Need suggestions for job search for step son

[viking]

Well my step son has finally returned from his 3-4 month trip back home. We needs to find a job. His previous job here, before he left, is no longer available.

He speak no English ( but will start ESL in a week)
Has only a high school education ( from Belarus)
No skill sets to speak of
22 years old

I realize that this may put him into the category of manual labor ( construction, landscaping, etc) but still need an avenue to search for anything.

Can anyone recommend a website that will be useful? The ones I am finding, needing a Russian speaking person, also requires English.

He does not have a network where he can go to friends/associates to recommend a job with perhaps a service/company where the employees speak Russian.

Any help is appreciated.

[Muzh]

Viking, I think it would be better for him to go to a vocational school (i.e. ITT). even if he finds a job doing manual labor.

[Steamer]

He speak no English ( but will start ESL in a week)

The English needs to happen before anything else. Have him concentrate on this. The quality of any job he will find is directly related to his level of English.

[GQBlues]

Viking-
 
Language immersion is but the only thing he should be concentrating on, if that's feasible for you and your wife. In the interim, I would suggest you pick him up a good hobby to curb some of the boredom while he's getting better with the language. At 22, he'll desperately need something to pre-occupy his time while in this 'down' period.
 
A good tool/hobby I would suggest is a guitar. He can use the net to get any tablature sites and play/learn 'english' pop to compliment his language learning process. With the aid of the computer, it is so insanely easy to learn how to play than it used to be...

Once he gets a little bit going on the language, I'd suggest going out and try to get his degree. Even trade schools leaning on an IT career. Without this, he won't be taking advantage of the opportunity available for him especially at such a *young* age.
 
Of course, meeting/getting himself an English-speaking RW GF will be an immense help, too. As long as they don't get too careless....
 
*I just read what Muzh and Steamer wrote, LOL...yeah - what they said...*

[Vaughn]

Of course, meeting/getting himself an English-speaking RW GF will be an immense help, too.

An even better scenario would be a GF who speaks no Russian at all. Now that might give him more incentive to study.
I totally agree (as you already know) with Steamer & GQ, Viking. Language, language, and lots of practice. Finding him a Russian-speaking job will only delay the inevitable.
He has his NY State driver's license, correct?

[viking]

Yes. He has a full NY license. And I know that the English is must have first. School would be from about 9AM to about 12-1PM. After that he will be bored to death. I tried to get him involved in a GF, of any nationality before, but to no avail. Getting him to go to clubs in the Brighton Beach area, as an example. Seems he is more interested in chat and SMS sessions from a GF back in the home country than a live woman here. I don't know if his personality, a bit shy to meet here, versus a much more aggressive attitude there that is causing this. But yeah, getting involved in a GF where English is necessary would be great, but even a Russian language GF would help.

[Steamer]

Seems he is more interested in chat and SMS sessions from a GF back in the home country than a live woman here.

I'd be willing to bet that the better he gets at English the less this will be a problem. Imagine his situation: he can't talk to girls and it's hard to make friends. Hopefully there may be some kids his age in the ESL class. That would motivate him.

[Ade]

I'd be willing to bet that the better he gets at English the less this will be a problem. Imagine his situation: he can't talk to girls and it's hard to make friends. Hopefully there may be some kids his age in the ESL class. That would motivate him.

I thought Brighton beach was full of Russian speaking women so perhaps it's not just an English thing.

[acctBill]

Viking I'm with those who say that he needs to learn English first then address his choice of a career.  Unless your part of America has a large number of Russian businesses that need workers with no English language skills, he's going to need to learn English to live and work in the US.  His mother has to convince him to become proficient in English ASAP.

[calmissile]

Viking,
I have been reading this thread with interest.  I am curious as to how you got your son into the US since he is over 18.  We have a similar situation to face.  It was my understanding that adult children can take 1-2 years to get a visa to immigrate to the US.

Coupled with a few good quality friends, its amazing how fast kids can learn if they want to and have a little help.

When we discussed employment of her 23 year old son, she came up with the same answer, landscaping and laborer.  Due to what we understood to be the long wait period, we made different arrangements at least for the time being.  He is going to live at our farm in Ukraine and hopefully become fluent in English before coming to the US at a later time.  He is a very hard worker and a real nice kid.  I feel bad about leaving him behind but he seems OK with it for now.

The 13 year old daughter is fortunate in that she has been learning English in her Ukraine public school and her and her little girlfriends have been having fun teaching mom and grandma English phrases that they shouldn't be repeating.  After I get a feel for the flavor of this board, I might share some of the antics she pulls.  In any case it doesn't have to be boring if your not trying learn the language on your own.

[Vincenzo]

Many retail stores need part-time workers. English can be very limited.

[acctBill]

Viking,
I have been reading this thread with interest.  I am curious as to how you got your son into the US since he is over 18.  We have a similar situation to face.  It was my understanding that adult children can take 1-2 years to get a visa to immigrate to the US.

Coupled with a few good quality friends, its amazing how fast kids can learn if they want to and have a little help.

When we discussed employment of her 23 year old son, she came up with the same answer, landscaping and laborer.  Due to what we understood to be the long wait period, we made different arrangements at least for the time being.  He is going to live at our farm in Ukraine and hopefully become fluent in English before coming to the US at a later time.  He is a very hard worker and a real nice kid.  I feel bad about leaving him behind but he seems OK with it for now.

