Hello all! ok this is my deal, My parents are Dominican, I was born and raised here in the states. I love Domincan and I want to move there, for a year or so. I just graduated college with a bachelors of science, my major was psychology. I am finding it extremely hard to find a job here in America so i want to go to DR. Its hard to find out about jobs via the net in the DR. I need names of American companies that are in the DR. Or If you guys have any personal connections. I will work in almost any field.I really dont care, as long as im there and near the fam. I might just end up going this summer and look for a job while im there. How valuable am I to the DR by me being American, speaking English, attractive &young :cheeky: and having an American college degree? is it even worth it for me to move and work there for a while?Please any response will be greatly appreciated. :knockedou
- Thread starter DOMINLA
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Please read!need feedback!
Learn the language in the country you work in
You love "Dominican" , e.g. a person from the DR or did you mean to say the DR or the full name of the country? For a girl with Dominican parents you should know better. Call it by its actual name, if dealing with Dominican employers.
You don't speak Spanish, with Dominican parents and you want to work in the DR? Wow. Get fluent in Spanish.
You are not likely to get a starting job in the DR that pays as good as in the USA, so it seems to me you should work a little harder getting a US job while you learn Spanish.
DOMINLA said:
You love "Dominican" , e.g. a person from the DR or did you mean to say the DR or the full name of the country? For a girl with Dominican parents you should know better. Call it by its actual name, if dealing with Dominican employers.
You don't speak Spanish, with Dominican parents and you want to work in the DR? Wow. Get fluent in Spanish.
You are not likely to get a starting job in the DR that pays as good as in the USA, so it seems to me you should work a little harder getting a US job while you learn Spanish.
You looking in the wrong place
First of all your parents are from the Dominican Republic, NOT the "Dominican". There are things Dominican, there are Dominican rums, for instance. But most people consider it to be incorrect to use the term "Dominican" in referring to the country, as in "I'm going to the Dominican."
Now, with that gramatical point cleared up, let us proceed to what you are interested in: Employment here.
Dominican universities are graduating dozens of psychologists, so I would think that your chances of finding employment to be slim. In this country, networking is necessary to get the good jobs, so family and political connections are very much needed. To come here "cold turkey" and try to find a job will be a daunting task.
I would suggest getting an Masters degree first, and in Psychology the Ph. D. is almost always necessary in order to be really qualified. For example, to work in industry you will be going up against Dominican and U. S. trained industrial psychologists and industrial engineers that are making $250-$300 a month to start. To be on the top of the heap you need advanced degrees.
A second consideration: How is your Spanish? To work professionally in this environment you need excellent Spanish skills. To establish a reputation, you need to speak much more then Dominican ghetto "Spanglish" , like tu sabes...
So, all in all, while the call to return might be there, you need a better skill set, and, most importantly, a network to support your effort.
HB
I see Rick beat me by a few minutes with the same line of comments. Great minds...
First of all your parents are from the Dominican Republic, NOT the "Dominican". There are things Dominican, there are Dominican rums, for instance. But most people consider it to be incorrect to use the term "Dominican" in referring to the country, as in "I'm going to the Dominican."
Now, with that gramatical point cleared up, let us proceed to what you are interested in: Employment here.
Dominican universities are graduating dozens of psychologists, so I would think that your chances of finding employment to be slim. In this country, networking is necessary to get the good jobs, so family and political connections are very much needed. To come here "cold turkey" and try to find a job will be a daunting task.
I would suggest getting an Masters degree first, and in Psychology the Ph. D. is almost always necessary in order to be really qualified. For example, to work in industry you will be going up against Dominican and U. S. trained industrial psychologists and industrial engineers that are making $250-$300 a month to start. To be on the top of the heap you need advanced degrees.
A second consideration: How is your Spanish? To work professionally in this environment you need excellent Spanish skills. To establish a reputation, you need to speak much more then Dominican ghetto "Spanglish" , like tu sabes...
So, all in all, while the call to return might be there, you need a better skill set, and, most importantly, a network to support your effort.
HB
I see Rick beat me by a few minutes with the same line of comments. Great minds...
