Travel & Work in NYC

Foreign students travel to United States for summer employment through companies such as InterExchange and others like it. Here are the basics regarding your sponsor, working, finding a new job, and finding a place to live.
Don't Be Scared Of Every Little Threat
First thing I must strongly emphasize is that there is a difference between what InterExchange (or your equivalent) says you can and can not do and reality. The same applies for all the technicalities the Law. On the other hand don't mess with the Law in the United States they don't give much (if any) mercy to foreigners. Very importantly...KNOW THE LAW, but also know how strongly each law is enforced.
Your Sponsor
As a student on a work/travel visa theoretically you are supposed to come into this country with a sponsor, and a work contract. A sponsor is the individual or company that is obligated to give you work, and you are supposed to work for them.
Choosing to stick to your sponsor is a very safe thing to do especially if you don't have any cash to start out with. In many cases it is the best thing to do, but there are downfalls. If you choose never to work with your sponsor I recommend calling them and say so. If you don't....your sponsor mite start looking for you. They may contact InterExchange or Immigration. Then you could have problems... your visa may be automatically terminated or worse. On the other hand, you have a legal contract with your employer saying that you will be working for them. If your employer REALLY needs YOU then he/she may say "Hey, we have a contract. If you don't come to work I'll call the proper authorities". In that case, go work with your sponsor, but chances of that happening are low.
-Pros: With a sponsor you are guaranteed a job, and probably a place to live. With a slow economy it's hard to find both on your own. Even many native citizens don't have it as good as you do, so appreciate it!
-Cons: With a sponsor you pay will be lower then if you find a job on your own. That's why they hire you, your cheep labor. Also your sponsor may not be in the place you want to be. You mite be stuck on an island for 4 months.
FACT: Getting paid without being taxed is illegal in the United States, often called getting paid "under the table". When you get paid in cash and not being taxed you're getting paid under the table. Even though it's illegal MANY establishments do this and this goes back to what I said before, Don't Be Scared of Every Little Threat.
FACT: Every state has something called "Minimum Wage"; it's the minimum you're supposed to get paid per/hour. It doesn't matter that your a foreigner, your supposed to get at least minimum wage, but this does not apply to jobs based on tips like waiters, or if your getting paid under the table. The minimum wage for the state you work in can be found online.
On Your Own
This article is really meant to survive New York City as a summer work/travel student.... there are some essential things to know both from an insider and someone with experience.
When you come to the United States there are some things that are simply elementary to function normally, other then getting a job and a place to live.
Essentials
1. SAVE EVERYTHING - America is a very paper based country - Contracts, bills, documents, recites, emails, and messages...SAVE IT you will need it later
2. GET A CELL PHONE
-Why do you need it: Even though it will cost you a bit of money...it will be well worth it.
-How to get it: If you're in the states for only 4 months or less get a PAY-AS-YOU-GO plan. You'll get a SIM card to put in your phone and you'll add money to your account regularly. You'll need it!!! Life without a cell phone in New York is almost impossible and very dangerous. P.S. SAVE ALL THE PAPERS THEY GIVE YOU!!
3. GET A BANK ACCOUNT -
-Why you need it: A bank as you well know is the place where you keep your money, but its one of the few ways for you to also get your money if you're getting paid by check. You put your check in the bank then you could use the money you earned. Also a bank account can help you in many other ways as well...You'll get a bank card that can be used like a credit card so you don't need to carry cash, you can buy things online, and if it gets stolen all you need to do is report it stolen before anyone uses it and you wont lose any money. If you get cash stolen... well then you just get cash stolen. Also a bank statement....a paper the banks sends to you telling how much money you have is proof that you have money...you may need that....if your finding a good place to live.
-How to get it: To open up a bank account just go to a bank when its open and tell them you want to open us a new checking account, bring all your papers with you... including your documents...opening a bank account could take some time so do it in the morning.
P.S. Don't be afraid of asking the banker anything...like HOW DO I PUT MY CHECKS IN THE BANK? They get paid enough to help you properly.
