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Professor
Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 449
Location: Mexico City
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 Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:29 pm Post subject: Other work options in Mexico besides teaching???? |
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I'm trying to get a job at a school (not a language school,they don't pay enough and I don't have the two years or more that it may take to get a decent salary) but so far have heard nothing. Global-ers called me last week and I sent my information in to them over the weekend and have heard nothing.
I take tests (Psychological tests not English) for the schools for kids and teens and hear nothing. For me English teaching doesn't seem to be working out at all. So...are there any other ways to make money in Mexico besides teaching? Or possibly linked to teaching in a way.
Like working for sompanies that may need help with checking documents that are in English?? Phil K says he has a new gig that isn't teaching so I'm just wondering if anyone has made it in Mexico with a gig that isn't teaching English?
Perhaps I need to start telling clients I'm from Austrailia and not the States??  |
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mejms
Joined: 04 Jan 2010
Posts: 390
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| You're grasping at straws. You'd probably be the first to admit it. You're not going to break into anything new and immediately. Work with the experience and people that you know. There are many companies that want help checking documents in English and they'll go ahead and ask their English teacher or school to do that. If you don't have work independently, take a job that pays $7,000 pesos a month and go from there. |
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Professor
Joined: 22 May 2009
Posts: 449
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| mejms wrote: |
| If you don't have work independently, take a job that pays $7,000 pesos a month and go from there. |
That's what I'm trying to do but even therer I can't get any responses. Not yet anyway.   |
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rafomania
Joined: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 95
Location: Guadalajara
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Open up the yellow pages and send your CV to a bunch of colleges. Or teach online. Or sell tacos.... |
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TeresaLopez
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 601
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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| rafomania wrote: |
| Open up the yellow pages and send your CV to a bunch of colleges. Or teach online. Or sell tacos.... |
I am sure you just said the �sell tacos�line tongue in cheek, but it might not be a bad idea. Years ago my husband and I had a taco stand, and we made decent money. One of my neice�s friends, who is a college student, buys pan dulce from a bakery for 3 pesos each, and sells it outside a Metro station in the mornings during rush hour. She sells around 150 piece in an hour and a half or two hours, for a profit of $30. It is not hard to set up an informal business in Mexico if you speak decent Spanish. If you are obviously not Mexican that might attract people to buy from you. If you do decide to look into the taco thing, the �scuela de Cocina Mexicana�offer a class on how to make tacos de canasta, that would set you up quite nicely to start a small business. I still occasionally make a basket of tacos for a party or wedding, and usually make a $75US profit for about 4 or 5 hours work. You won�t get rich, but it might be a money-making sideline. |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| rafomania wrote: |
| Open up the yellow pages and send your CV to a bunch of colleges. Or teach online. Or sell tacos.... |
I am sure you just said the �sell tacos�line tongue in cheek, but it might not be a bad idea. Years ago my husband and I had a taco stand, and we made decent money. One of my neice�s friends, who is a college student, buys pan dulce from a bakery for 3 pesos each, and sells it outside a Metro station in the mornings during rush hour. She sells around 150 piece in an hour and a half or two hours, for a profit of $30. It is not hard to set up an informal business in Mexico if you speak decent Spanish. If you are obviously not Mexican that might attract people to buy from you. If you do decide to look into the taco thing, the �scuela de Cocina Mexicana�offer a class on how to make tacos de canasta, that would set you up quite nicely to start a small business. I still occasionally make a basket of tacos for a party or wedding, and usually make a $75US profit for about 4 or 5 hours work. You won�t get rich, but it might be a money-making sideline. |
That's how Mexicans (and even some foreigners) make ends meet in Mexico. It's a daily struggle (La lucha diario) for many to even have enough tortillas on the table.
I have seen an Asian lady (Chinese...maybe Korean?) selling dulces and stuff like that in front of a Metro station and I even saw a white foreigner (his accent was obvious and his grasp of Spanish not too good) who was selling pirated DVD's on the Metro trains, and he actually seemed to sell more than usual, perhaps people felt sorry seeing a foreigner "reduced" to such a job?
The only other real alternative to TEFL work would be the 2 major English speaking call centers, but most foreigners balk at the wages (Teletech pays about $40 an hour, about the same as a low-paying lingo school) and the hours (evenings, nights, weekends, 6 days a week). In the resort areas they recruit for people to do sales for timeshares, but I would rather flip burgers back in the US for 8 bucks an hour.
Beyond either opening up shop (Taco shop, Shoe repair, used clothes stall) or working for an established company (Most Mexicans are making about $3-5,000 pesos per month and that's about 50 hours a week, only one day off) it's back to networking, trying to find a niche and taking it from there. And that is where having a conversational ability in Spanish really pays off.