Thank you
Dominican, that is correct- thats what I said. Im sorry if that offended you, but that what I call it sometimes, and believe me IM not the only one. and I think I know how to present myself in a professional manner amongst other professionals, no matter where they are from; but thanks for the advice man.
Apparently you have some sort of power where you can tap into other peoples lives thru the internet and be able to tell if they are fluent in other languages.WOW.In case you havent noticed, this whole site is in ENGLISH, Everyone posts in ENGLISH,so I typed everything in ENGLISH.
Thank you to HB and Nelly and toronto for your words :knockedou
Dominican, that is correct- thats what I said. Im sorry if that offended you, but that what I call it sometimes, and believe me IM not the only one. and I think I know how to present myself in a professional manner amongst other professionals, no matter where they are from; but thanks for the advice man.
Apparently you have some sort of power where you can tap into other peoples lives thru the internet and be able to tell if they are fluent in other languages.WOW.In case you havent noticed, this whole site is in ENGLISH, Everyone posts in ENGLISH,so I typed everything in ENGLISH.
Thank you to HB and Nelly and toronto for your words :knockedou
Cool Yer Jets There, Girl
Geepers, us idiots actually did notice you wrote in English, the point being made is that you said one of the "credentials" you have is English , when it would have been a much better thing to say you were fluent in both languages which adds a lot to your employability, even with an American (or non-Dominican) employer, since a lot of business, supervision, etc., has to be in Spanish.
So spare the hyperbole and state all the facts, just the facts, ma'am.
DOMINLA said:
Geepers, us idiots actually did notice you wrote in English, the point being made is that you said one of the "credentials" you have is English , when it would have been a much better thing to say you were fluent in both languages which adds a lot to your employability, even with an American (or non-Dominican) employer, since a lot of business, supervision, etc., has to be in Spanish.
So spare the hyperbole and state all the facts, just the facts, ma'am.
where is the love man!
My bad,you are right. Its just the way you were coming at me, it stood out from the others.I found it ugly, like you were talking down to me. It wasnt what I expected. I posted on here to get some advice from peers,to get some ideas flowing,make friends, and learn.
Im really not looking for something that pays well,it really doesnt matter. Im just going to visit my family, its been about 2 years since ive been back.It would just be an added bonus if I were to get payed. Or even work at a resort and live there as well. I would like to do volunteer work as well, go and talk to students about futhering their education, teaching english things of that nature. It gets kinda boring after about 1 week of doin nothing, so I want to make my trip a little more meaningful.
Thanks again
My bad,you are right. Its just the way you were coming at me, it stood out from the others.I found it ugly, like you were talking down to me. It wasnt what I expected. I posted on here to get some advice from peers,to get some ideas flowing,make friends, and learn.
Im really not looking for something that pays well,it really doesnt matter. Im just going to visit my family, its been about 2 years since ive been back.It would just be an added bonus if I were to get payed. Or even work at a resort and live there as well. I would like to do volunteer work as well, go and talk to students about futhering their education, teaching english things of that nature. It gets kinda boring after about 1 week of doin nothing, so I want to make my trip a little more meaningful.
Thanks again
DOMINLA said:
You will get fucked there for sure. My dominican friends there with degrees from the local Universities all left for Holland where they got 10 times what was offered in their home country. If you can't make it in America be sure you will never make it anywhere else in the world.
Jimmydr said:
WOW. yea I would imagine.well its not that I cant make it here, Its just that Im young, have no responsibilities(kids, or boyfriend), meaning that I can just leave America for a while, spend time with family and enjoy living on an island, enjoy Life. Plus Itll be almost free since half of my family is there.
Family
Well they will want something from you for sure. I worked the last 20 years, and am single. Now I travel and if I want to stay in nice hotels, well I have the money to do it.
Well they will want something from you for sure. I worked the last 20 years, and am single. Now I travel and if I want to stay in nice hotels, well I have the money to do it.
Mark1 said:
And some understanding of simpatico would help - especially from someone who has studied for a Psycology degree!!
DOMINLA: Try to see why someone might get upset with what you write, & ask questions rather than immediately fighting back. Lesson in Psycology now over!!
