Moving to the DR - Looking for Work in IT / Web

J

jrennard3

New member
Jun 30, 2010
18
0
0
Hello!

This is my first post in the DR1 forums! I've been browsing the net and DR1 for a few days as we are making plans to move to the island, but didn't realize until just now how large and influential this site is to life in the Dominican. So, with that said, I joined immediately and hope to make some connections, friends, and glean information from all of you.

I have been spent nearly three years in Cuba under an OFAC license for religious work. Though we love Cuba, we are not permitted to live there and have to go back and forth from the US to Cuba every three months. This has taken a toll and costs a significant amount of money.

In addition to Cuba, I have also been working with groups of people in Petit Goave, Haiti before and after the earthquake and continue to work there now.

My hope and desire is to make a permanent move to the Dominican in efforts to be closer to both countries. We still have permission to work in Cuba from the US State department, but plan on doing it less frequently than before, focusing our time and resources in Haiti. With that said, I am looking for part-time or full-time employment in the Dominican.

My background has been in IT (10 years experience), primarily systems/network administration. For about eight years I have been doing graphics/web design and development on the side and as an income filler.

As I browse/search these forums, if you have any ideas, sites, job agencies, or contacts please feel free to PM them to me!

Thank you all for your time and the pride I see for this great country!
 
bienamor

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
458
83
jrennard3 said:
Hello!

This is my first post in the DR1 forums! I've been browsing the net and DR1 for a few days as we are making plans to move to the island, but didn't realize until just now how large and influential this site is to life in the Dominican. So, with that said, I joined immediately and hope to make some connections, friends, and glean information from all of you.

I have been spent nearly three years in Cuba under an OFAC license for religious work. Though we love Cuba, we are not permitted to live there and have to go back and forth from the US to Cuba every three months. This has taken a toll and costs a significant amount of money.

In addition to Cuba, I have also been working with groups of people in Petit Goave, Haiti before and after the earthquake and continue to work there now.

My hope and desire is to make a permanent move to the Dominican in efforts to be closer to both countries. We still have permission to work in Cuba from the US State department, but plan on doing it less frequently than before, focusing our time and resources in Haiti. With that said, I am looking for part-time or full-time employment in the Dominican.

My background has been in IT (10 years experience), primarily systems/network administration. For about eight years I have been doing graphics/web design and development on the side and as an income filler.

As I browse/search these forums, if you have any ideas, sites, job agencies, or contacts please feel free to PM them to me!

Thank you all for your time and the pride I see for this great country!
Click to expand...

private contracting is also an option.

Bolsa de trabajo y Ofertas de empleo - CompuTrabajo Rep.Dominicana
infoempleos.net - Asesor?a integral en Recursos Humanos
Aldaba - Portal de empleo y formacin en USA
..:: Emarket.com.do ::..
 
genistar

genistar

Active member
Jul 29, 2009
204
75
28
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Aww... come on guys... you don't really want him to find out by surprise do you? It's not fair to have him go all that way just to discover that the only job he'll find in IT is in a call centre making 100 pesos per hour? LOL
 
bienamor

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
458
83
genistar said:
Aww... come on guys... you don't really want him to find out by surprise do you? It's not fair to have him go all that way just to discover that the only job he'll find in IT is in a call centre making 100 pesos per hour? LOL
Click to expand...

Well if he really gets into IT as a securty or network spec, programmer. and not as an agent he can do a lot better, even better as a designer. thats why I mentioned private contract.
But not easy to find without contacts. the web sites I posted can help. :ermm:
 
S

slas7713

Member
Aug 9, 2004
275
13
18
How I did it

I too am an IT guy. I've been back in the DR over 3 years now after living here previously for a year. I didn't want to live in any of the big cities so I was at a slight disadvantage but here's how I did it.

1) Accepted a job renovating a hotel. The advantages; it got me back to the country, gave me an opportunity to begin networking (social of course) and working on my Spanish. The disadvantage; it wasn't IT (more manual labor) and didn't pay like anything IT in the states. Everyone that lives here knows that it's a matter of trade offs.

2) Worked at a small resort doing what ever needed done (this did included quite a bit of IT work). Again, gave me the advantage of networking with others living/working here and learning more about the language, country and people.

3) Through networking AGAIN, got a job at a hotel doing web development, wireless networking, automating systems and general management assistance.

4) AGAIN thorough networking, got hired as a manager of a large villa.

Bottom line:

Get here how ever possible, NETWORK, NETWORK,NETWORK, and learn the language and the culture. The more people you know, that know your abilities, the better chance you have of finding good work. As I tell all my friends who want to come, "It's not easy for a gringo to make a living here".
 
bob saunders

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,624
6,035
113
dr1.com
jrennard3 said:
Hello!

This is my first post in the DR1 forums! I've been browsing the net and DR1 for a few days as we are making plans to move to the island, but didn't realize until just now how large and influential this site is to life in the Dominican. So, with that said, I joined immediately and hope to make some connections, friends, and glean information from all of you.

I have been spent nearly three years in Cuba under an OFAC license for religious work. Though we love Cuba, we are not permitted to live there and have to go back and forth from the US to Cuba every three months. This has taken a toll and costs a significant amount of money.

