The Republic of Heaven

For all those sraffies dealing with volunteer work, extra-curricular activities, internships, placements, graduate schemes, applications, temp work, career changes, yada yada yada.

I'm guessing it's mostly going to be moaning, but hopefully there'll be some small joy too.

Currently trying to get employment sponsorship for an H1B visa to work in the US. Even the Science Employment specialists don't want to deal with visa applicants, so I'm pretty much on my own, applying to big science companies directly, trying to explain what an undergraduate masters is and what an upper second class honours means in terms of GPA, even though they don't really equate.

Oh the wondrous prospect of evolving myself into a cog for the corporate machine!

I wish this thread had been here last year when I was a faceless sub-editing drone.

Now I'm trying to become a faceless sub-editing drone again, at a better payed paper or magazine. I'm also working as a carer at after school care, which is draining but uncomplicated (and reminds me how vicious primary school kids can be) and dealing with flustered editors who either never return my calls or return them at times when I can't answer the phone.

It's given me a permanent migraine.

(reply to krebbe 's post)
Its a real shame that people that want to come to America and actually work and be apart of its society, cant, while a bunch of people come to our country illegally and destroy it from the inside. And yet our government treats them better than Americans and legal immigrants alike. It’s really sad for those people that work there butts off to try and get to America and cant. My girlfriend has been trying for a while now, but with little success. So I'm going there instead.

For all those sraffies dealing with volunteer work, extra-curricular activities, internships, placements, graduate schemes, applications, temp work, career changes, yada yada yada.

There seem to be a lot of options, but is just having a job included in this?

While a bunch of people come to our country illegally and destroy it from the inside. And yet our government treats them better than Americans and legal immigrants alike.

Um, no. I think you're a little bit confused about the relationship between the American government and illegal immigrants in America. It really doesn't work like that

Currently trying to get employment sponsorship for an H1B visa to work in the US. Even the Science Employment specialists don't want to deal with visa applicants, so I'm pretty much on my own, applying to big science companies directly, trying to explain what an undergraduate masters is and what an upper second class honours means in terms of GPA, even though they don't really equate.

Surely being from Oxford counts for something? It's like the only non-US uni in the world's top 10.

I've been flitting back and forth over career ideas, but now I'm very much set on becoming an Information Scientist. Oddly the Manchester Met seems to be the only uni around that will let you onto the course without a year's experience in the field first, so I'm hoping I can get onto that, since graduate trainee places in Manchester libraries are limited.

While a bunch of people come to our country illegally and destroy it from the inside. And yet our government treats them better than Americans and legal immigrants alike.

Um, no. I think you're a little bit confused about the relationship between the American government and illegal immigrants in America. It really doesn't work like that

I’m Confused? I don’t think so, People come to America illegally in attempts to make a better life for themselves WHICH IS FINE but they should do it legally instead of being lazy and jump the border because they can. Yeah I understand it’s hard to get into America. If I could change it I would but people that come here illegally ARE messing up the economy. Allot of people say that Americans won’t do the jobs that illegal immigrants do. I don’t believe that for a second. What if they were to become an American citizen....would that mean they would quit the illegal job because "Americans won’t do those jobs"? They get free health care when people that are poor in American don’t get a JACK! There are so many loopholes for them to fall threw the cracks and stay here and just do the bare minimum. Why would they want to start paying taxes if they can get away with living here illegally? I respect anyone that tries to come to a country and does everything they need to be there legally. But I can’t respect people that take the easy solution and make it worse for the people that have to do everything they are not just because they were born in America. I've personally worked with illegal immigrants. Nothing against them personally, they were good workers and came to work every day on time. But they got paid more than I did and didn’t speak a word of English, worked less hours, and had worked there less time. And they had lived in America for 18 YEARS! NOT ONE WORD. Many times I go to the local store and ask where something is and I can’t get an answer because…no English. But to be "fair"(if you can call any of this fair) the places that hire these people are just as much to blame as they are. But that’s a whole different conversation in itself. So Ian, could you please tell me in your opinion why you think how I may be wrong or confused or what you feel about the situation instead of just telling me I'm wrong?

Many times I go to the local store and ask were something is and I can’t get an answer because…no English.

FOR REAL?!?! Life is so hard sometimes.

Many times I go to the local store and ask were something is and I can’t get an answer because…no English.

FOR REAL?!?! Life is so hard sometimes.

I just think it’s respectful of other people that if you live in a country and work in that country you should speak the language. I plan on moving to Hungary and I’m learning Hungarian. Why is it their responsibility to cater to me just because I don’t know their language. It’s just selfish.

(ok, I fixed the whole TWO THINGS. Oh my, how could I be so careless....)

Many times I go to the local store and ask were something is and I can’t get an answer because…no English.

FOR REAL?!?! Life is so hard sometimes.

I just think it’s respectful of other people that if you live in a country and work in that country you should speak the language. I plan on moving to Hungary and I’m learning Hungarian. Why is it their responsibility to cater to me just because I don’t know there language. It’s just selfish.

Is English your first language? If so, it might be as well to master it before you move on to other ones.

In other words, please learn to spell and read your draft postings through (or get a beta reader to do it for you) before you post. Otherwise, you will be moderated.

As for careers; good luck Callum (and others) from a position safely on the far side of the rat race. It's never been harder out there.

they should do it legally instead of being lazy and jump the border because they can.