Finding a job: Your Resume
What is a resume: A resume is a single piece of paper saying your name, how to contact you, your job history, your education, your job skills, and what you want (which is a job). A resume is strictly standard in America; don't bother looking for a job without one, even if you're just going to be washing dishes.
How to use it: When you start looking for a job the fist thing the boss sea's is your resume, and then he'll decide if it's worth seeing you again. SO YOU BETTER MAKE IT CLEAR AND LOOK NICE.
What a Resume Looks Like: No point in describing a resume...the best thing to do is look at examples. Microsoft Word gives some beautiful examples that you can just download and adjust to fit your own needs. Your resume should be no less then the ones Microsoft Word has. I suggest a chronological resume if you never made one before.
Finding a Job: Certificates and Professional Training
Here is something that not many J-1 students are told about.
If your English is good...or even so-so and you could survive for about 2 weeks with just a part time job then here is a piece of golden advice.
GET A CERTIFICATE IN SOMETHING!!!! A certificate is saying that you have been trained or are specialized to do a certain task. As I said before, America is all about paper. You got a paper saying you could do something, and then you're ahead of the game.
A common thing to get a certificate in or a license is BARTENDING. You'll notice quickly how badly bartenders are needed in New York; some don't even need to be experienced. NOTE: BARTENDERS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY!!!
Finding a Job: Where to look in New York City
Now this is a biggie.....it all really depends on what you want to do....what you can do....how much money you need to make...how much you're willing to suffer to make that money.
One thing I must tell you is that finding a job on your own in New York City is NOT EASY, on average you'll need to go to about 50 places to get at least 2 calls back.
Also the places to find a job depends whether you're a girl or a guy..... For example, a guy can quickly find a job as a rickshaw in Manhattan and a girl can quickly find a job as a strip tease dancer in...Almost anywhere.
Top places to find a job:
1. Craigslist.com - craigslist.com is the number 1 place students find jobs and place to live... it's a big site and has lots of great stuff. For a job go to jobs, and start looking for everything and everything but don't go pretending you're a nuclear scientists. You'll be emailing resume or going to the place that needs employees, bring your resume.
2. Newspaper - whether your Russian, Polish, Spanish, or Chinese, New York City has a local newspaper in your language....find it. It has lots of job ads. You could call the newspaper and find out how to post your own ad, most of the time it's for free. Also most of the newspapers have a web site where you could find even more job ads and post your own.
3. Walk around - make 100 copies of your resume, pick a busy area... and GO.... don't leave any stone unturned, walk into every store, office, business, EVERYWHERE. Ask them if they are hiring, and give them your resume, try to catch the manager. Most importantly, if they tell you to come back when the manager or owner arrives then DO IT. Your goal is for your resume to reach the manager, or better for YOU to reach the manager!! Don't be discouraged if you only get 1 or 2 calls back, that's normal. They all take résumé's even when they're not hiring, and sometimes they lie and say they're not hiring, take your resume and call you the next day. This is why you need your CELL PHONE ... for the 'call back'. Very rarely will they tell you that you got the job right away, they make you wait, you gotta wait for the 'call back'... don't ask me why.
4. Job Agencies - If you're really need to find a job fast then you could go to a job agency. A job agency is an organization that will find a job for you. The only drawback is that you will need to give them your first paycheck.
Tips: Nobody has to know that your here for just the summer, giving them that information will only decrease your chances of getting hired.
Fact: '2 week notice'If you're getting paid by check, or cash but still being taxed then there something called a "2 week notice". It means that you must tell that you quite at least 2 weeks in advance in writing. With this said, know that your employer must tell you 2 weeks in ahead that you are fired. This is made so that the employer has time to find a replacement and the employee has time to find a new job.
Finding a Job: Training
For almost any job in America there is something called a training period. Basically, they make you work and pay you very little until they decide to hire you. During this training period you better give it your all. Ask the other employees and your boss how long the training period lasts, and make sure you get paid PROPERLY afterwards.
