Briefly, my experience:

 

I am Italian and I have been working at the Saint Louis Art Museum since November 2001. I am on a J-1 Visa, intended for young professional/trainee and student.

I have a 18 months visa and I have been lucky and persevering in trying to find a job in the United States right after my graduation at the University of Turin (I graduated in June 2001 in History of Art Criticism). Before graduating I had been looking and applying for different positions (Aviso is where I eventually found this wonderful opportunity, right after my graduation). Many times the Museums, as public Institutions, cannot pay for your hiring process, so I paid for my visa and the Museum did not have to hire any lawyer (this would be necessary if I asked for a working visa, very expensive for the employer).

Three years ago I was an intern at the NASM and NMAA in Washington DC.

 

Being foreigner should not be a problem if you are the right person (certainly if an American citizen is an even competitor, he should get the job, but this is also fair …), but if you are “the right person at the right moment” your being a foreigner should not be a problem.

 

You have to be ready, though, to fill out many forms …I can say it is absolutely worthwhile and I thank Institutions like the Saint Louis Art Museum and, yes, the USA Government for giving me this wonderful opportunity.

 

My best wishes.

 

Angelica

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pamela Feltus
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2002 10:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Looking for a bit of advice

 

>  I read you e-mail and I have the same problem, because

>  my boyfriend lives in the USA. I have a degree in

>  Museum Studies and Archeology. I tried to send my

>  curriculum, but they answer, when they do, "No

>  thanks".

>  My advice is to speak with American embassy to ask

>  document to work there.

 

I think being in the country and having obtained your own green card or other

kind of work visa would help alot. The immigration laws in this country are

as confusing to citizens as it is to people outside (maybe more) and is

probably not waters h.r. people want to wade if they can find equally

qualified candidates locally (actually that might be a law?). So I think

seeing the foreign address and lack of visa can almost immediately put you in

the no file, even if you are the perfect candidate. When there are several

100 people applying for each position, employers can afford to be picky.

 

I once hired a summer intern from England-- his professor was best friend's

with a staff member. And the kid was a great intern. But getting him here and

all the paperwork done was such a headache and expensive - we had to consult

a lawyer to see if we were doing it right-  that a candidate would have to be

able to make trash turn into money for me to seriously consider delving into

those waters again.

 

But on the same account, I think it's the same thing for people here looking

to move to other cities.

 

Pamela

 

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