Planning a move to BA. Needing job search tips

[JayPowell]

Hello all. I've been reading this message board for some time now and have found all the information posted around here incredibly helpful. Consider this an introduction of myself and the first steps for what will hopefully be my transition to Buenos Aires. A little about myself. I'm a 24 year old male currently living in Chicago, Illinois. I've been wanting to relocate to Buenos Aires for several years now, and I told myself that I found finally do it in 2010.

Unfortunately, I have a pretty stable job working an an American university, and it's so difficult to leave the stability of that - especially in the uncertain economic state. I'm hoping that I would be able to find a job in Buenos Aires that would let me feel comfortable with leaving my current situation. So I need some tips. I've had little luck finding relevant jobs on the internet, and Craigslist has turned up some potential jobs. My concern is that since I am not currently residing in BA, companies don't seem keen on hiring me (or even returning my emails). If I were to relocate to BA, would I even be able to find a job in a reasonable amount of time.

I'm hoping to remain in the higher education industry, and would a job at a university would be perfect (something along the lines of international education, study abroad, or alumni relations would be my dream jobs). Other fields that I'm interested in are non-profit/NGO, hospitality, and marketing. I would even be interested in pouring beer for some income. I know this sounds like I'm all over the place, but I just want to keep my options open.

I appreciate any help anyone can offer. Any tips for networking, searching and applying jobs would be greatly appreciated. Also, are there any tips for finding jobs in the university setting, I haven't had much luck identifying jobs in this field.

 

[steveinbsas]

Have you ever been to Buenos Aires?

If not, please do as much research on this forum as possible...

And just come for a visit prior to seriously considering moving here.


I daresay it will be far more difficult (if not impossible) for you to find any job here, let alone a good one (including pouring beer).


How did you ever come to the conclusion that you want to live here?

(Do you know anything about the requirements for immigrating?)

Please consider BA for your next vacation...nada mas.

My best advice: Don't quit you job to move here!

 

[porteña]

Hi Jay,
Teaching at a private university setting here myself, I can tell you that the jobs you are interested in (something along the lines of international education, study abroad, or alumni relations would be my dream jobs) would not be easy to come by as a foreigner. Unless you have native-like fluency in Spanish and understand the cultural issues, they will not hire you for Alumni Relations. For international education and study abroad, I'd imagine you´ll need again to be fluent in Spanish and, possibly, another language other than English, as some students here go to Europe or Brazil, not just the US, and you will then be competing against other folks who speak other languages and can do that too... Although most people are not bilingual in Argentina, I have more than a couple of friends working in universities here who speak 3 or 4 languages fluently (typically, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish) fluently and have also lived abroad... The more exclusive the setting, the more you will run into these folks... I would look into jobs where they need you for your English skills mostly, unless you can speak and think like a native. It sounds harsh, but it may save you a trip down here. Good luck!

 

[orwellian]

As Steve said...always always always VISIT a place prior to deciding to MOVE there.

You don't even KNOW if you will like it here long enough to care if you have a job.

I have moved about a dozen times in my life but never once without an exploratory trip to evaluate the place (and I am talking obout 3 of those moves being international).

Unless of course you have one of those freelance jobs that pays in dollars or euros.

 

[sonrisa]

I am teaching English in Buenos Aires, and I actually quite like it. It took a little while to find the right schedule (hours/pay) but I did and i make enough money to live here, plus i def have some free time.

Most employers do require that you get your TEFL certificate, and I think its pretty much a must if you want to be a good teacher - your students will catch on if you have not had any training.

You can get your tefl here in the city, a lot of institutes offer them, this is where I did mine! PM me if you have any questions about teaching English here!

 

[sesamosinsal]

Don't come to Buenos Aires for work.

My advice is to find a job that allows you to telecommute 100%. They do exist. This is better for you because you'll get paid in U.S. dollars; you won't have to worry about how you're going to get money in your bank account; Uncle Sam will be happy; and you won't have to deal with the chaos of the city during the day.

I would avoid working in Buenos Aires at all costs.

 

[laineypainey]

Hmm, I am browsing some other posts and again I see a post from a guy who wants to do something similar to what I want to do, and all the replies are just "Dont come- stay where you are, keep your job in US"- why? I want to leave the US and as this guy said too, he had wanted to move to BA for many years, it is difficult finding a job ANYWHERE im sure it's the same in BA but that's not a reason to not do something, at least I dont think so. So if you are all expats saying "dont come here you wont like it you wont find a job" how did you get to BA im assuming you relocated and in order to live many of you probably work, and if so how did you find your job certainly its a possibility. Its probably harder to find a job in the US right now thaN BA

 

[laineypainey]

I think there seems to be a general misconception that people like me and the poster want to go to BA to find a job, not to LIVE. I want to go there to LIVE, working while I live is necessary but it isnt the reason I want to go there