Useful Information

We have compiled some useful information for you. Feel free to read it all, or just quickly jump to the sections that you are interested in!

• Job Positions by States
• Applying in the US (CV and Resume advice)
• Standard Living Expenses in the US

Job Positions by States

Bellow are job positions listed by states. Each position description contains detailed information about work duties, requirements, payment, accommodation, transport and other details. Click any state to download the list of positions in MS Word doc file format.

In addition, we have compiled a list of employers that caused trouble in the past. We strongly suggest having a look at that file. The employers black list.

Applying in the United States of America

If you plan to apply in the USA, you need to know how to do so in a way that it not only leaves a good impression at prospective employers, but also evokes their interest in getting to know you better. This can be a difficult goal to achieve, but Global Choices would like to guide you through the myriad of formal and stylistic criteria to ensure you make the most of your application!

1. The Cover Letter

Your cover letter allows you to indicate the position you would like to apply for, your qualifications and skills, and the reasons why the employer should consider you for the position. Generally speaking, it should be no longer than 3 to 4 paragraphs. It is meant ot be a supplement to your resume — i.e. do not repeat exactly what you have listed there.

The cover letter is a great way for the employer to get to know you better (and your English and writing skills!), so make sure it is clear, informative, and grammatically correct. Since your resume will be sent to a number of different employers, you need to make sure that your cover letter is tailored not to a single position but to the specific type of postion you want to apply for. For example, if your desired job is in marketing, you should focus on one specific field in marketing (e.g. online marketing, sales, market research). Mention why you would like to work in this type of position, why in the US, and why you are the right person to do the job! We have assembled a sample cover letter that you should have a look at. And if you really want to stand out and gain a competitive edge, you can tailor your cover letter to each position you apply to!

2. The Resume (CV)

Your resume or CV (short for curriculum vitae) is a one-page schedular summary of your education, former employment, and skills. Its structure is standardized, however you are free to change fonts, font size and make minor(!) alterations to suit your needs. The main sections are:

• Your contact details and objective at the top (do not attach a photo!)
• Your education (list in descending chronological order)
• Your experience (always mention company, location, your position, and a summary of your tasks, list in descending chronological order)
• Your other skills
• Your interests

You can find a sample resume here that you can use as a template.

Standard Living Expenses in the US

When you go to the United States, it is important to have a rough estimate on what you are going to spend. It turns out that this estimate varies greatly, depending on where you are going to live. Generally speaking, cities are more expensive than rural areas, and the larger the city, the more you will spend. Expect especially famous places like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco to be really expensive.

Another factor is: How are you going to spend your money? Are you planning to just buy food, or do you want to go out a few times a week, do excursions, travel around? Of course all those activities will increase the amount of money you will spend.

A rough idea of how much you are going to spend on food and groceries only would be a minimum of 300 USD per month.

Apartment costs are difficult to predict, because this depends on both where and how you are going to live. For a one bed room apartment you should estimate between 500 and 800 USD a month.

Shared bedrooms are cheaper of course, although we cannot give you exact numbers. There are simply too many variables like state, area, city, number of rooms, number of roommates, etc… Cost for shared accomodation starts roughly at 250 USD, if you are not in a big city.

Cars add additional 100 USD for insurance and 100 USD for petrol per month. Car licence renewal and emission test cost approximately 140 USD (once a year).

In summary, to survive you would need a minimum of about 700 USD, but to live we recommend that you have at least 1,200 USD available per month.

Additionally, we strongly encourage you to over-budget your trip to the USA, so that – just in case – you will have some savings to rely on.

Finally, we have assembled a handy reference for some estimated average prices:

• Bar with DJ or Music: Girls 5, Boys 7 USD (Admittance)
• Beer: 3 USD
• Nightclub: 5-10 USD (Admittance), more in large Cities
• Bowling: 1.50 USD for Shoes, 3 USD per Round
• Cinema: 9-10 USD
• Museum: Students 5-10, Adults 10-15 USD (Admittance)
• Coffee: less than 1 USD
• Fast Food Meal: 6-7 USD
• Dinner in Restaurant: 10-15 USD for a One Course Dinner