The United States of America remains the promised land for many people. The year has not been easy for the Russian economy. Therefore, our compatriots, hoping for the best, set off to look for themselves on foreign shores. Many Russians willingly choose the East Coast for themselves. Working in Los Angeles is a very popular destination.
California is famous for its beautiful weather, beaches and one of the largest entertainment industries in the world.
Evening panorama of Los Angeles
It looks very tempting. For example, according to statistics, about 30% of all Russian immigrants come to Los Angeles and its suburbs.
The two most important tasks when moving to the United States are finding housing and work. There are no problems with accommodation in Los Angeles.
There are many relatively inexpensive hostels here. In addition, it is possible to rent an apartment or room. And when the main flow of tourists subsides, you can even find a hotel room at quite reasonable prices. Working in Los Angeles can be a little more enjoyable due to the good climate.
Those who want to save on housing and can drive a car can always find a place to live in nearby cities. There will be no problems solving this problem, but the work will be more difficult.
Most often people from creative professions come to Los Angeles. There is no mystery in this. Many film studios, galleries, performance venues, dance and theater schools are scattered throughout the City of Angels.
Walk of Stars in Los Angeles
It is possible to find yourself in this field, but it is difficult, and it will take a long time, but you need money right away. If you came here with a classical education, then things are different. Jobs in Los Angeles can also be found through the Work and Travel program.
Work and travel under the Work and Travel program
Trips under the Work and Travel program often end in failure, and no one provides you with the promised job. Then there are only two logical options left. Go home or look for a job yourself. Job searches in Los Angeles are the same as in other states.
More often, people choose the second because they feel sorry for the money spent, and America promises mountains of gold to those who conquer it. Plus, the people who came under this program have a work permit. Therefore, they can contact any recruiting company, fill out applications and resumes, and then wait. For non-residents, such services are paid.
You'll have to wait a long time. In accordance with US laws, a job goes to a newcomer if no suitable candidates with American citizenship have been found within 3 months. Or a residence permit and green card. The chances of luck here are slim.
Most likely, you will get a job that is not very well paid, hard or dirty. The kind that locals refuse. But it's better than nothing.
If you are looking for work without documents confirming your right to work in the United States, things are more difficult. But there is a way out here too. Job advertisements can often be found on the very popular site craigslist.com.
Moving to Los Angeles: Pros and Cons
You need to carefully consider all the positives and negatives before moving to Los Angeles. Only in this case will the migration be successful.
What you need to know before moving
There are several features that you need to know before you start living in the “city of angels”:
- purchasing a refrigerator - most rental apartments do not have this appliance;
- use of free parking – a period of 2 hours (when streets are being cleaned, you can save money);
- the city cannot be described in one word, there are many nationalities here, each quarter is different from the other;
- the area must be chosen carefully;
- You can spend a lot of time getting home from work and vice versa.
Before moving, it is important to know that the average annual temperature is +25 degrees - this is an excellent living condition.
Climate, monthly cost of living
The Southern California coast is often subject to cyclones, but this does not mean that the climate is considered unfavorable. You can immigrate to Los Angeles only because of the temperature: in summer it is +27 degrees, and in winter – +15.
The cost of living is calculated based on the cost of renting housing, as well as the minimum food basket. On average, a Westerner spends up to $600 a month on groceries in a store; travel costs up to $70 a month. It is also worth considering the possible costs of medications at the pharmacy.
Period of adaptation to the city
Before moving to the USA, it is worth considering the points of adaptation in Los Angeles:
- there is no need to be embarrassed to speak the local language, even if your level of proficiency is low;
- problems with money – visitors often have difficulty earning money, so it’s worth taking care of a vacancy in advance;
- At first, there may be problems with communication - it is difficult to find new friends on another continent, especially if a Russian citizen came alone to a new country.
To successfully complete the adaptation period, you can visit a psychologist online or prepare in advance for possible problems.
Useful tips from people who have moved
There are several recommendations to help you settle in Los Angeles, work and live there without problems:
- the city is ideal for living with a family;
- a Russian-speaking person is recommended to master a foreign language;
- adaptation occurs over several years.
Despite the high level of transport development in the city, the metro does not always solve the problem of traffic jams: in some cases, personal vehicles will be useful.