Now, the question was "Do you speak Spanish as well as English"? You admitted to "my BAD" (I think you meant error) but you did not answer the question). It would help us to help you if we knew if you spoke Spanish too!
If you look in most dictionaries "Dominican" is an adjective. Dominican Republic is the NOUN - hence some hostility to those who call it something other than it's "Proper" name - The Dominican Republic or The DR!
To most of us that respect this country, we refer to it as Dominican Republic, DR, Republica Dominicana or (if we are referring to the whole Island) Hispaniola. I agree that many Dominicans can give the DR their own interpretation of the proper title to the country, but so as not to give offense EVER, we call it by it's Proper Name or acknowledged abbreviation, the two letters dipicting the Full Name!!
Hope this helps you understand the irritation at your initial post - Grahame.
I know a restaurant in Sosua and maybe a few hotels that could use you. Maybe then they would get my order right!
Now that is different
You now say that you will do scut work at hotels or teach English at some language school. Well, now, that may be possible. But how long will you be staying here and where will you be staying? Santo Domingo or Santiago might be able to provide you with some work, and maybe out in the East...you'd have to see for yourself.
As to your language ability, I really am "stereotyping" you. NYC educated, from non-educated (ie., non-university educated) parents, went to a college and got a degree--wonderful in and of itself. BUT your Spanish is probably deficient. Again, this is just a guess, but maybe not too far off.
Be that as it may, your ORIGINAL idea of getting into contact with U.S. based companies is very good and it is the way to go, even with the hotel chains, and they are all here: Hilton, Accor, and others. See about a job with USAID, take the Foreign Service Test, look into overseas jobs, not necesarily here. You are lucky, you are there and can come here and go back. Many here want to go there no matter what.
Good luck, really.
HB, a true curmudgeon
You now say that you will do scut work at hotels or teach English at some language school. Well, now, that may be possible. But how long will you be staying here and where will you be staying? Santo Domingo or Santiago might be able to provide you with some work, and maybe out in the East...you'd have to see for yourself.
As to your language ability, I really am "stereotyping" you. NYC educated, from non-educated (ie., non-university educated) parents, went to a college and got a degree--wonderful in and of itself. BUT your Spanish is probably deficient. Again, this is just a guess, but maybe not too far off.
Be that as it may, your ORIGINAL idea of getting into contact with U.S. based companies is very good and it is the way to go, even with the hotel chains, and they are all here: Hilton, Accor, and others. See about a job with USAID, take the Foreign Service Test, look into overseas jobs, not necesarily here. You are lucky, you are there and can come here and go back. Many here want to go there no matter what.
Good luck, really.
HB, a true curmudgeon
Dominla,
I have my two cents for you...we have a few things in common, so for what it's worth here goes.
Volunteer work is not romantic or glamorous but it has its share of adventure. You have to be pretty flexible/adaptable to do jobs others refuse to do in a country that is not your own. VOLUNTEERING IS A GREAT SEGUE INTO THE REAL WORLD OF WORK. Esp. since you just got out of school. Take a summer, six months, or a year, and sweat it out. There's no sure bet but with with a reputable organization, you WILL make great contacts and be ready to take the next step. I got my first "real" job (ahem, salaried) because I volunteered. Now I have been in the same profession for 5 years; it's been a great career investment, and I love it while still looking out for other opportunities. Plus, I've managed to combine my job with travel to the DR (I brought students with me in 2002 for volunteer work), as well as personal time just volunteering there (I am so not a "tourist", I always need to be doing something at the local level!) Hey, maybe you can take 3 more credits and do some field work...I am sure there's lots of psych cases, just on DR1!
Hillbilly, wise man, suggested Foreign Service Exam--if you have two or more languages and cross-cultural experience, it's a good idea to take it...I just took it and it was very difficult. I would say my weakest area was US government and how it functions! The other areas of the test include English usage, writing ability, economics and management as well as a detailed autobio section. Take it--the test is free, and if you pass it, on to the next hurdle. The jobs look very enticing if one qualifies.
