Head Hunters for Finance in Bogota (or other cities)

juli says on Oct 16, 2007, 14:00:

Colombia has a over 10% unemployment and plenty of talent. Foreigners almost never get a job here. Unless you want to teach English. Sorry. Why should you get the job instead of someone who lives here and is equally qualified? I honestly can say that your chances are extremely limited. Can you speak fluent Spanish? Perhaps you have relatives here and are Colombian by blood? Maybe you have some skill in finance on an international level that is in demand here but no one here is able to do your "specialty". What do you do? My neighbor works at La Bolsa. I can ask him.

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elregaloperfecto.com says on Oct 16, 2007, 15:36:

You have an uphill battle, unless you have a special skill that others here don't have. I don't want to discourage you, but you better have some friends in high places.

http://www.elregaloperfecto.com

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john_stark says on Oct 16, 2007, 17:28:

Come on, Juli, don't rain on the guy's parade. He's just a modern day gringo conquistador looking for gold in the streets of Bogota.

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billyb says on Oct 16, 2007, 19:53:

Maybe it's the name of that airport that lures them.

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Wastelandlive says on Oct 17, 2007, 04:13:

Sad but true... but we should be patient: we all had to learn the same lesson when we arrived.

Newbie, unless you are 100% fluent, have the right to work in Colombia ALREADY (Not, "the company will love me so much that they'll secure permission"), professional employment is just not that easy.

If you have assets, you could come and be an entrepreneur. It has it's own set of challenges, but it's at least doable.

But if you think you're going to waltz into some bank and become a Financial Analyst... if you're thinking that they will fall at your feet because you got your MBA at some prestigious American university... well, they've got loads of native speakers from their own prestigious Universities waiting for that job and willing, no, HAPPY to do it at a fraction of what you expect.

And you should understand what regalo is saying about connections: it's not just that these kind of jobs are obtained not via want adds or headhunters, but via a social network... that's largely true in the States, too. But just in case you are thinking, "Well, once introductions are made, the job will go to the most qualified person," realize that this logic is very Protestant, Anglo-Saxon, North American.

In the developing world where jobs are such a valuable commodoty, the level of nepotism approaches 100%: that is, those hiring you KNOW that they are doing you a great favor, and they tend to reserve that favor for their own tribe, or people they think can pay them back in some way.

If that's not you, it's English teaching, open a bar, restaurant, or hostel, flip real estate, or go into the shady pimp daddy introductions business...

Wasteland

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newbie73 says on Oct 25, 2007, 17:50:

Sorry guys i thought nobody was going to respond so I stopped visiting the forum. Just read the posts and I understand entirely. I am well aware of the challenges with finding work within a culture that hires with a strong nod toward nepotism. That is all fine - just looking for a place to start.

Luckily, I do have certain skills that are not very common, especially the combination that I have been lucky to develop. And yes, I am fluent - my parents are Mexican and I make sure to read all the economic news I can get my hands on in Spanish.

In any case, I will keep on looking. If anybody knows of any bolsas de empleo that may help, let me know. If you need more information about my background (professional), drop me an email and I will share whatever you want to know.

Thanks!

- Luis

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