IT jobs in the USA

The USA is home to many of the worlds leading companies in a variety of industry sectors – information technology being one of the biggest and providing a variety of different IT job opportunities.

The USA has always been known as the land of opportunity and as a result, the United States is attracting over a million immigrants a year - a greater number than at any time in its history. Over the last decade, nearly 11 million people have made the transition to the USA and it remains one of the world's leading economies, politically it is the most powerful country on earth and it is a trendsetter in many ways. American commercial interests span the globe and our business culture is strongly influenced by them.

For UK nationals looking to live and work in the USA there are distinct benefits: Americans speak English, American law has its roots in English law, and the Americans think in terms of pounds, miles, feet and inches! In many ways, it is like a home from home!

Employment in the USA in professional and technical services (in particular engineering and computer systems design) has continued to increase for many years. The sector with the highest level of employment growth has been in high technology and niche markets. Many of the computer skills required in these fields include

Working practices

The USA is well known for its business success and its strong work ethic. For most people, the standard working week in the USA consists of more than 49 hours and in some industries, employees are seen to be working more than 60 hours a week. For this effort and commitment, however, the USA offers fantastic career opportunities.

Holiday entitlements in the USA are also different from those in the UK. The standard paid holiday entitlement in the UK is 4 weeks but in the USA it is only for 2 weeks. With longer periods of service, some companies increase this allowance to 3 weeks.

Finding jobs in the USA

Despite the fact that the USA is attracting a substantial amount of immigrants each year, finding a job in the USA can be difficult. In order to obtain legal permission to live and work in the USA, a ‘green card’ is required. To find out more about US immigration click here

Most people looking to work in the USA take one of two options. Either they join a UK firm that has US offices with the intention of working towards and securing a transfer or they apply directly to US firms requesting that they sponsor the person for a visa.

Applying for jobs in the USA

The job application process in the USA is slightly different from that of the UK.

The USA has both a CV and a résumé. A résumé is usually one page long is a concise summary of a person’s education, qualifications and personal experiences. The intention of the résumé is to prove suitability for a particular position. A CV is usually longer then a résumé totalling three or more pages. The CV is a comprehensive biographical statement emphasising academic, professional qualifications and activities. Most positions will require a résumé; though on some occasions an employer will ask for a CV supplement. A tailored covering letter is also expected.

Living in the USA

Renting accommodation is straightforward and the usual pricing rules apply – if you want to live in the centre of a big town such as San Francisco or New York, then you'll pay town-centre rents. But elsewhere rents will be much more affordable. Most apartments provide the option of a three-month, six-month or one-year lease. The longer the lease term, the less you pay per month. If you move out before your lease terminates, you usually will be charged a penalty. Apartments owners also require a security deposit. This will be returned to you if nothing is damaged and the apartment is in good condition when you leave at the end of the contract term.

Finding an IT job in the USA

The information technology market is not only one of the fastest-growing industries in the USA but the most advanced in the world. Due to the size and expansion of this market, there are all types of IT jobs in the USA available requiring an array of professional skills. The jobs include the expected

Some of larger IT companies in the USA include Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett Packard and Apple.