Some boring important tips. Part 3:
Work:
From my Russian-Tatar perspective, I believe everyone needs to have at least 2 jobs.
Earning $8 at one job, like I did, won't get you far, considering rent, transport costs, food, etc.
My example:
A week after I started working, I went looking for a second job. An additional difficulty was the fact that the city where I was located wasn't exactly a tourist hotspot. Real Americans lived there, and there wasn't a goldmine of seasonal work like in coastal cities.
An extra challenge was that I didn't have an American SIM card. I only had email. So, in every application, I asked them to contact me via email, which, of course, no one did.
My algorithm for finding a "second" job:
- Don't rush to look for a second job right after unpacking. Give yourself a week to get used to the new life, place, time, and rest after the trip.
- Start searching only when you've settled into the 1st one. Remember that one shouldn't interfere with the other.
- Develop a clearer schedule for your 1st job so you know exactly when you can work at the second.
- Spend 1-2 days exploring all cafes, restaurants, shops, and hotels. Start the "Collect as many application forms as possible" contest.
- Dedicate 1 day to taking your filled-out applications back to all those places. Don't skip anything! Ask to speak with managers directly, face-to-face!
- The next day arrives. Time to visit them again. Find time to go through all the places again and ask if they've considered your candidacy. Even if not much time has passed.
- The next day. They probably miss you already. Visit them again with the same question. And keep doing this until someone breaks and tells you when to start.
P.S. Buy an American SIM card as soon as you arrive - make your life easier.
And be persistent so they see how badly you want to work for them specifically.
Look for a second job in a cafe/restaurant to be closer to food. They have very good discounts for their employees, so the problem of money for food can be minimized!
Housing:
There are three options here:
- provided by the manager
- manager helps you find it once you're there
- on your own
My example:
I had the second option. I went to that place without any idea where I would live.
Thankfully, the manager helped.
If you end up with the third option, start searching well in advance while you're still at home. Prices will be cheaper, and your nerves will be intact. There are many local sites where various ads are posted, including housing rentals. Sites like https://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
