I had a non-Spanish speaker write and ask me how difficult it is to get a job in Merida. Since many people before me have explained the intricacies (or difficulty) of finding work in Merida much better than I’m able to, I began looking for a good link to provide her as a reference. During my search, I came across this job opening (closes 10/20) for a clerk/chauffeur at the Merida Consulate, and figured I'd post it just incase someone is looking for work. The pay is meager, but it is a J-O-B.

http://merida.usconsulate.gov/jobvacancies2.html

For here, that salary is huge.

Yeah, but it's probably not big enough to lure you out of your new found retirement...

count me out! they want a fluent spanish speaker! oh, and then there's the auto mechanic issue!

That is a LOT of requirements and hoop hopping for a 13K job!!!



Driver, mechanic, mailroom person, fluent in Spanish??? Didn't see where the workplace was air conditioned!!!



And they don't even mention giving special consideration to a Canadian!!!



Not very "equal opportunity employment" thinking!!!!!



Actually for an American who wishes for or needs employment to live here, it is not a bad deal I guess?

I thought about a career change when I saw this post and saw no requirement to be sober or morally sound but guessing the security check might catch those traits and I'd be discriminated against so I guess I'll rethink the whole career change thingy

No, this will NOT lure me out of retirement.

So am I naive in thinking that I can move to Merida and find a decent full-time job within 6 months? My spanish is rusty but I have no doubt it would be oiled up after 6 months. Skills?

 

2 years managing a pesticide reduction program (agriculture industry)

4 years systems administration (IT management)

2 years website development (mostly open source languages and CMS)

4 years project management (in the web industry)

4 years user experience design/information architecture (in the web industry)

 

I have a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Science and an M.S. in Information Science. I don't want to post my resume or anything, just giving a sense of my background to get your reaction as to my potential for finding a job. I'm open to teaching English or some such but I know the pay will be low and I'm not looking for high pay - enough to get by. I may try to see if my current employer will contract with me but I think that might be complicated tax wise. I'm sure I could get much better pay that way though.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

The more specialized and desirable your skills the more likely you are to get a job. But the more specialized the skills the smaller the marketplace for those skills. I assume you already know that. Ask Wiz, he is that boat.
The people who do best economically are those who telecommute. Get paid NOB wages but live SOB. Or if you have a job that requires travel and it doesn't matter where your home base is.
Since you already had a job in Mexico (that was you, wasn't it?) I'd start beating the bushes and asking old comrades about jobs. This is definitely a place where networking works. I also assume that you know the pertinent Visa requirements for working here and about apostiling your credentials. If not Rolly Brooks's website is a good place to start investigating those things.
regards,
Theresa