CAUTION: A VERY typical scam (especially on Brighton Beach) is this, the owner takes you in for training buy never having the intension of hiring you....you work your butt off for two weeks and get very little. In those two weeks the owner has time to find someone else. Your two weeks are up expecting to get hired for the fantastic job you have been doing and he tells you you're fired, all because he has someone new ready and eager to do a good job for another two weeks and get paid pennies. BE CAREFUL
Place to live
The cost of living in New York is very expensive...VERY EXPENSIVE. Paying for rent will take out a big portion of your paycheck. Also the place you work and the place you live should be close to each other. New York has different neighborhoods and each has its own ethnic flavor and price. Finding a decent place too live can be even harder then a place to work, but its not that hard to find at least something.
The Lease
IMPORTANT: - Usually when people rent an apartment or a home they get a lease. A lease is a legal contract saying, I will live here for and X amount of time (usually in 6 month increments) and will pay Y per month. It also says what happens if you don't have the rent in time, and if you want to leave early. Unlike the InterExchange contract the chances of the owner saying "OK, don't worry I'll find someone else live here" are ZERO. If you get a lease READ it carefully before signing it, but I don't recommend getting one at all.
A lease is good if you intend of staying there for the whole period of the lease, and no one will give you a lease for only 4 months, (6 months,yes).
Safety Deposit (or just Deposit)
You usually have to make one payment extra when you rent a place. This is called the Safety Deposit, if you don't do anything stupid like break the windows you'll get it back when you leave.
Place to live: The 5 boroughs
An oversimplified description of each neighborhood is below.
Manhattan: VERY EXPENSIVE
Staten Island: VERY EXPENSIVE
Brooklyn: Depends on the neighborhood, from Moderate to Expensive
Queens: Depends on the neighborhood, from Cheep to Very Expensive
Bronx: Cheep BUT very dangerous!!!! EXTREMELY HIGH MURDER, RAPE, ROBBERY, and ASSAULT rate.
Place to live: Where to look
The places to find a job and a place to live are almost one of the same
1. Craigslist.com - it's very easy to find a place to live on craigslist, much easier then a job.
2. News Paper - Your ethnic newspaper will have lots of cheep places to live.
3. Relaters - Just like Job agencies they will find a place for you to live.... and probably a good one with a good price, but they will want one months rent in return.
Place to live: Tips:
There are some things that can help you find you a place to live and some things that can hinder. Keep them in mind when looking for a place.
1. Some places require proof that you have money, or a job with a large enough paycheck. If you have some money to start then this is when your bank statement comes in handy. That piece of paper from the bank telling you how much money you have on the account. You can also use your paycheck as proof, if you just got a job and haven't gotten a paycheck yet ask your boss if it's ok to give the home owner his contact information to confirm that you have a job.
2. Decide early if you'll get your own apartment, or just a room. The price difference can be huge...but not always.
3. No owner wants young college students to live in their house....from an outside perspective here are some keywords that pop up in their mind.
-Drugs, sex, alcohol, messy, loud, wont be able to pay the rent, and if you're foreign it doesn't make the situation any better.
Don't do anything to encourage those words in their heads.
4. If your by yourself then chances of finding a room are good (if your a girl is even better), if your a few friends or a couple then the chances of finding a room are worse, your better off looking for a studio right away.
Last Pieces of Advice
Make friends - Reading this whole article and following every step above is probably not as important as this one little piece of advice. Be open to everyone; don't discriminate by race or anything at all. You'll never know who'll be there for you when you need it most.
Always appreciate the kindness of strangers - New Yorkers are rood, obnoxious, mean, etc...But every now and then you'll meat some very good people, don't push them away.
Little **** - Little Italy, China Town, Little Odessa, Little Korea etc find your cultural nitch in New York. At the same time don't stay there too long. These places are like capsules in time unaffected by the outside world. They have a negative attitude and have a skewed view of America. People get stuck there for 50 years and still don't know a word of English.
America- Stick to Americans, you'll be better off, they know better on how to survive this country. Preferably an educated one, not the local drug dealer.
Good Luck!!