What can you tell me about the IT (Computer) industry in DR?

Hi eye4photography,

Greetings from Atlantic Canada.

I know, by e-mail only, a young guy (25) in Santiago who is a "systems engineer" "in charge of the company computer department" in a packaging company. He is originally from a small North Coast town and went to university and got a job in his field in Santiago. If you think it might help you to correspond with him to get a feel for the DR market just send me an e-mail and I will send you his e-mail address. I think he is on vacation next week but he should be back to work the week of the 24th.

Best regards,

Gregg

I don't think you can call it an industry as we are used to in the US or Europe or so. A good idea would be to do a search on this. There is some information in the archives. Also do a search on jobs in the DR. You should get a lot of information.

Since I've been monitoring the board (about a year now), every now and again I've seen an enquiry similar to yours. As far as I can see, general job info applies to IT in the DR. I have not seen evidence of an 'industry' as such - but I may be wrong. Somewhere else on this board there is an active thread for an IT Project Manager. I don't know much about the Cyber Park but have seen reference to it on the board. You may find the threads by searching.

I think your general approach as you've outlined it will certainly teach you a lot, especially if you can flush out the consulting groups. It helps if you're not in a hurry. When we (two geeks from way back when) wanted to move to the Caribbean two years ago and researched IT job opportunities, we ended up buying an IT shop in the Turks and Caicos Islands - back to basics - from PC repair to fixing os's, with the odd consulting project thrown in. I've not seen much evidence of consulting as we know it. Even less evidence of demand for security consulting. (I was a founder partner of a security shop called SecurePipe back in 1994 - they are still alive and well.)

I had correspondence with someone on the board (I cannot remember who it was) who mentioned that they worked in IT for a medical facility if I remember correctly. Maybe that person will see this thread and speak to you.

In my experience, in the DR (and in the Caribbean), you have to create the business yourself and it is quite different from consulting. So, instead of looking for a job alone, also consider offering security audits to the bigger banking groups for example. IT is really strange down here. You may as well be a pumpkin grower.

I'd be happy to talk with you if you came down here for a visit. There is nothing better than visiting and speaking to people. Also have friends who recently started a networking operation out of The US Virgins.

I really don't think there is any such industry here, everybody has a cousin or something that knows how to install warez and run Norton Ghost and they don't get much further than that, the few IT workers I know make less than 10k/month (pesos)

I know one guy who is a licensed engineer who makes decent money as a private contractor doing various programming and solutions providing, but he is about the best all around IT engineer I know with real serious skills and even for him it has been an uphillbattle to get where he is. (finally making a living)

Sure, let me know when you come down and we can talk.

All the best.

Christa

I think a good place to start inquiries for IT positions would be with the major banks and telecom companies. Try Citibank or Tricom or even Codetel. I'm sure if you dwell on it a little you can come up with even more prospects.

I don't know how good your networking skills are, but key in on the type of companies that might need someone in that realm. That means programming routers, competence with NT, WIN2000, 5.5 Mail exchange, Win2000 exchange, ..reloading Server software, install network versions of Symantic Corp. Anti-virus that update continually off the net. I think you would starve as a PC repair person.. Server support would bring in bigger bucks.

Therefore, visit the institutions with a big Server and PC base. If you have no clue, then go down to the corner of Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln Ave and start noting all the tall buildings. Better still, have your resume done in Spanish (by a professional) as well as English. Since most of MicroSoft support would tend to lend itself to someone fluent in English, that might be a good bridge.

All this means that should have better than average skills to offer to a potential employer. I.E.,
- Can you program IP addresses in Cisco Routers?
- Can you reload a crashed NT server?
- Are you good at downloading drivers off the Internet?
- Can you partition and map disk drives?
- Do you have some TCPIP skills?

Don't limit yourself just to WIN servers. Perhaps you have VMS or UNIX skills as well that may be in demand. Can you perform ODBC extracts from Sybase tables using Excel or Microsoft Query to select data source, fields, make queries and sorts?

If you have some of those skills - flaunt them. Apply logic and that may get your foot in the door somewhere. I would have to imagine that if a company can afford the rent on the 12th floor of a 25 story skyscraper, then chances are they might be able to afford your services in one of those skills.

Should you still have no luck getting a full-time job offer, then have a business card printed up, touting your skills.

Some of my most successful friends do not work for any particular company. They are "hired guns" to fix servers, to set-up networks, to program routers, etc. While they do not have any single company paying them $90,000 a year, they are making more than that by having as many as 30 clients that call on a "as needed basis". Sometimes they respond to 1 or 2 hour jobs. Sometimes, they spend a whole day at companies, or several days installing many PCs or setting up an entire network. You might have parallel success in the DR being a "hired gun", if you have enough funds to get you through the first 6 months while you build a client base.

-Kingofdice (IT Mgr. in States)

Yeah Right! Cisco? routers? does any of this run down here?

As I tell everyone that asks this question on DR1, it's all about networking and very little about what you know. Your chances of being hired whilst outside the DR are almost zero, maybe less.

My best advice is offer to work for someone FREE for 2-3 months.
This will get your foot in the door and maybe open up a few more.
Yes, I'm very serious!

I suggest you learn Spanish and prepare yourself for a shock.

The DR has some skillful techs, but they lack real world experience and I have yet to meet one that has logical diagnostic skills. And yes, I have met many of all levels.

By the way, load balancing and redundancy are not words you here much in the DR

Very good comments by Robert. Regardless of your skill level, there is still the element of having referrals to gain any business or be offered a job.

From time to time, I employ services of "hired gun" network experts, but I always verify their skill level with at least 3 referrals.

Certainly, offering free services for a trial period (2 or 3 months) might be a way to get a foot in the door. I would agree 100% with Robert, that the odds of landing an IT job or any job from outside the DR are virtually nil.

If your a GOD at it.

I have been spending the last few Sunday?s taking the family to use the pool, at the Dominican Fiesta, in the Capital.

I've been bumping into allot of people from VERIZON, out of the NY/Metro area, being sent down for a month at a time. All of them involved with what your talking about here.

They all say the same thing, Verizon is looking for a permanent transplant.

I know some of these guys are lurking out there, I turned them onto this site from the hotel.

If they won't come out of the closet's, next time I meet one of them, I'll try to get a name for you.

Meantime, you might want to start knocking on their door up there.

Thanks
Tim H.