Professional workers
If you are a master of any kind of creativity, you can sell your services. For example, if you draw, sing, sew or make compositions from dried flowers, you can find yourself a small income. To do this, you can register on etsy.com. If you truly do something better than others, you will be noticed quickly.
Exclusive and unique items are extremely popular in Los Angeles and other states.
Feedback from those who left for work in Los Angeles
People from the CIS countries note positive adaptation to the city, as well as the absence of problems with finding work. It is easy for men to get a job as a security guard, driver or courier, and women are easily hired as a nanny or caregiver after an appropriate interview. Immigrants note that living in Los Angeles is not so cheap compared to other American cities, but the city attracts with its beauty and diversity, and the warm climate makes them stay there forever.
When moving to Los Angeles on a work visa or permanent residence, it is important to consider any possible surprises. Immigrants argue that there is a job for everyone in the city, but the higher the skills, abilities and English language proficiency, the greater the chance of finding a worthwhile vacancy.
How to find a job with low English proficiency
One of the most pressing issues for newcomers is finding a job with a low level of language proficiency. If you have at least a small supply of money, then it is better to take language courses. They won't ask you what you're doing in the country, so it's a safe way to learn at least the basics of English.
You can also try to find free courses. They are found at churches, charitable foundations and evening schools. Addresses and telephone numbers can always be found on the Internet or in local directories. For example, such courses are offered by LAUSD Adult Schools.
Features of labor migration to Los Angeles
The first thing that influences successful work activity is the correct choice of visa document. To obtain a residence permit in the United States, you can also arrive in the country at the invitation of an employer. The main feature of labor migration is the increase in the number of migrants in the United States, so problems may arise when obtaining a work visa.
How to find a job with a high level of English proficiency
Very often, Russians who come here with knowledge of English are confident that America will fall at their feet. Usually this illusion disappears after a couple of days. The California dialect, especially in everyday communication, differs from the New York dialect or the one studied in language courses, at school, or at university.
In Los Angeles there are many people from Latin countries who speak an unknown language called Spanglish, which is a cross between English and Spanish. In addition, here you can hear:
- Mexican English;
- "language of the streets";
- Afro-English;
- and many other languages for which they do not sell tutorials.
One lesson from the English language tutorial
All these features will make any certified linguist just a silent listener. The advantage is that they adapt faster. And within a week they will be able to find a job with higher pay. Although you shouldn’t expect that you will be able to find your dream job right away.
You can search for it in the same way as people with a low level of English. Through websites, recruiting agencies, advertisements. But unlike them, you can still walk through cafes, restaurants and shops, talk with sellers and owners. They might like you and hire you. In the job search process, the main thing is to be realistic or lucky, but more on them later.
— Moving Company. Driver/foreman - from 33/40 per hour. Helper - from 23/26 per hour. —- The moving company is recruiting guys to work for all positions, both for local and long-distance moves. Our main locations are Los Angeles, Irvine, San Jose, Seattle. Our company's policy is to pay more for good work, since satisfied clients = good tips for the guys plus bonuses from the company, a guarantee of regular work and good sleep for our office. We pay well and prefer to build mutually beneficial cooperation on transparent and mutually motivating conditions: 1) driver - Foreman: from 33 per hour, if the client paid in cash +2 per hour, if he leaves positive feedback additionally +5 per hour. That is, with good work and payment in cash, it turns out from 40 per hour. 2) driver (not foreman): from 30 per hour, plus 3 per hour for positive feedback at work. 3) foreman (not driver): from 27 per hour. The same bonus system as the driver/forman, that is, the salary starts from 34 per hour. 4) helper: from 23 per hour. If you do good work with positive feedback from the client, +3 per hour is added. (foreman gets an additional bonus of 30-60 on top for every positive client review of work) From the office side, we try to give a good workload to those guys who want to work as much as possible. For those guys who are busy with other part-time jobs, there is the opportunity to work part time. For example, if you prefer to work as a postmate, but want not to sit too long and get a lot more done in a day, our dispatchers can only call you for large jobs on certain days. In general, we invite all guys who are ready to work and want to earn good money. For guys with experience and excellent quality of work, we guarantee a full workload and a personal approach. We are for a healthy atmosphere in the team and discipline within reasonable limits - don’t be late, keep the trucks clean, don’t create