But at the end of the day it's painfully obvious why Mexicans choose to leave and try their luck in the US. And I can't blame them for doing so, having seen firsthand the lack of opportunites and security in Mexico. |
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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| ...If you are obviously not Mexican that might attract people to buy from you... |
More likely one will attract the attention of migration, as the Mexican vendors who 'own' the street/corner you've just decided to set up in take care of the competition. Let's say one finds a street or corner that hasn't (for generations) been taken. What working visa will this individual need, assuming of course said individual has, to the satisfaction of migration shown that a Mexican national is unable to fill this much needed service?
And will a degree in taco preparation be required, or will an online taco preparation certification be sufficient?
Just curious.
Dragonlady |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Dragonlady wrote: |
| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| ...If you are obviously not Mexican that might attract people to buy from you... |
More likely one will attract the attention of migration, as the Mexican vendors who 'own' the street/corner you've just decided to set up in take care of the competition. Let's say one finds a street or corner that hasn't (for generations) been taken. What working visa will this individual need, assuming of course said individual has, to the satisfaction of migration shown that a Mexican national is unable to fill this much needed service?
And will a degree in taco preparation be required, or will an online taco preparation certification be sufficient?
Just curious.
Dragonlady |
Your last line... now that got a laugh outta me 
Pretty sure I'm just going with the 60 hour on-line cert. from taco-to-taco, and if I do like the work, I can always get a 120 on-site STFC (Selling Tacos in a Foreign Country) cert. and maybe even get some in-depth training like TSP (Tacos for Specific Purposes) or STYC (Selling Tacos to Young Consumers). 
Seriously, as I understand it Professor has an FM-2 that allows him to engage in any lucrative activity (he just seems to be having some problems finding lucrative activities)  .
And I know a Mexican guy that lived in the States for years (20... or more) and his "rent" for a very small hamburger stand on a sidewalk is a $1,000 US per month, no joke. |
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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Prof.Gringo wrote: |
...That's how Mexicans (and even some foreigners) make ends meet in Mexico...
I have seen an Asian lady (Chinese...maybe Korean?) selling dulces and stuff like that in front of a Metro station... |
Are you suggesting an Asian looking individual couldn't possibly be Mexican? |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: |
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| Dragonlady wrote: |
| Prof.Gringo wrote: |
...That's how Mexicans (and even some foreigners) make ends meet in Mexico...
I have seen an Asian lady (Chinese...maybe Korean?) selling dulces and stuff like that in front of a Metro station... |
Are you suggesting an Asian looking individual couldn't possibly be Mexican? |
I took it from her accent in Spanish that, no, she was not born in Mexico. But she might well have been or been a naturalized citizen or perhaps she was a migrant with no papers and she was doing one of the few jobs open to her.
I knew a student that was half-German, born in Mexico, raised speaking only Spanish and she said Mexicans taunted her constantly saying things like how she wasn't a "real" Mexican and why didn't she go back "home" to Germany?
I would think Mexicans would feel honored that somebody would choose to immigrate to Mexico seeing that millions and millions of Mexicans choose to emigrate.
Last edited by Prof.Gringo on Sun Oct 17, 2010 1:53 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 12:13 am Post subject: |
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| wrote: |
| ...Pretty sure I'm just going with the 60 hour on-line cert. from taco-to-taco... |
Do you know if they offer a placement service? It would sure help with trying to figure out where to set up. 
| wrote: |
Seriously, as I understand it Professor has an FM-2 that allows him to engage in any lucrative activity....
And I know a Mexican guy that lived in the States for years (20... or more) and his "rent" for a very small hamburger stand on a sidewalk is a $1,000 US per month, no joke. |
But as you say, the guy is Mexican, so he's entitled to set up one/two man shows. How will an FM2 holder ever have a business licence approved for such endeavours as those mentioned?
Dragonlady
PS: 'Rent' of $1,000 is probably a drop in the bucket when you factor in the cost of deciding not to pay rent . Besides the obvious health advantages, i've heard these rolling kitchens are very expensive - in the 10's of thousands USD range.
Last edited by Dragonlady on Sun Oct 17, 2010 12:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 12:17 am Post subject: Immigrants, skip Mexico |
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| Dragonlady wrote: |
| wrote: |
| ...Pretty sure I'm just going with the 60 hour on-line cert. from taco-to-taco... |
Do you know if they offer a placement service? It would sure help with trying to figure out where to set up.
| wrote: |
Seriously, as I understand it Professor has an FM-2 that allows him to engage in any lucrative activity....
And I know a Mexican guy that lived in the States for years (20... or more) and his "rent" for a very small hamburger stand on a sidewalk is a $1,000 US per month, no joke. |
But as you say, the guy is Mexican, so he's entitled to set up one/two man shows. How will an FM2 holder ever have a business licence approved for such endeavours as those mentioned?
