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#57634 - 08/27/00 06:56 PM Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Antonio Offline


Executive Member

Registered: 05/07/00
Posts: 1176
Loc: Madrid (Spain)
I've been thinking of going to the US or the UK to work as a computer science engineer and to improve my English.

Having so many people from the US on the board, I guess you can help me with my questions.

About the US:

* How easy is it to get a computer related job there being a computer science engineer?
Nuria told me they don't care if your English is not perfect or if you don't have experience. Is it true?.

* Do I have to get a contract beforehand to get a working visa?. If so, for how long will I be entitled to work there?.

* Where should I go?. (apart from Sillicon Valley which is only for experts).

About the UK:

I went and lived there for 6 months so I think I have some knowledge about what does living in the UK implies.

(By the way, I lived in Norwich, Brighton and Bath).

Having said that:

* How easy is it to get a computer related job there being a computer science engineer?

* Where should I go?. Some people told me there were quite a lot of IT companies in the Bristol area.

Of course, I know I shouldn't go to London. Which are the cheapest areas to live in?

Also, I would like to live in a place where I can take English lessons. Therefore, it should be a city with several schools of English.

----

I think the most important things are salaries and cost of living.

Thank you for your help,

Antonio

PS: I only want to work for 1 or 2 years. I'm sure I will miss Spain to much and I don't want to leave there forever.
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#57635 - 08/27/00 07:15 PM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Wendy E Offline
Member

Registered: 07/27/00
Posts: 74
I used to work for a network engineer, so maybe I can help you.

* How easy is it to get a computer related job there being a computer science engineer?

Pretty easy - I'm sure you've heard, there are more jobs than people right now, and start-up ISPS and websites desperately need workers.

Nuria told me they don't care if your English is not perfect or if you don't have experience. Is it true?.

See above! These days, employers need a warm body and little else.

* Do I have to get a contract beforehand to get a working visa?. If so, for how long will I be entitled to work there?.

I don't know about immigration laws, but someplaces will hire you illegally, and thereby paying you less.

* Where should I go?. (apart from Sillicon Valley which is only for experts).

The US is a huge country. What appeals to you? Big cities are probably easier to live in, and definitely easier to find work in, especially if you can't get a visa and have to work under the table.

Good luck.

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#57636 - 08/28/00 09:33 AM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Brian Goldthorp Offline
Member

Registered: 07/06/00
Posts: 43
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Wouldn't it be easier to get a job in the UK than in the US since you have a European Union passport?

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#57637 - 08/28/00 11:48 AM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Jen Offline
Member

Registered: 08/01/00
Posts: 217
Loc: Chicago
Come to the US! There's so much to see and jobs are plentiful. Your English certainly is good enough to get a good job. Decide on what type of climate you could live in too.

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#57638 - 08/28/00 03:44 PM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Diana Offline
Member

Registered: 06/18/00
Posts: 506
Loc: Pennsylvania, USA
Antonio, check out this website on job prospects in the US (the Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2000-2001). It's quite interesting and up-to-date.
http://www.bls.gov/ocohome.htm

Good luck!

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#57639 - 08/28/00 05:20 PM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Nuria Offline
Member

Registered: 07/04/00
Posts: 263
Loc: NJ, USA
Hey Madridman, why don't you adopt Antonio so he can get his visa????

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#57640 - 08/28/00 07:30 PM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
Antonio Offline


Executive Member

Registered: 05/07/00
Posts: 1176
Loc: Madrid (Spain)
First, thank you very much to all of you for your answers.

Brian, I know it's easier to go to the UK. We don't even need a passport, just our Spanish ID card (DNI). But computing development takes place mainly in the US. Also, El Boqueron said salaries are higher there and cost of living could be cheaper.

Do you have any suggestions as to where to go to live and work in the UK?. I heard Liverpool, Manchester, Cambridge or Oxford are cheaper than any of the cities I went to (I knew they were quite expensive).

Thank you,

Antonio
_________________________
The best tips from your favourite hostal in Madrid.
Hostal Chelo at http://www.chelo.com

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#57641 - 08/28/00 09:44 PM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
MadridMan Offline


Executive Member

Registered: 05/06/00
Posts: 9080
Loc: Madrid, Spain (was Columbus, O...
Antonio, I hearby adopt you as my son. Hahahaa.!! But seriously folks, many people tell ME "Oh, just GO to Spain and get your job" and many people may say, "Oh, just go to the US and get your job." I believe that it is MUCH MUCH easier to do this as someone FROM the US going to Spain than the other way around. Unless you want to pick vegetables, fruits, or do other farm work that pays very little, EVERY business will require you to have a valid work visa AND a social security number. NO reputable business, PARTICULARLY one which works in technologies, will hire ANYONE who does not have the proper paperwork because if caught the business could lose everything; reputation, fines, bad press, and no owner/manager would risk all these things.

I don't think there are many businesses (anymore) which will pay in cash and if they pay you in checks you need a social security number (or valid identification that HAS your SS#) in order to change these checks to cash.

Don't "just come" because you'll be sorry. Maybe the best way would be to find and marry some lovely woman from the US. And then, if you have bad luck, she'd want to live in Spain! Imagine the horror!! (sheesh!) People are getting married left and right and moving to Spain! ARGH!! WHATABOUTME?!!?!??!?!!!

Best of luck, Antonio. And by the way, if you can pretend to be 16 I'll adopt you.

Saludos, MadridMan
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#57642 - 08/29/00 07:49 AM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
El Boqueron Offline
Member

Registered: 06/09/00
Posts: 421
Loc: UK
Hi Antonio - Liverpool and Manchester are relatively cheap, Oxford and Cambridge expensive. In general, the South of the UK is more expensive than the north, especially around London. Liverpool and Manchester both have airports with good connections to Spain (EasyJet fly Liverpool-Madrid everyday). I'm afraid I don't know much about getting work in the computer industry, though I'm always reading that there are shortages. However, it's likely that these are in London and the south!

Saludos.

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#57643 - 08/29/00 10:31 AM Re: Should Antonio go to the US / UK?
JARABOAN Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 05/22/00
Posts: 7
Loc: Madrid
Hello:

I do not know it this will help you but there are Spanish consultants (I work for a big five consulting company in Madrid) that are moving to posts in the USA. They can do it temporarily (some months) but they can also ask to be transferred to the USA for a permanent post. What I am trying to say is that if you begin working in a multinational company as a consultant it doesn´t matter where you begin there are facilities to move wherever you want to, as long as you speak and write proper English.
Actually my sister is working in the USA as a web designer.

------------------
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