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amartinez

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Aug 5, 2004
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Hi I am new on DR1 and just wanted to introduce myself. I also am thinking about maybe relocating to Santo Domingo with my children. I am a bilingual legal secretary here in New York and hope that I will be able to find employment in Santo Domingo. I will also receive a monthly income in dollars of $800. What are the salary ranges (more or less) for a bilingual legal secretary with 10 years experience.?

Any info would be appreciated.. Thanks alot.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Your best bet is to contact US companies that have offices in the DR. The salary you get if hired by one of them likely to be much above what you would be paid by other Dominican employers. Try to line up a job before you come to the DR.
 

amartinez

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Thank you for the reply.. I am just so tired of New York and want to change. I have traveled many times to DR and love it but want to cover all tracks before making that step.
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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Just shuffling through all the posts on this site will give you TONS of information too... take a few days to read through everything and you'll be able to write a manual... :D
 

Keith R

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Jan 1, 2002
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Amartinez,
Best of luck. I hate to be a wet blanket, but want you to be fully cognizant of the current realities you face:

* the job market in Santo Domingo is not very good right now;

* cost-of-living in SD is not nearly as low as might think it is, especially if you have children to care for and educate (take it from someone who lived there 4 yrs with his children);

* there are many, many bilingual secretaries in SD, even many bilingual legal secretaries, so you will not be unique -- your 10 yrs experience must stand out in some fashion (remember too, that your experience in working the legal field will look limited to many in SD because you are not experience in Dominican law and practice);

* although Ken is correct in that US firms will pay you more than Dominican, they do not pay that much for secretaries, bilingual or not, and it is far (and I do mean far!) less than in the US. BTW, start your search among US companies with HR for Citibank.

* all too many people seeking to go to the DR because they are "tired" with their current home, job & routine find once in SD that, as bad as it appeared back home, it was not necessarily so bad and SD represents not so much real escape or relief but rather simply a new set of challenges and headaches -- in other words, I think maybe you're thinking of moving to SD for the wrong reason. I have seen far too many examples like this, and in a majority of such cases the people involved have fled back to the life they left in the US, Canada, Europe, etc. within two years.


If you still want to search for work in SD, I would add to Ken's suggestion that you also look at employment possibilities with the international organizations present in SD -- the OAS, UNDP, PAHO, IBD, various EU offices and private international foundations and organizations. These jobs don't open often, but if you luck on one, go for it. They would welcome a fully bilingual secretary with legal exerience, and their pay and benefits usually are much better than the local norm (hence why these jobs open rarely!).

Again, best of luck in your quest.

Regards,
Keith
 

amartinez

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Aug 5, 2004
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Thanks a WHOLE BUNCH For your advice. I must also add that i wont have the expense of apartment/home rental for the simple fact that my children's father bought me a apartment in santo domingo two years ago which i own so my main concern is being able to live off my 800 dollars a month plus whatever other income i can get.

I know you guys are probably right and i should really think this over and believe me I will, I just want to try to get a flow or idea of what I am in for.

Once again, Thanks!
 

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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I work here at citigroup here in NYC...and we have offices in santo domingo. Perhaps you could try to get a job here first in NYC then try to transfer down there in time? Just a thought...i would transfer down there if my espanol was better.
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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amartinez said:
Thanks a WHOLE BUNCH For your advice. I must also add that i wont have the expense of apartment/home rental for the simple fact that my children's father bought me a apartment in santo domingo two years ago which i own so my main concern is being able to live off my 800 dollars a month plus whatever other income i can get.

I know you guys are probably right and i should really think this over and believe me I will, I just want to try to get a flow or idea of what I am in for.

Once again, Thanks!

If the children's father covers the education and other bills of the children (such as summer camp), and you live frugally, you will be able to live on the US$800 until you find other employment. You will also need to have a vehicle, unless the children's school is near where you live -- the best scenario.
 

Keith R

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jrzyguy said:
I work here at citigroup here in NYC...and we have offices in santo domingo. Perhaps you could try to get a job here first in NYC then try to transfer down there in time? Just a thought...i would transfer down there if my espanol was better.
Jrzyguy,
I am very very familiar with Citi DR, and know that the only people that Citi transfers into the DR offices (usually SD) from elsewhere are executives, not administrative staff, which is what they would consider a secretary no matter what her experience. Admin people in Citi DR are local hires by the HR staff in SD, even if the hires are American citizens, and will be paid in pesos (another minus for seeking employment there in my book). I can say, though, that Citi-DR is better than most about keeping the dollar parity of their peso-denominated salaries....
Regards,
Keith
 

amartinez

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Aug 5, 2004
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Yes, school will be paid for.. I am just hoping that I will not have a terrible job finding employment. I am fully bilingual and I just hope that it will not be a frustrating neverending search.
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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I wouldn't depend on secretarial work at all. I'm Canadian, trilingual, been living here 8 years, 5 years as a secretary and currently as an administrative assistant in a bank. I make RD$17,000/month (less than US$400) and the highest salary I personally know a secretary to make is RD$26,000 for a company president's assistant. That'll give you an idea at least. As far as I know (several of my friends are reknown lawyers), lawyers here have secretaries to type up their papers and answer the phone. Not much else, and they don't pay much.

Hope that gives you another outlook on the labor side of this country!
 

Keith R

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Jan 1, 2002
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KatieP has put into concrete terms some of what I was trying to gently suggest to you earlier, amartinez. The salary she quotes is by no means the lowest for secretaries, and remember, the banks tend to pay better than many offices...
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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Sorry about the reality slap. I'm used to making this amount but then again I don't have any children (if you don't count my dog and horse), my bf helps me a lot and I don't live like a rich person... Sometimes I forget that it's not the same "en los paises" (in the countries) as they say down here...

What I always suggest is make all your plans before coming down. We came down without anything and it's taken me 8 years to get to this point. It can be done but you have to bring loads of pacience with you and lots of love for the country!

Good luck!!
 

Keith R

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amartinez said:
Yes, I am getting the idea. I think i am starting to get a bit scared now.
Not trying to scare you. Just trying to make sure you do this with eyes wide open. My wife is Dominican with much family still there, and I am bilingual (tri-, actually) with a degree in Latin American Studies and had visited there for 10 yrs before going, and she and I both tend to be planners, so we thought we had all the bases covered. We were wrong, but did not have DR1 (which did not yet exist) to help us see that before and take it into account before going. As others have said, this site can be a wealth of info. If, after mining it thoroughly, you still want to go, then do it! You'll have my best wishes, for one.
Best regards,
Keith
 

SalsaBlondie

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Aug 28, 2003
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dont forget the blackouts and propane shortages

don't want to rain on your parade, but in case you didnt know, some places have 20 hour blackouts, and my fiance informs me his mother now has to cook with charcoal because propane is impossible to find.
if i were you, i'd wait and see how the economic crisis plays out in the next year or two.
i could also retire there but i refuse to live under conditions which are about to get dangerous in my opinion.. riots and protests, etc.
no refrigerator without electricity. . . and blackouts are so long that the generators are also burning out from overuse not to mention, expensive.. and at one point gasoline was hard to come by in some places..


amartinez said:
Yes, I am getting the idea. I think i am starting to get a bit scared now.
 

amartinez

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I am definetely trying to cover all tracks here. I have the advantage of having some incoming dollars and my own apartment. I, of course, realize that i will have to change my lifestyle drastically. I know that clothes and just general items that you are used to in the states are much more expensive. I think i will give myself a few months to decide.