Dragonlady |
I agree it would be very, very difficult without connections and/or bribes.
There's no discrimination in Mexico, especially against foreigners (even those with Perm. Residency) right?
I love how people knock the States (which bends over backwards to accomodate foreigners and immigrants) on immigration while places like Mexico throw up roadblocks and obstacles one after the other even when someone has legal residency. |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:07 am Post subject: |
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| Dragonlady wrote: |
| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| ...If you are obviously not Mexican that might attract people to buy from you... |
More likely one will attract the attention of migration, as the Mexican vendors who 'own' the street/corner you've just decided to set up in take care of the competition. |
Dragon Lady, you are seriously on your game today! LOL
Aside from the fact that most foreigners in Mexico don't have the inclination to work as hard as is required to make a living do this type of thing, it really isn't as simple as it has been made to sound. There are quite a few hoops to jump through if one was seriously thinking about this. It truly would put someone into the position of sitting duck for the officials to swoop in on, if not done with all t's crossed and i's dotted.
I wanted to touch on the Mexican vendors protecting their turf, which DL mentions, since this is not to be taken lightly. I know a guy here who fell in love with his Mexicana and decided to live here. Living on the ocean, he decided on a water sports business. He bought 2 jet skis and went the "informal" route. One day not long after starting, along came 2 guys who wanted to rent both machines for some fun. He sat back watching them as they roared across the waves side by side. Then, one turned left, the other turned right and they each circled around as if coming back to shore. Imagine his shock when he saw his 2 wave runners heading straight toward each other at high speeds, as the two guys dove off and swam away. The machines sunks to the bottom of the ocean. The message was clear. He took the lesson and quickly changed occupations.
To this day, he still goes up north to work for several months out of the year to support his Mexican family. His wife trained as a lawyer but hasn't found decent work in her field, so she runs a family restaurant and hotel rooms during tourist season. |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 4:08 am Post subject: |
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| Samantha wrote: |
| Dragonlady wrote: |
| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| ...If you are obviously not Mexican that might attract people to buy from you... |
More likely one will attract the attention of migration, as the Mexican vendors who 'own' the street/corner you've just decided to set up in take care of the competition. |
The message was clear. He took the lesson and quickly changed occupations.
To this day, he still goes up north to work for several months out of the year to support his Mexican family. His wife trained as a lawyer but hasn't found decent work in her field, so she runs a family restaurant and hotel rooms during tourist season. |
The message is clear: Mexico is a joke.
A Gringo tries to make a few pesos (to support his Mexican wife and family) so his investment gets destroyed, he has to go the US and work (feels just like being a migrant, doesn't it) while his Mexican wife (who is a LAWYER) has to work in some mom&pop taco shop or whatever.
I see absolutely NO future in teaching in crappy language schools, giving classes on the side (Ss that cancel and NO bennies aren't a retirement plan) or even much of one in most of the private colegios or universities as you can pretty much lose your job anytime thanks to all the nepotism and corruption.
Let's see: Mc Donald's is a real career in the USA. Start at the bottom and in 3 years you can be a GM making about $50-60,000 a year. Heck, even the Hamburger University that they have in Oak Brook, IL is recognized by ACE as being worth 60 college credits. Sounds like a pretty good deal stacked up against TEFL in Mexico.
12 million illegal (sorry, I meant to use the PC term, undocumented) Mexicans can't be wrong, the USA is #1! |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 4:39 am Post subject: |
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C'mon Prof Gringo...let's not get carried away. Are you still here in Mexico? As you know, Mexico is Mexico. It is what it is, but I certainly wouldn't call it a joke. I've lived here over 10 years. I, for one, don't consider the USA #1, or even #2. Why do we even have to compare? That doesn't compute, as it makes no sense. My point was that it just doesn't work out for a newcomer foreigner to hang an "informal" shingle on someone's else's turf. It's the way it is. The beach boys are like the taxi driver's union. Don't even think about it.
I don't know where to start to address what you have written. You have jumped to some conclusions. First of all, the guy to which I was referring was a new kid on the block at the "lesson" stage. He decided to stay after meeting his woman, but he hadn't married her yet. He needed money to stay on. (Like a back-packer teacher, only not). You probably know that there are tons of lawyers, accountants, psychologists, dentists, and many others not working in their chosen fields. There are many graduates, but not as many jobs. This guy will do alright in the end. He married into one of the oldest families in the Ejido. His wife's restaurant was handed down from an elderly aunt and has the only beer license on the "island". They sell to all the other restaurants there.
Unfortunately, businesses in this area are seasonal, based on weather and holidays. It's the downside of living on the ocean. Tourism is way down now, affecting everyone. People do what they have to do here, but the one thing about the Mexicans I know, is that they don't sit around and whine about things. They get on with it. That's #1 in my book. |
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