The first weeks after I graduated from college, I was a nervous wreck--knowing that I needed a real job. It took almost a year to land one I didn't want to quit the very next day. I think you could do a lot in terms of volunteer work, especially if you have family you can stay with.
Best of luck.
Amity aka Mainegirl
Fine Arts major, Spanish teacher (go figure)
I have my two cents for you...we have a few things in common, so for what it's worth here goes.
Volunteer work is not romantic or glamorous but it has its share of adventure. You have to be pretty flexible/adaptable to do jobs others refuse to do in a country that is not your own. VOLUNTEERING IS A GREAT SEGUE INTO THE REAL WORLD OF WORK. Esp. since you just got out of school. Take a summer, six months, or a year, and sweat it out. There's no sure bet but with with a reputable organization, you WILL make great contacts and be ready to take the next step. I got my first "real" job (ahem, salaried) because I volunteered. Now I have been in the same profession for 5 years; it's been a great career investment, and I love it while still looking out for other opportunities. Plus, I've managed to combine my job with travel to the DR (I brought students with me in 2002 for volunteer work), as well as personal time just volunteering there (I am so not a "tourist", I always need to be doing something at the local level!) Hey, maybe you can take 3 more credits and do some field work...I am sure there's lots of psych cases, just on DR1!
Hillbilly, wise man, suggested Foreign Service Exam--if you have two or more languages and cross-cultural experience, it's a good idea to take it...I just took it and it was very difficult. I would say my weakest area was US government and how it functions! The other areas of the test include English usage, writing ability, economics and management as well as a detailed autobio section. Take it--the test is free, and if you pass it, on to the next hurdle. The jobs look very enticing if one qualifies.
The first weeks after I graduated from college, I was a nervous wreck--knowing that I needed a real job. It took almost a year to land one I didn't want to quit the very next day. I think you could do a lot in terms of volunteer work, especially if you have family you can stay with.
Best of luck.
Amity aka Mainegirl
Fine Arts major, Spanish teacher (go figure)
Slang
FYI, "my BAD" is the current American slang for "my error," and we all know plenty of slang is used on this board. The prime example being "sanky."
Joe
BushBaby said:
FYI, "my BAD" is the current American slang for "my error," and we all know plenty of slang is used on this board. The prime example being "sanky."
Joe
Lessons Learned
Well as to talking down to you this part brought it on: " How valuable am I to the DR by me being American, speaking English, attractive &young and having an American college degree?"
Really the American part isn't that much an advantage in some parts of the world, and the "attractive and young" is selling the wrong assets, isn't it? (think: your brain, education and skills to offer an employer). I hire a lot of educated people and I'd turn you down flat with this approach.
However, to Mainegirl's point I look for volunteering as a great asset, much more so than menial or non related job skills. Working for nothing for people worse off than you is a sign of maturity I like to see in those I hire.
And you really should read a lot more posts here to see what you might be in for asking for advice on the mean streets of DR1.com.
FWIW, get some job experience in the USA or heed the advice if you are interested in the vocation for which you studied get the masters and maybe Ph.D.
But by all means venture down to the DR for a month or so and check out the opportunity, go to the free zones and the capital, maybe Santiago and check out how well the Spanish works too.
Buena suerte.
DOMINLA said:
Well as to talking down to you this part brought it on: " How valuable am I to the DR by me being American, speaking English, attractive &young and having an American college degree?"
Really the American part isn't that much an advantage in some parts of the world, and the "attractive and young" is selling the wrong assets, isn't it? (think: your brain, education and skills to offer an employer). I hire a lot of educated people and I'd turn you down flat with this approach.
However, to Mainegirl's point I look for volunteering as a great asset, much more so than menial or non related job skills. Working for nothing for people worse off than you is a sign of maturity I like to see in those I hire.
And you really should read a lot more posts here to see what you might be in for asking for advice on the mean streets of DR1.com.
FWIW, get some job experience in the USA or heed the advice if you are interested in the vocation for which you studied get the masters and maybe Ph.D.
But by all means venture down to the DR for a month or so and check out the opportunity, go to the free zones and the capital, maybe Santiago and check out how well the Spanish works too.
Buena suerte.