Need some help with J1 year graduate visa, or year Internship visa

Dantemustdie

Hi all, just thought I'd ask some questions regarding these types of visas. I am graduating in October with a degree in Biology from NUIM and am looking to either go to NY for a year on the work visa for graduates, or go to NY on the internship visa (with USIT). My questions probably have been asked before but I just want to clarify.
1. What are the chances of getting a job in NY city with a bachelors degree in Biology? (It was a pretty tough degree).

2. Is it easier to have an internship prearranged, or is it easier to just head out and look for work, basically, is it easier to go with the 1 year working visa or the internship visa?

3. What were people's experiences who have done this type of thing before? Recommend it?

4. What would a ballpark figure be for everything? I mean for absolutely everything, I'm talking all the costs of USIT, interviews, insurance, arranging somewhere to stay and perhaps keeping myself afloat for a period of time before I secure work, flight etc?

5. Is there anywhere that can help you do a killer Resume for your field which would boost your chances of getting work?


I have been researching for a while but I'd like to get people's experience on what its actually like to go and do this. If you can answer any of the questions it'd be much appreciated. Thanks a lot

GradGirl27

Hey,

Congrats on the degree

Im currently on the same visa been here 9 months now in total so to answer your q's

1: I didnt do the same degree as you so I really can't help you with exclusive biology type information but from the 20+ interviews I did in NYC I got no job offer.... it's just how it is over here, some companies will love that you're irish and will butter you up during the interview then you'll never hear back, some others might just not like that you are irish (or of any other foreign descent other than American) yes they can be this rude! they wont say it to your face of course but they just wont hire you.

I was so put off after doing almost 10 interviews with a variety of businesses/companies all over manhattan that I just had no drive left to want to even be here anymore (even though its always been my dream to work in nyc) I thought it would be easy because theres so much job opportunities and so many companies that someones gotta hire me...right?...wrong! What you don't realize is that especially if you find a job from craigslist...that about 300 others have seen that too and want to apply so you really need to have luck on your side to find any kind of job here in new york its so tough!

Im not even sure where you want to apply yet but you should do a lot of research into companies and their addresses and see how easy they are to get to from subways etc. even email some before you go to give them a heads up that you are going over from ireland and would love the opportunity to interview with them if they have any vacancies, seriously americans love being bigged up like this!

Just dont get disheartened when you dont hear back, and I know its rude but honestly only 2 out of the 20+ companies i interviewed for actually emailed me or rang me to tell me they had chosen someone else but thanked me for my time. All the rest I politely waited a week then contacted them asking for some feedback and if the position is filled and then only around 3 got back to me.

2- there is no '1 year work visa' I duno where you heard about this but it doesnt exist. The internship visa is new and only for graduates of up to one year from their grad date so yes you will have to go for this one. Also it is tough and almost impossible to have an internship secured before you come here, thats a huge new thing about this visa, is that you have three months to find one once you get here. I mean who really wants to risk hiring someone from half way around the world before they even land in the country.

3. Well being here 9 months now it's been very tough, I mean I wouldn't not reccommend it but I (talk a lot, as you can see from how long my replies have been so far haha so I have a lot of information and help I can give to others) would want others to know how hard it is actually being here and having so many no's thrown at you when you spend so much time, energy and money going and interviewing with places and then the rudeness of not even hearing back from half of them can realy make you want to just give up! Like my internships arent even paid over here so Im in a dilema of wanting to go find bar work or something (hush hush the visa people cant know this of course because its an internship programme) so I will say that only about 5% of nyc and most other states internships are paid!! So just save a lot before you come here or try get a job in a bar or something to keep you going.

4. Ok well the programme cost me 2,400 euro total incl the flights, insurance, embassy fee was an extra 140 (or 120 i think), getting somewhere to stay well you will either have to stay with a friend (if you have one or family here for a week or two) or a hostel or hotel because you wont find anyone willing to take you from craigslist into an apartment when you arent even in the country yet and dont even think of paying people over craigslist for a room when you arent even in the country yet either!! so that could be like maybe an extra 200-300 depending if its a hostel obviously they are cheaper than a hotel, but just try get on finding acc once you get here! as for spending money well if you stay in a hostel that has a microwave or some small oven or something then you can live cheaply on microwave dinners or the like (its america lol they have so much food here to microwave its ridic!!) or pot noodles or whatever so you could budget around 20 euro...30 dollars a day this incl like subway fare or whatever too, subway one way ride is 2.50 dollars so maybe for a two week period having around 300 dollars you will be grand. all in all its best to come here with at least a grand ( you have to show the embassy you have at least 1,500 in your bank account anyways)

5. Google! ha! its the only place that will really help you, I mean resume's arent that hard to do and they are better than a cv i think, you dont state your leaving cert results or anything on it, and google helped me like figure out the statement that goes first on one etc.

Hope I helped you