In addition to Cuba, I have also been working with groups of people in Petit Goave, Haiti before and after the earthquake and continue to work there now.

My hope and desire is to make a permanent move to the Dominican in efforts to be closer to both countries. We still have permission to work in Cuba from the US State department, but plan on doing it less frequently than before, focusing our time and resources in Haiti. With that said, I am looking for part-time or full-time employment in the Dominican.

My background has been in IT (10 years experience), primarily systems/network administration. For about eight years I have been doing graphics/web design and development on the side and as an income filler.

As I browse/search these forums, if you have any ideas, sites, job agencies, or contacts please feel free to PM them to me!

Thank you all for your time and the pride I see for this great country!
Click to expand...

Since you want to work in the Dominican Republic and have a religious background perhaps you should contact the christian schools such as Jarabacoa Christian School, Santiago Christian school...etc. They all have websites and computer labs.They may not have anything for you but it would be a good networking move.
 
I

iluvdr

New member
Aug 24, 2004
362
2
0
Try Future Link. There in Santo Domingo and always looking for competent IT personel.
Ask for Omar or Jaak.
Future Link Corp.
500 George Washington Ave.
Malecon Center, Suite 112-A
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Telephone:+1 809 566 4947
E-mail: info@futurelinkcorporation.com
 
J

jrennard3

New member
Jun 30, 2010
18
0
0
Thanks for all the great tips and ideas, tinged with sarcasm, humor, or not. It is very much appreciated.

My hopes are to do some sort of private contracting or work for a consulting agency, but I wasn't sure if this is at all possible. Fortunately, I have a good amount of web/graphic clients here in the States that will allow me to continue working from the Dominican, but I'd prefer to find work in on the island.

I will definitely be checking out some of the schools, religious, and non-profit entities in the area we'll be living and see if they need assistance at all.

With all of the realty firms and private agents, I'm surprised there aren't a glut of web development firms in the Dominican. Perhaps this is a direction to take. After looking at some of the design and functionality of some of the sites, it begs the question of whether a web presence is necessary in the Dominican.

Oh - one more quick question. Are there are private consultants that offer their IT services to home users, small business, and others? If so, what is required to operate legally?

Thanks again!
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
slas7713 said:
I too am an IT guy. I've been back in the DR over 3 years now after living here previously for a year. I didn't want to live in any of the big cities so I was at a slight disadvantage but here's how I did it.

1) Accepted a job renovating a hotel. The advantages; it got me back to the country, gave me an opportunity to begin networking (social of course) and working on my Spanish. The disadvantage; it wasn't IT (more manual labor) and didn't pay like anything IT in the states. Everyone that lives here knows that it's a matter of trade offs.

2) Worked at a small resort doing what ever needed done (this did included quite a bit of IT work). Again, gave me the advantage of networking with others living/working here and learning more about the language, country and people.

3) Through networking AGAIN, got a job at a hotel doing web development, wireless networking, automating systems and general management assistance.

4) AGAIN thorough networking, got hired as a manager of a large villa.

Bottom line:

Get here how ever possible, NETWORK, NETWORK,NETWORK, and learn the language and the culture. The more people you know, that know your abilities, the better chance you have of finding good work. As I tell all my friends who want to come, "It's not easy for a gringo to make a living here".
Click to expand...
^^^Steve^^^ is one of the bright bulbs who can make it anywhere...^5!
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
jrennard3 said:
Thanks for all the great tips and ideas, tinged with sarcasm, humor, or not. It is very much appreciated.

My hopes are to do some sort of private contracting or work for a consulting agency, but I wasn't sure if this is at all possible. Fortunately, I have a good amount of web/graphic clients here in the States that will allow me to continue working from the Dominican, but I'd prefer to find work in on the island.

I will definitely be checking out some of the schools, religious, and non-profit entities in the area we'll be living and see if they need assistance at all.

With all of the realty firms and private agents, I'm surprised there aren't a glut of web development firms in the Dominican. Perhaps this is a direction to take. After looking at some of the design and functionality of some of the sites, it begs the question of whether a web presence is necessary in the Dominican.

Oh - one more quick question. Are there are private consultants that offer their IT services to home users, small business, and others? If so, what is required to operate legally?

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
There are many, bright IT/webdev folks in the DR and they work for peanuts.

What programming languages are you fully fluent in?
 
S

slas7713

Member
Aug 9, 2004
275
13
18
I think there is definitely a need for private consultation work here if you can get your reputation established and get your name in front of the right people and in the meantime you can continue doing the side work in the states. I'm still doing side work here and in the states also to supplement my income.
 
J

jrennard3

New member
Jun 30, 2010
18
0
0
donP said:
:tired: :tired: :tired:

donP
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure why you would post something with nothing in, but thanks!

-------------------

Thanks again for the information and discussion. I've sent resumes a few places and am still hoping to find something concrete, but I can see how it is going to be better in the long run to get my feet on the ground and go from there. Hopefully I'll be able to hold enough jobs remotely that we can get by until something else opens up.

Things are progressing nicely and it appears that we'll be heading that way around the first of 2011.

Though our primary focus will be working with various non-profit and social groups to help those in need in both the DR and Haiti, having a job to supplement would be great. We've got so many other questions, so hopefully you'll find me posting in other forums as well! Thanks!
 
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