WANNA WORK IN THE USA (and make lots of money)

[marlon]

I WANNA WORK IN THE USA (and make lots of money)

Here is a question people...

I have a master degree in theoretical physics and in (hopefully) two years time i will have a master degree in applied physics from the university of Ghent in Belgium.

I want to work in high-tech industries in the best nation of the world : USA

WHAT DO I DO ?

any tips?

regards
marlon

 

[recon]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought that spammers had finally infiltrated PF. I'm from the US, so I can't help you.

[EDIT: D'OH! What I meant was: I'm NOT from the US, so I can't help you.]

 

[Gokul43201]

3 different routes come to mind (others might suggest better options). I list these in an order that I believe goes from highest likelihood of success to the lowest. They also, unfortunately - for that is life - go in the order of longest time taken to least.

#1) Apply for a PhD at US Universities. If you apply smartly and wisely, I believe you'll get into a pretty good school. Most schools give you the option to test out of PhD coursework. Then, depending on the group, you may be able to graduate in as little as 3 years or as many as 6. After you graduate with a PhD. your chances of getting an Industry job are really good.

#2) Apply for jobs in multinational Technology companies (such as Phillips) that will hire you in Europe, but could give you the opportunity to transfer to a US location after some experience.

#3) Apply directly for jobs with American Companies. This has a low likelihood of success, but may be worth a shot anyway.



Why do you want to leave Europe for the US ? Have you visited here before or spent any amount of time in the US in the past ?

 

[humanino]

#1) Apply for a PhD at US Universities. If you apply smartly and wisely, I believe you'll get into a pretty good school. Most schools give you the option to test out of PhD coursework. Then, depending on the group, you may be able to graduate in as little as 3 years or as many as 6. After you graduate with a PhD. your chances of getting an Industry job are really good.

I am getting a french PhD, but working constantly here, on an experiment in one of your facilities. I guess this is not the same as getting it from one of your universities.

 

[marlon]

Why do you want to leave Europe for the US ? Have you visited here before or spent any amount of time in the US in the past ?

I have not yet been to the US and the reason i want to work there is because there are more possibilities of working at the centre of the technological development in the world. I do have some relatives that work in Silicon Valley...


regards
marlon

 

[humanino]

I have not yet been to the US and the reason i want to work there is because there are more possibilities of working at the centre of the technological development in the world. I do have some relatives that work in Silicon Valley...

The future might be more east. Way more east

 

[Moonbear]

I have not yet been to the US and the reason i want to work there is because there are more possibilities of working at the centre of the technological development in the world. I do have some relatives that work in Silicon Valley...


regards
marlon

Marlon, the reality is that even US citizens are having a hard time getting jobs in that industry. It boomed and then crashed. It seems to be holding steady now, but there are still a lot of unemployed folks in that industry. It may be very hard for you to get a foot in the door in the US. That doesn't mean don't try, but it does mean have a back-up plan for staying in Europe.

 

[marlon]

Moonbear, thanks for your reply...

But why would it be hard ? That is exactly what i want to know. What are my main disadvantages i have because i ain't no native american ?


regards
marlon

 

[Clausius2]

Marlon, the reality is that even US citizens are having a hard time getting jobs in that industry. It boomed and then crashed. It seems to be holding steady now, but there are still a lot of unemployed folks in that industry. It may be very hard for you to get a foot in the door in the US. That doesn't mean don't try, but it does mean have a back-up plan for staying in Europe.

It sounds interesting that the US door is closed for foreign workers, while USA has been suppliying itself with a lot of european scientists since the beginning of the 20th century. Thousands of scientists (or almost scientists) like Marlon and Humanino were recruited in the past century by the USA. In part, the actual industry and science hegemony of USA is due to them. It sounds USA does not want to open the door now you have lifted off.

 

[marlon]

Indeed Clausius2

I also think that the driving force in the US are the talented foreigners recruited by the US. The big brain drain , you know...

regards
marlon

 

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

i know lots of Canadians scientist leaving for the US because they get a better pay, but in the end I've heard some say that it wasnt worth it

 

[humanino]

What are my main disadvantages

definitely : philosophical. Practical advantages seem numerous to me. If you can find a position in a large city, that would be pretty much the same as large European cities.

 

[Kalimaa23]

I'm a bit sceptical about this...
I can completely understand to desire to leave Belgium. Believe me, I'm not staying my whole life. But why leave for the States?

I think is about time that European scientists and engineers get their act together and do something contructive IN EUROPE. Although the brain-drain is not as bad as it used to be, it's still bad enough.

Of course, lack of political good-will is a big problem. But I'm convinced that it's not all bad over here. Why don't look to France, Britain or Germany? I'd rather stay in Europe, and try to make the most of it. The past century was bad enough, most of the damage done then has been repaired. It's time for Europe to get it's act back together and become a world-power, not only economically (about the only thing we are currently), but also politically and scientifically.

Sorry, rant over. As you may have gathered, I feel quite strongly on this subject.

