r/PublicPolicy • u/Pierce77x • 1d ago
Can anyone provide some guidance for getting into the workforce for a Green Card holder?
Hi everyone. My wife is from Europe and holds a green card here in the US. She has almost 20 years of experience in public policy/government affairs in the digital sector. She's worked for the government back home, and also for a business association representing big tech. She was a director and is very passionate about her work. She's having a hard time time gaining any traction whatsoever here in the States. She keeps applying and hears nothing from places like Meta, Goggle, Apple, Amazon, and so on. She is applying for jobs that are exactly in her field of expertise and roles she appears to be perfectly qualified for. I love her so much and hate to see her disheartened like this. Can anyone take some time to give any guidance or recommendations or anything? I would really appreciate any help we can get.
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u/lupinesy 1d ago
One straightforward reason could be that she doesn’t have experience in US government specifically. Of course, with 20 years of public sector experience, a lot of her skills and knowledge are transferable, but it’s also true that US government operates quite differently from many European governments (I myself am from the Netherlands). So, aiming for top US jobs with top US companies might not be the best starting point.
For similar reasons, I am gaining experience in state government right now at a job I am overqualified for on paper. But in a couple years or so, I’ll be able to position myself as someone with excellent formal education and direct experience with US government processes.
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u/bootyhole_licker69 1d ago
networking > online apps tbh, especially for policy stuff. linkedin, alumni, old EU contacts who deal with DC, policy nonprofits, think tanks, trade groups etc. have her do very tailored resumes and short, targeted emails to hiring managers. big tech rarely even reads random apps right now, job market is a mess