Entry level positions The vast majority of entry level positions are not advertised. They are often filled "from within". Those who study in the same cities where these organizations have their headquarters have the best opportunities to get in, on the ground floor. Some start by making informal contact, advising the organization that they are pursuing a degree and would be interested in a summer "internship", or stating that they are doing a paper towards their degree which looks at an area of development that's of interest to the organization, which then may be able to provide information about that subject to the student-researcher. Exactly how it's done varies with each case, but like many things, it starts with establishing contacts. "Postings", abroad, which provide the benefits I spoke of come later in the process, never at entry level. However, due to the shortage of people with the right mix of education and experience, it is possible to advance to a posting in just a few years, when things go right. If you don't have a posting, then more of the costs of living will fall on you, and you won't get the free travel I mentioned; but, it's still doable, while you're getting experience, and working your way to a better position. It is likely that, if your husband and children accompanied you, he would not risk losing his residence status in the U.S.: you can get a letter from U.S. Immigration, permitting more than 180 days abroad, and what better justification than, "My wife is on contract to serve abroad on a U.S. Government funded development project, and she wants me and the children to accompany her." ___________________
That's what I was thinking. I did a little research based on that website that you mention in your post. I checked out the internship positions (apparently you have to have a "premium membership" in order to see the whole description), and I went directly to the company's website to see if they mention the internship position somewhere. Most companies did. I'm not opposed to doing an internship here in the US for a while to help build my resume before I seek an international position. It would be good for my husband as well, because he could accompany me without feeling the pressure to become a citizen. I don't think he's at all opposed to it, but it would be good for him to decide to do it on his own, when he's ready (if he wants to at all). You mentioned a shortage of people to fill positions... I would be curious to find out how serious this shortage is.
As you can imagine, the less desirable the place, the more likely there is not to be enough highly qualified applicants. Looking over those ads, you probably noticed which countries those were! Sometimes, people who are new to their career will take a position in an undesirable place, just to get a start, a foot in the door: it doesn't mean they'll be in particular danger, or face great hardships, though. It may mean nothing more than you would be offered a contract to work just one year, and have to go without your family, living in a compound with other foreign workers, in a safe but somewhat boring environment. This is not the description of most of these jobs, however. Most of the postings are to countries that, while underdeveloped, are perfectly fine places to live, offering a comfortable life with lots of interesting things to do and see. The other reality is that many entry level jobs are in the U.S., back at the company headquarters, where your main job might be to assist those in the field to liaison with those in the company whose work is connected with that person in the field. Many get started that way: exactly how it might be for you simply would depend on what kind of offers and arrangements you were able to drum up for yourself. I'm reminded of your mention of grant proposal writing. A great deal of the behind the scenes work of these large organizations involves responding to government requests for proposals, documents prepared by the org in which they detail back to the government how they would propose to fulfill the aims of a project the government is interested in seeing carried out. At some point, you might just find yourself slipping seamlessly into a role, working in the U.S., until you demanded and got a foreign assignment!
The "deception", whether real or imagined, can take place in the other direction too. To get an FM3 Rentista, you don't have to prove income, only show deposits made into a bank account. The same type of transfers could be made into a US bank account to prove that you will not be dependant on the Mexican gov't or whomever. I believe the deposits, which must be for the most current three months, prior to your application for a new or renewal FM3, must annualize to $20,000, or $5,000 for the 3 months. And, according to my attorney, can be $0, $4,999 and $1 or any other combination adding to $5,000 or more.
That's interesting, TJ. $5,000 is doable. Saving $20,000 might be difficult, but $5,000 wouldn't. The U.S. gov't does the same exact thing with the affidavit of support, but the difference is that if the spouse/family member doesn't make enough money, they can ask anyone who makes enough money to be a co-sponsor. They also ask for employer letters to prove an income stream. Bank statements aren't enough.
