Thread: working in Russia

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Well I don't think many people on this forum are drawn to Russia because of the money to be made there...

I guess our best bet would be to find a foreign company that needs employees in Russia who are not Russian for some reason...

good jobs in russia can be as good or better than similar jobs in US/UK/etc, and being a foreigner is often a benefit - but these are not for guys straight out of college. there are jobs for them too but they would typically pay like 1/10th of an identical job in the US. and you are right, one should avoid russian employers. russians do, when they can.

when i worked back home we had a nice girl who just graduated from Arizona State with an english degree doing proofreadings and such, and she did the same thing for other ppl as well. so there are opportunities. networking is the key here.

Originally Posted by luvmonsta

And one more thing mr Vendingmachine, I really would appreciate it if you werent so unpleasant, you dont know me ok and what I do, so, just be a bit more pleasant on these forums ok and be a nice guy.

luvmonsta,
Many of us understand your perception - but our VM ususally intends no direct personal attack towards anyone in this forum. Just regard his posts as constructive criticism and advice geared to those trying to gain further knowledge about the Russian language, traveling/living, and politics of Russia. Unless Mr. VM decides to correct me, I think many of the responses to his posts . . . are simply products of misunderstanding of the tongue-in-cheek humour that exists in many of his replies.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I guess our best bet would be to find a foreign company that needs employees in Russia who are not Russian for some reason...

That would be the best plan of action in my opinion. I personally knew someone fairly young and fresh out of college who was working for an American company in Moscow, making some sweet monies (as a compensation for having to live in a savage country I guess) and being therefore very popular among girls. Or maybe he was just a great guy and everyone loved him, I can't make an objective assessment. But I diverge... Needless to say he did not want go back.

On the other hand, coming to a foreign country with no plan and no good command of the language is not going to be a picnic. With all the painful directness, VM's got a point, it is not the same as moving from UK to France. Far from every Russian is nice and friendly, and many people are extremely poor not because they are lazy or stupid or uneducated or have no skills but because there are very few good jobs available.

Luvmonsta, you could become one of them, unemployed and miserable. And this is not going to make a very good impression on your girl, with all due respect. You just have to be ready, perhaps think about it a little more.

Privet guys
I was talking with my boss earlier about my trip to Russia, and he says that if it is ok, how would I still like to work for the company here from in Moscow? how it would work is, the guy I work for here would either email or phone the job through, I do the job, email it back then he would send me the money, but how can he do this, could it be done through a bank or a money transfer? So my friends I have actually thought this out and have done for quite sometime

Originally Posted by luvmonsta

Privet guys
I was talking with my boss earlier about my trip to Russia, and he says that if it is ok, how would I still like to work for the company here from in Moscow? how it would work is, the guy I work for here would either email or phone the job through, I do the job, email it back then he would send me the money, but how can he do this, could it be done through a bank or a money transfer? So my friends I have actually thought this out and have done for quite sometime

Good thinking LM. Banking is not a problem, just take your debit and credit cards with you, and you can always make withdrawals. It's not like they have not seen an ATM before.

For an expat to work for a Russian company is possible but the pay is a joke compared to what you get paid in your home country. Better idea is to work for a foreign company (American and British pay well)in a professional position. After investigating the job market for nurses in Moscow I realized that I can make more $ in 2 days in America than I can in a whole year in a Russian medical center or one month in a private foreign medical center. But there is a big demand for English language taught by a native speaker so I have private students (the police and tax collector have no interest in chasing down private teachers, they're only interested in big fish). I also work as a nurse for a few days every time I visit California and make enough cash to pad the old bank account.
luvmonsta, your plan with your home company is ideal. All you need to do is make sure you get a flat in a Russian neighborhood that has good phone and computer cable service. You can keep your money in your Britsh bank (never use a Russian bank) and do all of your banking on-line. Use your ATM for cash. You will live quite well in Russia as an expat and have plenty of time to stand in line for all those citizenship documents.

find out what american companies are working in russia, write to them, find out info and how your skills may apply to them. lots of americans i met over there were working for american companies earning $$$ doing stuff like installing security cameras (they didnt know much/ if any russian).
if you get to moscow try to meet as many people as ya can. i met lots of people connected of thier ass. knowing people wont land you a job on a plate, but it helps
you never know, maybe VM will let you have a slice of his водкамат empire

Originally Posted by JB

But there is a big demand for English language taught by a native speaker so I have private students (the police and tax collector have no interest in chasing down private teachers, they're only interested in big fish).

That's until some c..t grasses on you. Many university instructors giving privet lessons on the side have had that happen to them. I personally know of three most common scenarios:
a. Your student fails his exams and this pisses him off so he shops you to the police;
b. Mr Nosy Parker, your ugly neighbour, the measly old f..ker who popped your car tyres last week, has been singing to the authorities;
c. Mrs Wilkins, an old dear next door, has squealed on you;

It's true that the tax police are mostly chasing big fish, but you shouldn't allow it to lull you into a sense of false security - they won't chase small fry themselves, but - and here comes the important bit, so listen carefully - they will gladly knock seven shades of sh.te out of small fry if someone tips them off as to the small fry's whereabouts. To abide by the law you must apply for a license and pay your taxes.

VM, I think it just drives you crazy that an expat does well in Russia in spite of all your doom and gloom forcasts! You think I'd be stupid enough to let just any old busybody know my business. Or maybe I'd open my door to the cops.
My students are sent to me by their teachers for conversation instruction after they've already attained a high level in grammer. So no exam failures to deal with. And my neighbors don't speak English so when I have my "friends" over for tea the big ears next door haven't a clue what is going on. (yes, I actually do serve tea)

Fun link to jobs in Russia www.mcdonalds.ru

That's OK, JB, I have no problem with your doing great. I'm glad that you are. (You could be doing a lot better working for me though). And as for your not telling your neighbours about your illegal activities, well, that's your own business. Though if I were you I wouldn't be taking pride in breaking the law. You know, they say walls have ears. I suppose forums have ears too.

P.S.

Or maybe I'd open my door to the cops.

When tax police come, they don't ask you to please open the door, they tell you to open the door or else. If you choose or else, your door, cardboard or armour-plated alike, flies off the hinges three seconds later.

Illegal activities! Tax police looking for me! I feel so, so Russian!