Job anywhere in DR without spannish language?

[Ivuska]

Hello, me and my friend would like to go to DR for some time and would like to know, if there is any possiblity to get a job there before arrival? Hotel, bar job, just anything to start with? Or is it better to just go there and search for job after arrival? We would appreciate any advice and any help or tips. We are both uni grads, speak fluent english and czech, me intermediate russian and german, my friend basic spannish.
Thanks a lot for some advice

 

[belmont]

Hotel, bar job, just anything to start with?

You do realize that you are talking about a country with a reported unemployment rate of about 15%, but probably is much higher in reality. In addition to having residency, to obtain work you will probably need some unique skill. But saying you will take a hotel job or bar job to start is not realistic as these jobs are prized jobs to the locals.

 

[EverythingJeff]

Knowing English is a unique skill in this country...

You can apply for call center jobs upon your arrival in the country.... not all companies require residency. These positions begin at 100 pesos an hour for English language troubleshooting. over the phone.

 

[DRob]

If he's talking about hotel jobs, then the goal is likely for some "Margaritaville" lifestyle, where you work in a resort and play with the pretty locals who work at the beach dress shop. Sort of like Cocktail meets Forgetting Sarah Marshall (en Espanol).

Sitting in a cubicle for 8-10 hours selling junk or handling customer service calls isn't quite the same experience, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a call center within an hour of anything that remotely resembles the above.

DMV and Jeff are correct. Many Dominicans aggressively pursue hotel gigs, and most of them are at least bi-lingual.

If I were you, I would go there with the expectation of not being able to find or create work that would give you anything remotely resembling a middle-class european lifestyle. Most expats are retirees, have work based in another country (websites, consultants, hired in country X to work in DR, etc), own their businesses, or are otherwise financially independent.

 

[SKing]

They pick the cream of the crop just to work at McDonald's in DR....I have never been so impressed with the cleanliness and appearance of staff at McDonald's until I had moved to Santiago. I wish you luck but it doesn't look good
SHALENA

 

[miozio]

You do realize that you are talking about a country with a reported unemployment rate of about 15%, but probably is much higher in reality. In addition to having residency, to obtain work you will probably need some unique skill. But saying you will take a hotel job or bar job to start is not realistic as these jobs are prized jobs to the locals.

I do realize that the locals need to learn how to work properly!!! I hope this country hires 200.000 qualified personnel with excellent English. Dominicans need to learn the survival lessons of the western world otherwise there will be poverty forever! You can't do that, learn quick or you loose it all! The service will get better and way more people will travel here on vacation- this will create more job offers!!!! I am tired of helping healthy but lazy!!

 

[Ivuska]

Ok Ok guysss, thanks for replies About the middle class european lifestyle....thats actually what I am trying to get away from. Btw, if the jobs in hotel or bars are high demand over there, ok, i didnt know, thanks for info. Thats what is this forum for, right? To find out some info and thats what I am doing.
I really appreciate all opinions, but some constructive help or advice would be really great

 

[Ivuska]

Btw, thanks a lot Jeff

 

[Acira]

I do realize that the locals need to learn how to work properly!!! I hope this country hires 200.000 qualified personnel with excellent English. Dominicans need to learn the survival lessons of the western world otherwise there will be poverty forever! You can't do that, learn quick or you loose it all! The service will get better and way more people will travel here on vacation- this will create more job offers!!!! I am tired of helping healthy but lazy!!

Maybe if they should earn a proper wage where they can live of with their family, they are more willing to look towards the future instead of living day by day. In that way I can see that an increase in wages leads to more productivity.
But as long as even the minimum wages are not sufficient to sustain a family and as long as there are employers who are not even paying the minimum wages, you never will achieve anything with some people.

 

[miozio]

Maybe if they should earn a proper wage where they can live of with their family, they are more willing to look towards the future instead of living day by day. In that way I can see that an increase in wages leads to more productivity.
But as long as even the minimum wages are not sufficient to sustain a family and as long as there are employers who are not even paying the minimum wages, you never will achieve anything with some people.

They need to learn how to work and how to pay their workers!!!!!

 

[Acira]

They need to learn how to work and how to pay their workers!!!!!

