My issue is a bit too lengthy for having a title so..

[Hermes]

TCO. I've got a bit of news for you. It isn't just in your country/culture that one can't express one's disbelief in religion.....

[Hell_On_Heels]

I'm going out for the day, but wanted to tell you that I appreciate your apology thank you!

 

I'll post more later to respond to your living wage in the US questions.

 

I'm sorry you are feeling so much despair. There IS a way out - we just have to find it. Is there any way you can get a student visa to the US or another country?

[Hell_On_Heels]

Good morning. I'm sorry my links didn't work. You can Google your questions, of course, but be sure you're looking at where the source is coming from. You'll want cold hard facts, and not political opinions. Government, university, and investment websites usually provide the best financial information.

 

I don't know how the web works in Egypt, so I apologize if this is unnecessary info.

Government websites end in .gov

University websites end in .edu

 

I found a minimum wage calculator at livingwage.mit.edu that you can play with. Where you live will change how much you need to earn. Southern states from Florida all the way to New Mexico will be cheaper than northern states. Arizona and California are more expensive. Even that isn't guaranteed, as southern Florida can be pricier than northern Florida. Taxes also play a role - Indianapolis has a county and state income tax for 7% while Florida has no income tax.

 

I looked up my county and state, and found that a living wage is $22,268 for one adult. Expenses were for food, medical, housing, transportation, taxes, and a category called "other" for $187.75 a month. The minimum wage here is $7.93 but you need to earn $10.71 per hour working 40 hours a week in order to support yourself.

 

The website also provides a list of jobs and average salaries. Many jobs came in less than $22k. The best I could find was healthcare support jobs for roughly $25k per year. These jobs do require formal schooling/training but usually 1-2 years.

[The Cold One]

Hell_On_Heels There's just one thing I wanted to ask you about . I'm currently an IGCSE student (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) , and I've read on Wikipedia that it's equivalent to the US high school diploma , so would this help me to get any sort of job with a wage that is higher than the minimum wage to be able to support myself ? Oh and thank you so much for accepting my apology

[Hell_On_Heels]

Of course I'd accept it I thought it showed maturity and class for you to offer it.

 

Yes, a high school diploma can help you get a job above minimum wage, but you usually need some kind of experience to go along with the diploma, or you need someone in the company to vouch for you. These jobs are often high stress for lower pay, so be wary when job hunting. Someone once told me to check out the bathrooms when you're interviewing - a dirty bathroom usually shows that management isn't interested in the employees and will treat them badly. It's funny advice, but it does make some sense.

 

Call centers, entry-level jobs at offices, blue collar work like landscaping or furniture moving - all of these are options. Job ads will list the requirements, so you can check out websites like Indeed.com for any city and see what you can find.

 

Keep in mind that if you decide one day you want to move up, or earn more money, you'll likely need more schooling.

[The Cold One]

The thing that really confuses me though is how they ask for experience to give me the job , like how am I supposed to magically gain experience out of nowhere ? I obviously need a job first to be able to gain this experience . And this thing seems somehow to be almost ubiquitous.

[Hell_On_Heels]

Good point. Experience isn't always from a paying job. It can come from hobbies, interests (things you study or read about because you like it), practical hands-on stuff. For instance, if you like technology and are really good with smartphones, you can use that as experience with phone technology when applying for a position with a phone company. Do you find yourself doing certain things for other people? Maybe you teach, tutor, or assist them in some way. This can also be used.

 

Don't underestimate life experience - just be honest on your application about where the experience comes from.

 

Sometimes you have to work an entry-level job that doesn't require experience in order to start building your resume. This is how we all get better jobs - we do what we have to in order to get where we want to be.

 

Be positive, be confident about your strengths, and someone will give you a chance.