problems out of the blue, don’t be rude to customers. If questions arise, be able to conduct a constructive dialogue without pronounced emotions and raised tones. All trucks are equipped with everything necessary, including: 40-50 moving blankets, 8-10 wardrobes, 1-2 TV boxes, 2-3 speedpacks, 2-3 four-wheelers, 2-3 hand-trucks, moving straps, door covers, floor runners, regular boxes, 1-2 mattress carry bags... including rear view cameras, cones, etc. If the team has preferences for special equipment, such as for example, we will add it. For guys who work on a permanent basis, payment is made weekly. If you urgently need money at the beginning, we will pay daily at first, however, we ask all the guys to switch to weekly payment, since counting everyone separately is simply inconvenient and ineffective. We are also recruiting partners (limited number) who want to work on a permanent or part-time basis - in LA County, Bay Area, Denver, Las Vegas, and other cities. The percentage will vary depending on the price for the client; we try to focus on paying clients and high price tags for quality work, so that everyone benefits from mutual cooperation. For this question, contact Sergei. If our offer and our conditions suit you, you can contact us by phone or email. If you don’t get through by phone, leave a voicemail or better yet, send an SMS - we’ll definitely call you back. You can also contact us by telegram. Dima - (call, SMS, telegram) (weekend - Tuesday, Wednesday) Oleg - (call, SMS, telegram) (weekend - Sunday, Monday) Andrey - (telegram) (weekend - Saturday, Sunday) Sergey - (call, SMS , telegram)
Successful profession
Cooks, hairdressers, nurses and caregivers - all these professions will always be in demand. Especially in a city like Los Angeles. People here live at a fairly fast pace.
Dine in a cafe is faster and sometimes cheaper, so the number of public catering places in the city is more than one thousand. In a city where everyone wants to be a media personality, beauty professions are in demand. Such as makeup artists, stylists, fitness trainers, nutritionists, image makers and others who somehow fall into this list.
What will be tested here is not your diploma, but your skills. For many professions here, even the coolest Russian certificate will not mean anything. You will still have to obtain all sanitary and other work permits on site.
To find out how in demand your current or future profession is in the United States in 2021, you can try to find it on the shortage list. A list of all such areas is published annually on the information website of the American or Los Angeles government.
Working in the American film industry in Hollywood
If your profession appears on this list in section H1 (high-level specialists) in 2021, then you can submit a request for a vacancy through the US government website.
Work in auto repair and car service in the USA
Almost every American has a car; it is impossible to live without this “horse”:
- she will bring it to the office,
- and help you do shopping,
- and will take you out into nature for relaxation.
Only they are not eternal - these horsepowers tend to fail. But don’t worry about where to get your favorite car repaired, where to replace tires or change spark plugs in the USA. Today it is not difficult to find professionals in their field who perform any kind of locksmith work to repair a car. There is no point in sitting on the phone, nervously fiddling with a large reference book, buying newspapers or looking for digests. Just visit this site, its section “Work? Work required? Auto repair and service”, and the addresses and telephone numbers of the best private repairmen are in your pocket.
On this Notice Board, not only private traders who perform certain work on car repairs leave information about themselves, but also those who are looking for assistants for their professional activities. The abundance of vacancies in car service in New York suggests that there are either too many cars in the city, that all the repair shops can’t cope, or there are too few specialists who know which side the steering wheel is on the Chevrolet Aveo and Impala. Or maybe these are new car services in America that are hiring staff? Then the abundance of advertisements “wanted auto mechanics and assistants without experience” on this resource is understandable.
Harmless advice
People often realize that the money they brought with them will not be enough for a long time. California is not the cheapest part of the USA. And they are desperate to find at least some kind of work. Even if their employer does not inspire confidence in them.
If something in his speech or behavior alarms you or they offer too good a payment for washing dishes or loading boxes, it is better to turn around and leave as quickly as possible.
Street actor in Los Angeles
There are plenty of scammers and just not very good people in Los Angeles.
And now three important things that you don’t need to do when looking for a job:
- try to get a job illegally with dubious individuals;
- try to get a job outside your specialty or with zero skills in this field;
- try to open your own business.
Oddly enough, many people coming from Russia strive to open stores here for Russians. Or ethnic restaurants with borscht and dumplings. They do not take into account the fact that they will see their compatriots in such an establishment once a year. The rest of the population is not surprised by this. Most likely, there is already exactly the same cafe/restaurant across the street from them.