I get the impression that you had bad encounters with both parties, workers and employers. Sorry to hear that but its not fair to generalize that for the whole population of workers and employers. There are enough Dominicans who want to work hard even when they are underpaid and there are employers who are paying the correct wages as much as there are workers who are being paid a correct wage and not doing a good job and there are employers who are not paying the correct wages.

 

[miozio]

Hello, me and my friend would like to go to DR for some time and would like to know, if there is any possiblity to get a job there before arrival? Hotel, bar job, just anything to start with? Or is it better to just go there and search for job after arrival? We would appreciate any advice and any help or tips. We are both uni grads, speak fluent english and czech, me intermediate russian and german, my friend basic spannish.
Thanks a lot for some advice

There are plenty of bars and restaurants in Cabarete, some of them will be glad to hire you. Many people on this board know the owners and they might give you more info.

It's still better to see the country first.

 

[Anastacio]

You will get a call centre job, you won't find anything enjoyable, or that can offer a good lifestyle. Try europe, it`s crap there also now but you stand a better chance of finding a job that requires a pulse. Its very difficult if you can't understand anyone.

 

[Acira]

I do realize that the locals need to learn how to work properly!!! I hope this country hires 200.000 qualified personnel with excellent English. Dominicans need to learn the survival lessons of the western world otherwise there will be poverty forever! You can't do that, learn quick or you loose it all! The service will get better and way more people will travel here on vacation- this will create more job offers!!!! I am tired of helping healthy but lazy!!

And why do they need to speak English, we are in a Spanish speaking country so adapt.
Just go to France, they have millions of tourists and refuse to speak anything else then French and there service is crap...sorry Africaida, there are exceptions I know...

 

[donP]

The Language of the Gods

And why do they need to speak English, we are in a Spanish speaking country so adapt.
Just go to France, they have millions of tourists and refuse to speak anything else then French...

Unfortunately most of the French expats here refuse to learn the country's language.
I know of French people, who after having lived in this country for many years, greet you in French.... :tired:

donP

 

[Acira]

Unfortunately most of the French expats here refuse to learn the country's language.
I know of French people, who after having lived in this country for many years, greet you in French.... :tired:

donP

If I meet a fellow Belgian ex-pat here, I also say Hallo instead of Hola unless he/she is from the French speaking part of Belgium and then its Bonjour

 

[Africaida]

And why do they need to speak English, we are in a Spanish speaking country so adapt.
Just go to France, they have millions of tourists and refuse to speak anything else then French and there service is crap...sorry Africaida, there are exceptions I know...

No worry lol, I know my people

And, DonP I am not sure if it is most of the French expats, but I witnessed a lot of them who indeed knew very little (but it is less true for the younger generations). In LT, a lot of them live in their "French bubble" and I couldn't believe that my Spanish was better than theirs !

 

[Anastacio]

You can't set a normal career plan for a people that can't understand career developement, time served, climbing the ladder, basics most of us expect and understand. The majority want it now or nothing and so although I agree they are underpaid, I disagree hiking the salary for result is any reason or woould change anyone approach to work.

 

[Acira]

You can't set a normal career plan for a people that can't understand career developement, time served, climbing the ladder, basics most of us expect and understand. The majority want it now or nothing and so although I agree they are underpaid, I disagree hiking the salary for result is any reason or woould change anyone approach to work.

Wouldn't you want it now if you know that the maximum pension here is RDS 2,800? Wouldn't you want it now if you know that you are being underpaid already and having no insurance whatsoever? Wouldn't you want it now if you know you have the right on the increase but are not getting it because yes there is the law but the enforcement is not there so some employers just say no and add still to your duties?

Career planning and climbing the ladder my ass...this is about surviving and trying to feed your family every day so sure many people are forced to live in the NOW, they have NO CHOICE.

 

[DMV123]

If one thing is certain here is that Dominicans know the labor laws and their rights. They get it - their families get it - their friends get it. Occasionally they will work for less then their rights to feed their families.; UNTIL the day they file their demanda at the labor court. They know what they are entitled to. And they always win!

I think motivating employees here is more complicated then just money. There are huge cultural issues to understand as well as personal financial issues and business economic issues. It is not simple.