 

[humanino]

It's time for Europe to get it's act back together and become a world-power, not only economically (about the only thing we are currently), but also politically and scientifically.

It is part of the philosophical reasons I was mentionning earlier. Yet we are not too bad scientifically already

 

[Kalimaa23]

True, during the last two decades of the century we made some great progress (CERN, ESA,...), but I still feel we can do better, as a region with 450 million people, most of the living in highly-develloped industrial nations...

 

[humanino]

You are so right Dimitri
I have been wondering lately, you took me back from the dark side of the force !

 

[marlon]

Now this might all be very true, yet nobody can deny that the most important scientific progress is made in the US. That is the reason I want to be there.

marlon

 

[member 5645]

Your qualifications are well above that of the average US citizens. While many people are out of work (hahah, we say many with an unemployment rate HALF that of Germany), your degrees, and possible experience you already have, would make you an apt candidate in many areas.
We have hired internationally recently with less qualifications.


Good luck :)

 

[Smurf]

Now this might all be very true, yet nobody can deny that the most important scientific progress is made in the US. That is the reason I want to be there.

*coughs softly* I think your forgetting Japan. but its really expensive there (and tokyo is really rough on the working man)

 

[Moonbear]

Moonbear, thanks for your reply...

But why would it be hard ? That is exactly what i want to know. What are my main disadvantages i have because i ain't no native american ?


regards
marlon

I think you misunderstood my advice. It's not because you are foreign that you'll have trouble, though you might...with plenty of people here looking for jobs, someone might think twice before taking a chance on someone who needs to get approved for a visa to work here. But, really it's just that the jobs in that particular industry are pretty saturated already. There are too many qualified people looking for jobs and not enough jobs to go around. It's not a very stable source of employment when you do get it. High tech industries are pretty variable...they could suddenly take off again and start hiring tons of people in a few years. All I'm suggesting is keep some options open elsewhere in the world...y'know, try for what you want, but always have a back-up plan.

 

[marlon]

*coughs softly* I think your forgetting Japan. but its really expensive there (and tokyo is really rough on the working man)

Err, i think i would rather die then having to live and work in Japan...sorry...

I am a fan of Europe, the USA and Canada...

regards
marlon

 

[Smurf]

hehe, yeah it's not exactly the most pleasant of living conditions, is there another reason you don't want to work there? I was merely pointing out the the USA is second in scientific progress.

 

[marlon]

hehe, yeah it's not exactly the most pleasant of living conditions, is there another reason you don't want to work there? I was merely pointing out the the USA is second in scientific progress.

The Japanese society is very closed and "internal" so a foreigner would never be looked at as completely integrated into society and thus regarded as beeing eeeuuhh of "strange" descent...

Besides, Japan is not number one, just look at their economy, and can you name me one great Japanese scientist apart from Yukawa ?


regards
marlon

 

[Gokul43201]

Yoshio Nishina, Yoichiro Nambu, Sin-Itiro Tomonaga : that's three.

Nevertheless, I agree with you that the United States is the leader in scientific progress.

 

[humanino]

What about the number of math theorem having a japanese/chineese name for 50 years ? Whenever you encounter one, do not check the demonstration That's what I noticed :shy:

 

[Clausius2]

Anyway, Marlon, you can always apply for a McDonalds or Burger King. Surely you find a lot of them there.

And why you don't come here to Spain?. The number of scientific jobs are small, but I'll assure you the life quality is better here. The food, the spanish night, the spanish women, the red wine,... .

 

[Gokul43201]

The spanish night, the spanish women, the food, the red wine... [/color] and watch out for those bulls ! .................. :

 

[marlon]

Anyway, Marlon, you can always apply for a McDonalds or Burger King. Surely you find a lot of them there.

And why you don't come here to Spain?. The number of scientific jobs are small, but I'll assure you the life quality is better here. The food, the spanish night, the spanish women, the red wine,... .

hihaaaa

that's a deal, forget about the US

marlon

 

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

Anyway, Marlon, you can always apply for a McDonalds or Burger King. Surely you find a lot of them there.

And why you don't come here to Spain?. The number of scientific jobs are small, but I'll assure you the life quality is better here. The food, the spanish night, the spanish women, the red wine,... .

cant forget the siesta in old serajevo(sp?)

 

[Clausius2]

The spanish night, the spanish women, the food, the red wine... [/color] and watch out for those bulls ! .................. :

Don't worry. They are not running trough every street. But there are some spaniards who are more dangerous than them.

cant forget the siesta in old serajevo(sp?)

Sorry, I've not understand what the siesta has to do with old sarajevo.
But I see you know something about the siesta, it's an old custom here. It's some sleeping time before the launch (at 3:30 PM approximately to 4:00PM). A recently dead famous writer, D. Camilo José Cela (author of "La Colmena" and "La Familia de Pascual Duarte") said he often sleept for two or three hours in the siesta time. He also used to sleep at the siesta dressed up with a pijama!.