WTK: Jobs in Trinidad, why are they so difficult to come by?

[jsm1985]

For the past 9 months or so I've been looking to do a career change, as my current position has no further possibility for upward mobility.

I'm 25 years old with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management with Management level experience for the past 4 years. Preparing to start my Master's in Marketing or Business Development in January.

Best case scenario is to get into a multi-national here in Trinidad. I've sent out countless applications to everywhere I could possibly think of wanting to move to, and not one response...

I can't imagine that my CV is that undesirable, so what gives?

Is anyone else having similar issues?

[rfari]

my gf had issues and she studied that same bsc business management. right now she's in the final year for the imba programme and only recently she started to work (part-time lecturing) after more than a year jobless. its all about ur links pal. it not easy other there. it might be a waste of time but get in contact with ur MP and see if tht helps

[Sky]

Don't worry, you'll get a job. I'm seeing that your birthday is in the next three months or so. It's close. You will have good luck then and an opportunity will arise.

[jsm1985]

Don't worry, you'll get a job. I'm seeing that your birthday is in the next three months or so. It's close. You will have good luck then and an opportunity will arise.

Well my birthday is this month, but I highly doubt that will have an impact LOL

[MG Man]

dunno.......I does change jobs like jockey shorts...never have any trouble
some questions to ask:
are your salary expectatons too high?
are you properly representing yourself at interviews?
do the companies you apply to have vacancies?
are you sending out unsolicited applications? Many multi-nationals don't entertain those
How is your CV structured? Is it a list of qualifications, roles, responsibilities? Resumes should highlight accomplishments that are measurable, rather than a list of jobs and responsibilities....try to keep it short as well....I don't even bother with crap like age, gender, marital status etc...
My approach to interviews is one of I am not desperate for this job. Here are my skills.....if they ask me any annoying questions, I leave..........I probably come across as an arrogant iron but it works.....is either you want me for this job or not........I also tend to turn the table on intervierers and ask very specific questions regarding their company, culture, turnover, long term viability, strategic goals and objectives etc................I always enjoy that part........but it does distinguish you from everybody who just trying to impress the panel...

[janfar]

Problem is the market is saturated with ppl of the same qualifications. So now the process of hunoyew comes into play. No one want to do the dirty work any more sadly...

[JoeBama]

open a burger / doubles cart...

[MG Man]

Problem is the market is saturated with ppl of the same qualifications. So now the process of hunoyew comes into play. No one want to do the dirty work any more sadly...

I strongly disagree
none of the jobs I've landed have been through connections (including M&D, Angostura, WITCO)
I've always applied thru vacancy ads or thru recritment agencies
In the case of WITCO I blanked them twice because of job committments
My sis got a very good job at one of the foreign oil and gas companies solely through merit, not whoyuhknow....same for my wife

[Dizzy28]

Problem is the market is saturated with ppl of the same qualifications. So now the process of hunoyew comes into play. No one want to do the dirty work any more sadly...

Answer right here
Supply exceeds demand
Everybody doing a Management degree or MBA and we have a stagnated economy that still reliant on oil and gas therefore you have limited opportunities in limited companies.

[janfar]

But whoyuhknow could be replaced by relexperunce... and i believe thats something you have alot of.

[VexXx Dogg]

Try going through a legit employment agency.

[MG Man]

For the past 9 months or so I've been looking to do a career change, as my current position has no further possibility for upward mobility.

I'm 25 years old with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management with Management level experience for the past 4 years. Preparing to start my Master's in Marketing or Business Development in January.

Best case scenario is to get into a multi-national here in Trinidad. I've sent out countless applications to everywhere I could possibly think of wanting to move to, and not one response...

I can't imagine that my CV is that undesirable, so what gives?

Is anyone else having similar issues?

so u saying you've been in a management role since u were 21...........what do you define as 'management level' experience?
I worked jobs as a product specialist (ie not quite a brand manager), trade marketing executive (ie not quite an area manager) before I even got the word 'manager' behind my name.........by that point, I was about 29....then I worked a few years as a sales manager, service manager etc to develop a fully rounded career...at this point I don't even care what my job title says, once I get to do what I want to do, and I always tell potential employers that..........at 24, I'm curious as to what your relevant management experience is........
are you sure your expectations are realistic?

[jsm1985]

I have a feeling my expectations are a bit unrealistic as I won't leave my current job for anything less than $10K/month

[MG Man]

an experienced brand manager makes about that much...........or a marketing manager in a small company......or a TME in WITCO......what specific jobs have u applied for?
and u still haven't explained what your managerial experience entails........knowing that would help

[neilsingh100]

I have a feeling my expectations are a bit unrealistic as I won't leave my current job for anything less than $10K/month

Once you are good at what you do the money will come.

However, persons that graduate with a B.Sc. Management degree who feel they can become managers as soon as they graduate with no relevant experience in a particular industry crack me up.

[Michael Knight...]

For the past 9 months or so I've been looking to do a career change, as my current position has no further possibility for upward mobility.

I'm 25 years old with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management with Management level experience for the past 4 years. Preparing to start my Master's in Marketing or Business Development in January.

Best case scenario is to get into a multi-national here in Trinidad. I've sent out countless applications to everywhere I could possibly think of wanting to move to, and not one response...

I can't imagine that my CV is that undesirable, so what gives?

Is anyone else having similar issues?

Good luck, I've been trying for a year and four months now(no I'm not joking). I am currently pursuing my BSC in Info Systems & Management and I have two years experience as a network admin. My resume has been rejected quite a couple times well. Perhaps it's the structure of resumes? I dunno.

