Think of the cost of childcare as coming out of DHs salary, not yours. He is subsidizing your re-entry into the workforce.

Anonymous wrote:I second the paralegal program suggestion - I know a few foreign lawyers who went that route. And many would say that it is harder to find good paralegals than good lawyers.

And I pay my attorney a pretty penny for work that his paralegal does. Not as much as him, but still a nice amount. When he bills- $400 an hour. His paralegal - $150 an hour.

How much of that filters down to her, I have no idea.

I second the paralegal program suggestion - I know a few foreign lawyers who went that route. And many would say that it is harder to find good paralegals than good lawyers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry you are so educated and have to go back to an entry level job. That stinks, but it is reality.

I would wait a year until you can get your youngest into preschool, and then hire an Au Pair (we have one, they are great), and then go back to work. Maybe in the meantime, take on some part-time projects or volunteer work that sharpens your skills. Maybe that will help you start at higher than entry level.

Where do people usually look for volunteer opportunities?

This advice is given a lot on the boards, but it's very rare that volunteer turns into higher salary. I think sometimes it helps you get something you may have otherwise not gotten, but at a pretty basic level. People just don't consider it real work. Maybe if you want to work in non-profit or something it's good, but those aren't high paying jobs so your low-paying job issue would still exist, and you'd make nothing in the meantime. To be considered as "work experience", it would have to be some pretty serious volunteer work, which would be a lot of hours and hard work.

Don't go to law school. Do go back to school to get some sort of Master's Degree or Certification in something.

Anonymous wrote:
Your story helped me a lot in the past.

Haha, I'm glad I'm so unique I'm still grateful to that CPA firm partner who offered me a $15 an hour job because it so much motivated me to go directly to the library to learn about the accounting programs in the area and start the application process almost immediately. I sent a message via LinkedIn to that guy at some point thanking him, but he never replied: probably thought I'm crazy or something

Hell no

Anonymous wrote:I also recommend that you spend your time and money on education first. When I started looking for my first job in the US, I was offered $15 an hour (while I had an accounting degree from my home country and about 5 years of accounting experience). I rejected such an unreasonable offer and enrolled into Masters in Accounting program. Since I still didn't work, I was able to study full time, take more classes and graduated in 15 months. I had 2 little kids in daycare/K at that time. My starting salary with the degree was $58k, and when I switched the jobs in 3 years, I was offered a 6-figure salary. There is no way I could have reached a 6-figure salary without a U.S. degree, or perhaps it could take me 30 years with inflation's help.

Hi Vita! Long time, no see! Hope you´re doing well. Your story helped me a lot in the past. Thanks!

I also recommend that you spend your time and money on education first. When I started looking for my first job in the US, I was offered $15 an hour (while I had an accounting degree from my home country and about 5 years of accounting experience). I rejected such an unreasonable offer and enrolled into Masters in Accounting program. Since I still didn't work, I was able to study full time, take more classes and graduated in 15 months. I had 2 little kids in daycare/K at that time. My starting salary with the degree was $58k, and when I switched the jobs in 3 years, I was offered a 6-figure salary. There is no way I could have reached a 6-figure salary without a U.S. degree, or perhaps it could take me 30 years with inflation's help.

+1 it's not always about the money. It sounds like you want to work for the stimulation, enjoyment etc. Go for it!

Also, while you can't practice here - it doesn't mean that the only door open is entry level. You may want to take some time to research options like NGOs, international relations and even research/cold call law firms or legal recruiters to informational interview to see if there is a way to translate your skill set. I bet in an international city like DC there is probably a career consultant or recruiter/placement firm that helps people with advanced degrees from other countries find meaningful work.

If more education is what you want, there is a paralegal certificate program at Georgetown. Ok, not big firm attorney potential -- but it's a way to get your foot in the door at a law firm then figure out if you want to do law school/take bar in US.

Best of luck! My DH and I wrestled with this as well -- but opposite. I was looking at a job in another country but he is an attorney here. We couldn't figure out what he would do other than being a SAHD.

A few points:
1) You're doing the math incorrectly if you think $12-18k in childcare costs exceeds $28-30k in salary. That means you're not counting your contributions to social security, your retirement account, etc.
2) You're only counting the cost of childcare against your own personal take home pay rather than the take home pay of both you & your husband. You both work, right?

Your take home pay after taxes & retirement contributions will probably break even with childcare costs, but don't count that as nothing. Putting time into social security is not nothing. Your retirement account is not nothing. I think most families really do the math wrong on this one - your retirement is a huge investment. Don't count it as zero.

Would you be interested in attending law school here?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would do it! I do think entry level for a lawyer is more like 40-50k though at a minimum.

OP may not be qualified to practice law in this country.

This is correct. I cannot practice law here.

Anonymous wrote:Child care isn't just coming out of my salary; it is coming out of both of our salaries.

I know that (op here), but at the end of the day it is still 1k to U$1500 less per month in our budget.

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry you are so educated and have to go back to an entry level job. That stinks, but it is reality.

I would wait a year until you can get your youngest into preschool, and then hire an Au Pair (we have one, they are great), and then go back to work. Maybe in the meantime, take on some part-time projects or volunteer work that sharpens your skills. Maybe that will help you start at higher than entry level.

Where do people usually look for volunteer opportunities?