getting paid under the table for professional job??

hello everyone!!! as i'm nearing my graduation date for my master's degree in structural engineering from ucla, my mind is cloud with thoughts on what to do next. like most of us here, i lack legal status, so i cannot just apply for a professional job. i have been working on fast food places but i'm tired of those, so i know of one or two people who have applied to smaller companies, talked to the owners, and get paid less than their legal counterparts, so my questions is has any of you tried this approach? anyone working in their field? thank you.

I worked at a local community hospital that caters to low income individuals. A lot of decentralized and highly private institutions oversee certain things better. Avoid government jobs.

Chessmaster, don't mean to take things away from your central topic, but you're at a point I want to be in two years from now.

Just finished my third year as a civil engineering major at a CSU, and I'll be completing my final 9 units these coming two semesters. I've planned things to take all the graduate classes my school offers for the next two semesters as well, structures II and advanced concrete design for fall, and the two or three classes offered in spring '11, so that I be charged regular undergraduate tuition.

Things have varied every semester, from taking the bus (3-hour commute every day), some semesters working up to 50 hours a week, but always pushing myself to my mental and physical limits. For example this semester I took 20 units and took the EIT (if I passed is a whole different story ) Basically I've rushed through my program, taking an average of 17 units every semester (these last two semesters taking 21 and 20). Grades are still being submitted for spring 2010, but so far I have a 3.51 GPA.


As far as extracurriculars, I mentor two kids on the weekends, and I'm very involved with my church.

Paying for UCLA is a whole different story, but in comparison to the people around you, how low are my chances of being accepted for the earthquake/structural program? Are GRE scores super helpful? Do you have any suggestions for the application process? And does the circumstance of an individual play a big part in the committee's decision? Where do you believe the best investment in time would be for me between now and application deadlines in the fall?

Getting paid under the table for a serious job? It isn't likely. You are considered a liability, not an asset. The serious, professional companies risk getting sued by hiring you. And you can't use a fake SSN because that is identity theft.

The only way I can think you will find work is through self-employment. But you probably have no money to self-employ. The other two options are wait things out or to face a future in the country of your birth.

Great choices, right?

nevfo..... i attended cal state long beach and graduated in 2009 as the first in my class, i also passed the eit on the 1st attemped, i had a 3.75 gpa, i participated in the steel bridge contest, i tutored freshmen in statics, and was selected by who' who as one of the best. with this, i want to give you an idea of all the things you need to write on your statement of purpose. and gre are somewhat importan, my gre scores where not as great compared to other students, i got 700 in the math and 330 in the verbal, gpa is most important, also, when you write your statement of purpose, write all the hardships you went through, to show them that you "work your ass off" i also got a minor in applied mathematics. a major advice i will give you is. SAVE SAVE SAVE as much money as possible, ucla can be expensive, and classes demand so much time, i am now on my last quarter, and i go to school two days a week and work on the weekends, but if i had enough money, or lived 5 min away from school i could invest all this time in studying. but i live 1 hr drive from ucla. so i wish you good luck. and let me know how it goes. if i can help let me know.

Also, in some places businesses can be shut down completely for hiring an illegal.

If the company does professional job, for example, structural engineering, I have no doubt that you are required to register and license yourself. This means that almost no firm or anybody would hire an undocumented engineering graduates.

There are ways to get through this. But trust me, not a good idea. What you can do instead is not to license yourself, but find a local firm or "store" that allows you to become assistant to the actual licensed engineer.

Again, just in case any damage or injury, undocumented can face a greater charge.

It's good to hear someone in our situation was able to go through it. I'll be contacting you soon. Thanks again and congratulations on your soon-to-come graduation!