[jsm1985]

My first job was conducting the entire operations of a medium sized web courier start up company. That included everything from liasing with US arm to co-ordination of local deliveries, billing and procuring customers from other competitors, as Well as all customs and airport duties. Unfortunately Delta cargo stopped operating in Trinidad so that business went under.
My second and current job is the manager of a medium sized furniture store. Both operations rested mainly on my shoulders. Both job titles included manager and my responsibilities matched the title IMO.

Written on phone, sorry for any errors

[MG Man]

did u look at what I said about structuring your CV?
How does yours compare to those guidelines? (esp regarding specific / measurable achievements)

[Dizzy28]

As MG say. You eh have to quote figures but you could put %ages growth under your stewardship, or even % fall in absentism etc. Those things catch the eye.

[suffocate69]

Your first problem was doing a useless degree.

Second problem is that unsolicted resumes are almost always ignored.

Thirdly, you need to network yourself. Go out there and meet people.

[jsm1985]

I also thought my degree was useless but 90% of the jobs I'm interested in have my specific degree as a requirement...

[jsm1985]

did u look at what I said about structuring your CV?
How does yours compare to those guidelines? (esp regarding specific / measurable achievements)

I think the structure is good, and information clear and precise...

[MaxPower]

most companies do not entertain any CV where a vacancy is not needed. our emails are flooded with hundreds of unwanted applications and some for positions that dont even exist. we just select all and delete regardless.

listen..you could be how smart and have what on your resume. your attitude can send u packing your bags

1. find out if the co. has any vacancies and apply within the deadline.
2. is your CV up to mark? free of any errors? note the simple things for e.g - your name and address and the person to whom you are writing to are all on the extreme left, do NOT staple the cover letter...stuff like that and many more..google it, alot of companies are very meticulous.
3. be presentable at interview, again google stuff like "winning at the interview", you can actually make most of the actual interview go how u want it just by ur responses. the majority of interviews are standard questions..oh..body language, very important.

^ and many more...butt.....you could be all that, and ace the interview and they still might not hire you...why? classic e.g - some big boy gonna call HR and demand his son to be hired. talk done, the big boy son with less qualifications than you and probably the co. biggest mistake gets hired and knock u out the door.

you cah pull any string pal, go to Flow and pull that kinda cable, cuz is really who yuh know in most places. good luck and dont give up..dont expect to get hired overnight.

MP out

[sniper21]

such strong words MaxPower..its good to see you behaving yourself for once lol cocaine like it scarce...

[Stephon.]

such strong words MaxPower..its good to see you behaving yourself for once lol cocaine like it scarce...

LMAOOOOOO!!!

[Stephon.]

Ok I'm done.

Yes max power nice points there, and I agree with the last bit.
Honestly, you shouldn't apply for businesses where the family is at the top as well, as far as big organizations where you would want to grow and be up there with them making the decisions.

The brutal truth is that in family ran businesses you would NEVER grow, you would go into the business, a family member of the head comes in and calls you "sir" and 5 years down the road you would be the one calling him "mister" or "boss"

Not saying I won't do the same, if my son wants to work for me he would be going straight to the top.

[Ignorant Ignis]

For the past 9 months or so I've been looking to do a career change, as my current position has no further possibility for upward mobility.

I'm 25 years old with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management with Management level experience for the past 4 years. Preparing to start my Master's in Marketing or Business Development in January.

Best case scenario is to get into a multi-national here in Trinidad. I've sent out countless applications to everywhere I could possibly think of wanting to move to, and not one response...

I can't imagine that my CV is that undesirable, so what gives?

Is anyone else having similar issues?

so u saying you've been in a management role since u were 21...........what do you define as 'management level' experience?
I worked jobs as a product specialist (ie not quite a brand manager), trade marketing executive (ie not quite an area manager) before I even got the word 'manager' behind my name.........by that point, I was about 29....then I worked a few years as a sales manager, service manager etc to develop a fully rounded career...at this point I don't even care what my job title says, once I get to do what I want to do, and I always tell potential employers that..........at 24, I'm curious as to what your relevant management experience is........
are you sure your expectations are realistic?

been through all this ..... so i more than know what u mean
i got my new job with out any strings or any one i know. my experience spoke for it self in the interview and as mg man said don't let them ask all the questions .... u have to let them know you are interviewing the company too

[sharkman121]

i swear if i had $1 for every person that asked me for a "link up" for a job where i work.

Thing is nepotism is extremely prevelent in todays society, even though i working there 13 yrs i cant pull any strings for you, it still comes down to who you know or who is yr family.

Not saying that u cant get a decent well paying job on yr own strength, as lots of ppl do so...but its definitely much harder given the population of the competition out there now.

[Bizzare]

Never had much trouble finding jobs in my field even when I did not have necessary qualification at the time (still doing my bachelors). At interviews people tend to devalue themselves A LOT and accept whatever is thrown at them as if they're desperate for the position. My ex manager personally told me that's a turn off

[Sky]

^^ It is. As Ignis said, you need to interview the company also. You need to know that there will be a good place to work. Or atleast give them that impression. If you go there with the attitude that you've been searching for a job for a long time and you need one bad then that's all it will be to you (In their opinion). If you come across like what you came for was a business deal, where they pay you and you fulfill a service, they'll prefer that. Because in that case both parties can be happy, nobody disgruntled, nobody unsatisfied with their salary, nobody vex about this one reaching late, nobody reaching late or ducking. Because it's an arrangement and not slavery through desperation.