The 13 year old daughter is fortunate in that she has been learning English in her Ukraine public school and her and her little girlfriends have been having fun teaching mom and grandma English phrases that they shouldn't be repeating.  After I get a feel for the flavor of this board, I might share some of the antics she pulls.  In any case it doesn't have to be boring if your not trying learn the language on your own.

calmissile the easiest route for your stepson to enter the US is for him to go to college or university.  There are hundreds of thousands of foreign students in the US every year.  He can even get a student visa to learn English in the US and then go to college.  If you can afford it, it is the simplest and fastest route to get him into the country.   

[viking]

Calmissile

He came over on a K2 visa, before he turned 21, which is the cutoff age. After 21, it can take way more than 1-2 years. Unless  he is in a university and can come over on a student visa, as another has stated.

Steamer

Just about everyone in his class will be Spanish speaking. And older. At least that is my wife's experience.

Vincenzo

My wife applied at several stores, like Kohl's and Macy's  and even though her English is passable, there are so many people looking for any type of employment these days, she was passed over. As far as her son is concerned, how can you work at a register, when you cannot even read what is on the screen?

[GoodOlBoy]

Can anyone recommend a website that will be useful?

http://www.goarmy.com/
 
GOB

[JohnDearGreen]

Can anyone recommend a website that will be useful? The ones I am finding, needing a Russian speaking person, also requires English.

Best place for unskilled labor is your local city/state job bank or unemployment office.  Register there, check job listings there, or search here:
http://www.jobcentral.org/ny/results.asp
http://webos.dol.state.nj.us:444/seeker/job.asp?id=NJ0806983
http://webos.dol.state.nj.us:444/seeker/job.asp?id=NJ0807642
http://webos.dol.state.nj.us:444/seeker/job.asp?id=NJ0806704
http://nationalalamo-erac.icims.com/jobs/50275/job

[Muzh]

I thought Brighton beach was full of Russian speaking women so perhaps it's not just an English thing.

Ade, obviously you don't know the women of Brighton Beach. 

[kmin]

Well my step son has finally returned from his 3-4 month trip back home. We needs to find a job. His previous job here, before he left, is no longer available.

He speak no English ( but will start ESL in a week)
Has only a high school education ( from Belarus)
No skill sets to speak of
22 years old

I realize that this may put him into the category of manual labor ( construction, landscaping, etc) but still need an avenue to search for anything.

Can anyone recommend a website that will be useful? The ones I am finding, needing a Russian speaking person, also requires English.

He does not have a network where he can go to friends/associates to recommend a job with perhaps a service/company where the employees speak Russian.

Any help is appreciated.

I work in the construction industry and can tell you that now no one is hiring, but in 3-4 years everyone will be hiring and in 6-10 years we will only have 75% of the work force to do the work.  Project Supervision, Project Administration, and Project Management will all be in high demand country wide and will pay in many cases into the 100k range or more for limited experienced personnel with degree in construction management.

If he can possibly hold out and get part time work, either construction or service industry, while he gets a 4 year degree in construction management, he would have a great and high paying job when he graduates.

Otherwise I do know the Rail Road industry is hiring over the next year and they pay good money for starting out and once you start working for them they rarely lay you off.

[Vincenzo]

My wife applied at several stores, like Kohl's and Macy's  and even though her English is passable, there are so many people looking for any type of employment these days, she was passed over. As far as her son is concerned, how can you work at a register, when you cannot even read what is on the screen?

Stores need not only cashiers, they also need people who do dirty jobs. For example, who cleans restrooms or lines up cans at night?

But he is screwed.

You should expect that he'll say soon, "I want to go home, I want to be with girls."

[BC]

If you are anywhere near a military base, check the moving companies.  Now is low season, but in late spring to mid summer all hell breaks loose and they look for extra hands to fill the gaps. 

It's back breaking work, but better than nothing.  At least he can drop off contact info just in case and offer to do a little work in the meantime and get a little experience before the season. 

[viking]

http://www.goarmy.com/
 
GOB

GOB. Actually tried that. His fluent Russian would be a great asset, if he spoke English now. All army training is in English.

[GoodOlBoy]

You should expect that he'll say soon, "I want to go home, I want to be with girls."

Or.....Option B (which I have seen here where I live  ). Junior brings home a girl (maybe pregnant) and settles her in under Viking's "roof"  (Just like in the FSU).
 
Then Viking will have an instant extended family to provide for! 
 
Before anybody laughs this scenario off, don't forget...you are dealing here with the FSU mindset ( Sons"expect" cradle to grave support from Mom ).
 
GOB

[viking]

Or.....Option B (which I have seen here where I live  ). Junior brings home a girl (maybe pregnant) and settles her in under Viking's "roof"  (Just like in the FSU).
 
Then Viking will have an instant extended family to provide for! 
 
Before anybody laughs this scenario off, don't forget...you are dealing here with the FSU mindset ( Sons"expect" cradle to grave support from Mom ).
 
GOB

Just not gonna happen. Period.

[Vaughn]

 ( Sons"expect" cradle to grave support from Mom ).

I've got male cousins, a brother-in-law, nephews and non-related male friends in the FSU, none of whom leech off Mama....  where do people come up with this stuff?