Advice for a foreigner seeking CRE opportunities in the US
Hi! 

It’s a long shot to post here, but I would be so grateful if I could get any advice on picking up my RE career here. 

I’m a recent transplant to the US from Asia. I’m now based in WA, and I hold an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) which allows me to work without sponsorship. 

My professional background is in PERE and I’ve got about 5+ years of experience. I have done investment evaluation, underwriting, portfolio and asset management and investor relations. I followed my spouse back to the States, and had to wait a long time to obtain the EAD.

Now that I can legally work, I’m anxious to get back to the work force, but where do I start? With no US job experience, it’s got me wondering the following:

1) My last position was a Senior Associate level, but should I apply for intern or junior analyst jobs just to get in the door and get some US experience under my belt?

2) How should I go about cold-messaging people on LinkedIn? I’ve found some profiles in the industrial RE space that I would love to get to know, but many people seem to have turned off messaging and I’m worried that it will be offensive and rude that I’ve reached out, and then hurt my chances in the industry. 

3) How helpful are recruitment firms like Amity, Dynamics or Glocap? What are your experiences like with them and how best to make the most out of any interaction with them?

4) Besides LinkedIn, where else might I be able to network and get to know industry professionals and get my name out there? Even just chatting with folks to learn about the industry and not necessarily to get a job. Are there ways to join NAIOP events without being a member? That said, their events are expensive! 


5) Where can I get resources on learning about the local industrial and multi-family real estate landscape? From types of permits to development/acquisition procedures (I’m assuming that things run slightly differently in every country)

Any other advice would be so welcome! Thank you so much everyone! And so sorry for the long post!
[{"id": "itt57g8", "text": "I suggest get the book \u201cSold\u201d by David Green and starting at the bottom in Real Estate.  Then work back into commercial over the next year or two.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "itw36gc", "text": "I work in international cross-border CRE transactions. Reach out to your old network in APAC and see who might be able to introduce you to US based peers and colleagues. I have moved country, did exactly this and it works.", "replies": [{"id": "itwen7k", "text": "Thanks! Yes, I did get some contacts but they weren\u2019t based in the same state, so I wasn\u2019t sure if it would be relevant for me to reach out. I might ask if those contacts know anyone from my state though. Thank you!", "replies": [{"id": "itwoijy", "text": "Exactly. Just work the network, be humble and open to conversations. Know what you can do and see what  might be there in WA for you. There are family offices in every state that could use your skill set, if both parties are willing to take a chance. I would offer a working week as an interview almost, if someone was willing to invest time, I would offer it. Good luck.", "replies": [{"id": "itwy7bf", "text": "Thank you for the encouragement and advice. Much much appreciated!", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]