Job-hunting in New York as an Irish student

The ups and down of learning about America

DAIRE O'DOWD,

IrishCentral.com Contributor

Published Thursday, July 7, 2011, 7:12 AM

Updated Thursday, July 7, 2011, 10:57 AM

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8 Comments

New York City

Since my decision to stay in New York for the summer, the true extent and reality of the situation for Irish immigrants in America has become clear—It is no picnic, especially if you can’t get a job.

Here for only three months on a student working visa my optimism and enthusiasm for life in the ‘Big Apple“was at it’s all time high upon my first arrival.

Too optimistic really. My immediate rash decisions including moving in with a big gang of Irish and saying anything and everything to get a job and spurning the Jersey Shore job I had arranged,

But I loved everything about New York and wanted to stay.

I was delighted when I got a call back almost immediately from a village store in Queens for an interview. A job is a job right? In my desperate attempt for work I thought surely a small wee fib such as the fact that my cashier skills were quite great would keep my job.

Oops, I was wrong and as I was told it wasn’t working out after a few days.
After a few other fruitless days looking I wondered what the hell I was doing in New York City at all?
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Read more:

My first day in America and a dream come true

Top ten tips for Irish J1 students coming to the U.S. for the summer

Summer in the city for Irish students
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The reality of the cost of rent in New York really hit home to me when I was left with nowhere to go with friends for six hours outside McDonalds frantically ringing around landlords looking for a cheap place to stay after we lost our lease on our admittedly overcrowded apartment.

So having done the full circle of finding a job and a place to stay and losing them all over again I was know back at square one having to ring my family and once again hope that I could rely on that connection to rest my head in safety for the night.

The strength of connections are what most Irish have to rely on and tend to in this current economic turmoil but for many in today’s situation it just is not enough.

As I listened to two old men while temporarily covering for someone in an Irish bar, I was reminded of the dynamic of ties and links in this globalised world at ten in the morning.

Those were the bad old times it sounded like, but it is no picnic today either in the land of the crushed Celtic Tiger. The advice my father texted me from back home in Ireland was ‘to volunteer and do a Catholic food run’.

Bearing this text in mind and an incredible weekend from my boat trip to Ellis Island and witnessing the July 4th celebrations, my faith has been reinstated in this city, we Irish helped to build. For the moment. I have also found accommodation.

Now to the streets I go –to job hunt once more, let’s just hope the numerous homeless people going through the garbage don’t distract me from this new found optimism!

Nster.com

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bensi21 | Jul 08, 2011, 04:22 PM EDT

Did u think NYC was Fantasy Island? What an ignorant. If u are a really irishman go back to Ireland add keep helping your country to rise again. That's the problem of you. Little bit of pressure in Ireland and fly to the United States like cowards. Believing USA is the best the world can offer. What a bunch of losers. Traitors to the homeland.

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joan1954 | Jul 07, 2011, 04:27 PM EDT

Why don't young Irish look at South Texas and specifically the city of San Antonio? I am sure that the Gaelic Footbal Team may be able to help. For the most part jobs are good and accomodation good. The only thing is that we don't have Irish bars on the north side of San Antonio. There are some downtown but most are in name only.

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maloney | Jul 07, 2011, 03:09 PM EDT

being a liar is always a great way to find work, dunce.

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islenita | Jul 07, 2011, 01:19 PM EDT

NYC is the "City of Dreams" but it is a nightmare if you do not have a lot of money. It is extremely expensive.My son went there for university and the rent for a hallway with a floor just big enough to put a futon in was $2K. He wanted to stay but if you don't get a job making at least $100k you can't live for very long. He tried for 2 years sold almost everything took in a roommate slept on the floor but had to come home. Here in Philly there is an Irish network per say where there are people who would take you in, help you get a job etc but it's tight. Good luck

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JohnnyMac | Jul 07, 2011, 01:14 PM EDT

You went to the wrong part of New York. Everyone believes "New York" is the City of New York and her 5 boroughs. The Great State of New York is much much more, and there are many summer job opportunities for those who can relocate for those jobs. Hotels, Amusement Parks, State and County Parks galore. Life in the mountains of New York State could be heaven for eager hard working folks looking for summer work. Long Island is great too, a bit too crowded, but great.

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Searlit | Jul 07, 2011, 12:30 PM EDT

The world is a different place, now. We're living in the 21st century. While our communications abilities have made the world seem smaller, we haven't kept pace, in creating new ways to solve new problems. There are some out there working on novel ways to improve our standard of living - they just don't get much media attention. I'm glad you are persevering, it is depressing seeing so many homeless.

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PatriciaMarya | Jul 07, 2011, 12:23 PM EDT

You can't come to NYC and expect it to open its arms to you. What we went through after 9/11 was an abomination - there was no work since people come from 3 states around for jobs and landlords were salivating at the prospect of evicting people for slowness in being able to pay rent. And I am a local. I was unemployed for the better part of 3 years. It sure sounds like fun, but really if you are looking for work, follow the American jobs that have been outsourced to China, India, Mexico, the Phillipines, El Salvador, VietNam - get the picture? Be grateful that you have a home in Ireland to go back to. At one state in my life, back in 1986, I worked 3 jobs 7 days a week because all of them were minimum wage gigs and I have an amazing work history as well as advanced degrees. The Big Apple stands for how it makes you choke on the reality. The Eurotrash or the Trust Fund Kids have absolutely no problems paying the big bucks for rent without having to work. The Wall Street Scum also laugh all the way to the bank at the plight of the rest of U.S. It is the New Reality of the New World. Accept it.

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Padraig8 | Jul 07, 2011, 10:13 AM EDT

Dear Daire: If you think it is tough to exist in the US you should try being a Yank in Ireland i tried to find a job in Ireland to no avail a few years back even though it was a great economy at the time ,the regulations are absurd being a retired trucker and a dual citizen you would have thought simple but try to get an Irish Driving job if you are not a local its impossible.so be happy your Da is supporting you and suck it up, also NYcity is not the real USA so go elswhere.

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