title: Untapped resources: refugee employment experiences in central North Carolina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to elucidate a comprehensive understanding of the pre-migration expectations and current realities of refugees resettled in the United States (U.S). Employment expectations and the current work situations experienced by African refugee populations recently resettled in Greensboro, NC are examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten French-speaking refugees of African descent who had resided in Central North Carolina for less than three years were selected to participate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A phenomenological approach was used; semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants in spring 2010. Interviews needing interpretation were translated throughout the course of the interview in real time. All interviews were transcribed verbatim or word for word.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants expected to find work in their fields with relative ease, but were either unemployed or under-employed compared to their professional training and/or previous occupation in their country of origin at the time of their interview. Emergent themes from the interviews included financial stability, ease of finding work, identity concerns, English language comprehension, the economy, and navigating a new system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Refugees in this sample were not prepared for the challenges they encountered when searching for gainful employment. Their experiences appear to be common with available anecdotal evidence. Adjustments to the cultural orientation programs received prior to migration, and enhancements to social networks in addition to an increased focus on English language comprehension post-migration have the potential to positively impact employment outcomes for newly arrived refugees.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170, USA. h_sienki@uncg.edu
authors.forename: Holly C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sienkiewicz
authors.forename: Kelly G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Mauceri
authors.forename: Emma Catherine
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bibeau
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D057172:Economic Recession; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D009657:North Carolina; D011788:Quality of Life; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data