s community and culture.

Part-Time and Temporary Work 

Your move to America may be short-term, so you might only be looking for enough work to cover your finances, without having to work the full-time long hours that a professional career in America would require. Many people are known to move to America for a year or less, for more of a working holiday. In this case, you can make use of gap year and working holiday programmes like Gap 360, BUNAC, OneWorld365, and The Intern Group, which do, however, charge a fee. Recruitment websites can also be used, like the US version of Indeed, IRS Careers, and Recruit.net. The highest paying and most common part-time jobs in the US have been reported to include waitressing, bar tending, retail assistants, and customer service representatives.

Job hunting can be an additional stress when relocating to another country, especially when you already have to sort things like a visa, accommodation, healthcare and finances. Check out our blog on moving to America, where we guide you through the relocation process. Our expat shipping service can also remove the stress of shipping all your boxes, as our door-to-door service can pick them up for you and deliver them straight to America without any hassle on your part.