Don't you think that people would migrate legally if they could? Try to imagine if you lived in a country that was gripped by civil war, or where there were no opportunities for your children. It's not just about wanting to move somewhere for economic reasons. Migrating illegally is not some queue-jumping easy option, and I would think that people only do it because migrating legally is made unnecessarily hard.

About migrants learning English - perhaps one reason is that if they've come illegally, they can't go and get lessons, and spend most of their time living and working with other illegal immigrants. Giving legal immigrants English lessons is hard enough. I worked on a newspaper all of last year, and each day had to edit the community/volunteer notices. Every day there were notices begging for people to teach English to migrants.

Anyway, I won't wander off topic again...

i could probably teach a language if i were so inclined.

unfortunately my willingness to deal with people has grown less over time and thus a seemingly infinite capacity for learning languages is all but wasted. i'd rather be a film editor

present career: unemployed student-to-be
desired industry: film/theatre (production, not performance)
chance of getting a student loan to get back to the good life aka NOT working at some ~*pineapples*~ job full time: unknown as of yet
considering: taking a low-paying part time job or high-paying telesurvey job to avoid explaining past muckups to people who can offer more while at the same time increasing the chances of being accepted for student loan or line of credit

i had my future debt calculated but i forget what the number was; it was a sort of interactive experience that gave a lot more information than some imaginary number. i'd find the link but it's probably irrelevant to anyone outside of my province.

just a thought here; volunteering would give a reasonably professional reference over time, would it not? in that case, hello bonjour manitoba museum de manitoba!

Damn those illegal immigrants. Damn them to hell. Coming in here stealing all our job speaking their devil language. Why can't they just stay where they are and starve to death? I mean really! It's just so selfish! It's not like we need or needed these scumigants.










I'm starting a career in the civil service. It has more to do with experience than anything else as I still don't know what I want to do with my life. Starting to think I'll never figure that out.

Don't you think that people would migrate legally if they could? Try to imagine if you lived in a country that was gripped by civil war, or where there were no opportunities for your children. It's not just about wanting to move somewhere for economic reasons. Migrating illegally is not some queue-jumping easy option, and I would think that people only do it because migrating legally is made unnecessarily hard.

Oh, please. You think they've got problems? Imagine how you'd feel if you had to go to a grocery store and actually find something on your own instead of just having the clerk find it for you! I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.

Currently trying to get employment sponsorship for an H1B visa to work in the US. Even the Science Employment specialists don't want to deal with visa applicants, so I'm pretty much on my own, applying to big science companies directly, trying to explain what an undergraduate masters is and what an upper second class honours means in terms of GPA, even though they don't really equate.

Oh the wondrous prospect of evolving myself into a cog for the corporate machine!

*Feels your pain and then some* I've lived in the U.S. for nearly all of my life, and I have a non-undergraduate Masters and graduated summa cum laude, both of which employees can understand perfectly well...and I've worked here (and paid taxes on that work) since I was 15. But now that I'm out of school, I can't keep my job as a cog in the corporate machine, where I didn't even want to be in the first place...If getting an H1B is this hard for me, I can imagine how it is for you.

Callum, if you really do need advice, let me know. I'm a most unwilling expert on H1B/F1 processes by now. Getting an F1 visa will be the only alternative left to you, I suppose, if your H1B fails...except for marriage, of course.

I've been flitting back and forth over career ideas, but now I'm very much set on becoming an Information Scientist. Oddly the Manchester Met seems to be the only uni around that will let you onto the course without a year's experience in the field first, so I'm hoping I can get onto that, since graduate trainee places in Manchester libraries are limited.

I took the MA Library and Information Management course at MMU last year - well, I guess I still am, since I haven't finished my dissertation yet. I know someone who went there instead of Sheffield because of the work experience requirement. Good luck with applying!

Oh, please. You think they've got problems? Imagine how you'd feel if you had to go to a grocery store and actually find something on your own instead of just having the clerk find it for you! I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.

You know, I was just trying to tell Krebbe that I understand and admire anyone that’s willing to work hard to get what they want. I'm not perfect and just because I asked for help, doesn’t mean I didn’t look on my own first. I understand you disagreeing with me, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk. It’s not worth arguing about it anymore so can we just forget about it?

When I grow up I want to be an illegal immigrant.

I decided last night that should I ever get a real job (not teaching dance) before I get an actual career-like job after college, I would want to work in a coffee shop (like the small town ones we have, not like Starbucks). You meet all sorts of fun people just being in coffee shops for an hour or so and I imagine you would meet even more such people if you worked there. I like the atmosphere. And I love the smell of coffee.

I made this decision while sitting in a coffee shop...

I decided last night that should I ever get a real job (not teaching dance) before I get an actual career-like job after college, I would want to work in a coffee shop (like the small town ones we have, not like Starbucks). You meet all sorts of fun people just being in coffee shops for an hour or so and I imagine you would meet even more such people if you worked there. I like the atmosphere. And I love the smell of coffee.

I made this decision while sitting in a coffee shop...

Waitressing work is...hell. But perhaps you're more temperamentally suited to it than I ever have been.

working on applications for summer jobs a month behind most of my local peers. as if writing cover letters for listed jobs wasn't difficult enough, writing letters introducing yourself to potential employers who aren't looking for employees? blah.