Greenheart had the pleasure of hosting yet another exciting and impactful job fair in the Dominican Republic that brought together our dedicated hosts, our valued partner OFIT, and a group of enthusiastic participants. It is noteworthy that every season, Greenheart organizes international job fairs in locations around the world so that our host organizations can travel to meet candidates in-person and get to experience their culture, firsthand. As a result, our Host Organizations gain memorable experiences as well as complete their seasonal hiring in just four days.
Taylor Kay, Senior Director, Work and Travel Program at Greenheart shared a recap of the event with us.
Greenheart Travels with Host Organizations Internationally to Hire Seasonal Staff
I live in Maine. Maine in December is fantastic for outdoor holiday decorations because darkness falls so early. It’s also quite cold. When an opportunity arose to join the Greenheart job fair in the Dominican Republic for our Work and Travel program, well, it’s hard to pass up a few days in the tropics! I was in.
Each year Greenheart organizes job fairs for Work and Travel host employers in the largest sending countries in our global partner network. In this program, international university students can come to the US for up to four months in a summer job. These fairs, one of the methods we offer to interview program applicants, provide host employers a chance to meet their future staff face-to-face, understand a little more of the culture and for this trip, slather on some sunscreen in December. Each Greenheart job fair includes a volunteer event and a cultural excursion as well as excellent accommodation and meals.
Unique Location for a Successful Hiring Event
In the case of the DR, most of us arrived at Santo Domingo two days prior to the job fair. I was struck by the holiday decorations everywhere – on palm trees along the boulevards, in public parks and plazas, and glowing storefronts downtown – and it was the opposite of cold. Christmas in the tropics was replete with Santa’s sleigh at a shopping mall. The Hotel Intercontinental Santo Domingo too was themed for the holidays – and provided comfortable rooms with views of the city and a sumptuous buffet breakfast. The ballroom that hosted our job fair was full of holiday revelry the night before.
An Opportunity to Give Back and Immerse in the New Culture
But before we get to the job fair, let’s talk culture. Our partner in the DR, OFIT, arranged for us a visit an orphanage. It served about 25 children (ages 3-16) who had suffered physical abuse. The director of the orphanage talked about how the orphanage was founded and funded. We learned that some residents had successfully completed their high school education and moved on to university. We then engaged with the kids one on one in a painting project and played some group games. Forming a circle with linked hands and then contorting our bodies through a hula hoop brought loads of laughter. We shared a simple meal and provided Christmas gifts to each child and received thank you cards written in English.
An Exciting Afternoon Facilitated by the Sending Partner
For the afternoon, OFIT arranged a visit to a beach club on the lagoon east of the city. It was wonderful to wade and swim in the warm water. We looked for shells and sea urchins and just soaked up the warm sun. A live band led by an 80-year-old diva brightened our experience with local music. Each night OFIT took us out to beautifully furnished and busy restaurants in the city. The ceviche dishes were my personal favorites! Others delighted in some sort of crackly duck in a cream sauce and soft tacos. Over the multitude of desserts – I swear the restaurants wanted to hear us say “No mas!”. We exchanged all kinds of participant and travel stories. There were many veteran travelers among the host employers. One who had gotten their first passport expressly for this – their first international trip.
Exhilarating Job Fair in Santo Domingo
The job fair started early. I peeked in the presentation room at 7:00 a.m. and it was already half full. When we entered together and marched on to the stage, we felt like rock stars. There was a crowd of more than 300 university students who had been pumped up by two well-known TV celebrities. Each host employer presented on their business. They showed a video or talked about the benefits of living and working in their community. The biggest hit was the HR manager from The Abbey Resort who gave his all in Spanglish.
Conducting Applicant Interviews
Individual and small group interviews (according to preference) followed in two large interview rooms. Candidates, who had been selected for each host in the days and weeks prior, clearly had done their research already. Host employers did their best to set applicants at ease. That helped employers evaluate applicants’ English ability and understand their skills and motivations. They were prepared to make a hiring decision on the spot and 94% of those attending received offers. It was rewarding to see them walking out with a big smile on their face. They are one step closer to a fulfilling summer in the United States.
Well-deserved Relaxing Time Following an Outstanding Job Fair and Tie to Say Goodbye!
The hard work is over. Some of us relaxed by the hotel pool. Others went shopping or met up with previous participants in the Zona Colonial. It is one of the first European settlements in the Western Hemisphere. Today, we are sad to part ways and return to colder climes. However, we are excited about the connections we made. We also ticked off a big chunk of seasonal hiring. We were maybe inspired with some new holiday decoration ideas!
Are you a U.S.-based business and would like to host international seasonal staff for a cultural exchange? Please visit HirewithGreenheart.org to learn more.