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I agree. I think that if I were hiring I would be wary hiring someone who just moved here...I do empathize with you Lindsey as I will be searching for a job here before too long.
I've seen this mix-up before using the word "local" since some people do see that as a born and raised, not just someone who has lived here for a long time.
My husband is Mexican-American and was born and raised in Arizona. He's very skilled, has a plesant disposition and is well educated in his profession...when I would sense that he was being descriminated against because he is Mexican by heritage it broke my heart...and when I experience the small slights I can get for being a very white haole, I somehow understand what he has been handed for his whole life. I don't think we can change that but now I do get to understand what he feels.
Hang in there and keep up the hunt...it's a small place and you will find something before too long...good vibes sent your way for your job, Lindsey.
Carrie
"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Bono
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm
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Lindsey, you may be experiencing typical discrimination against haoles. In practice, the term "local" is used in Hawaii for anyone not a haole. Someone can just arrive from Samoa and that person is considered a "local." I know an electrician that's a haole whose ancestors were here before most of the "locals," yet he's discriminated against. He gets a hard time from some of the County's inspectors because of his being a haole. On the other hand, I know of some haoles who are in the construction industry that have more work than they can handle because they are haoles. After being "taken" by "locals," many who have moved here will seek only haoles to perform work because of the perception that they are more reliable and honest.
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Like Royall's sign off, "what goes around comes around". That can be expounded into every aspect of our individual lives, from our home life, to community and beyond.
Good luck Lindsey, keep plugging away, keep your eyes open. Be willing to start small perhaps and get a toe in. With any work ethic at all I've heard you will do well. Keep your head down, get your job done and you will be noticed I'm sure. Rooting for you!
Have you tried Borders Books, seems lots of people work there, they have flexible schedules for students also. Might be worth a shot.
mella l
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
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Hilo Haole and others,
This discussion is interesting, and from my view point for matters of discussion and validity, what I am interested in is from having answers from those whom have lived there for some years and also have enough adult years on the mainland and the islands to give a balanced comparison and summary or interpretation. Meaning that they have hired enough service jobs to their home or business to know and worked enough there to have experience with both the mainland and the islands to give a good comparison and in hiring and service related experience or have been in charge of employees on both.
Is this related to what I saw written here about the perceived work ethic of some 'locals' and their willingness to work, go find and get work?
Does this relate to the employers not wanting a newcomer vs. local, that by chance may leave and have to spend the time, money and resources to retrain or another who might be more stable and not leave the job? How do qualifications fit into that?
Where does the amount of qualifications of quality trained folks come into the hiring weight or scheme of employers on the islands vs mainland?
Aloha,
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLanai
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
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Lindsey, I can see where you are at. I felt same many years ago. What I see is what I saw in HNL with the military wives. The businesses knew the military families would be moving in 3 years or so.... and really stayed away from hiring. I think if you update references with "local" ones, say a good friend here who has been here awhile...other things that might help are saying that you bought a home here (if you did) - suggests more permanance.
Talk to all the "local" people you know, find out whose auntie, etc works here or there so when yougo in for an interview, you can introduce yourself to them - shows some knowledge of the community. (i.e networking)
As someone suggested, Hilo Hosp always has personnel turnover, might be a good place to get your feet wet...
or if you are skilled, many people need part time help - I have a part time persone who came 8-15 hours a week.
or start your own service - Grabber Kona needs a person to run back and forth maybe 1-2 x's a week..... I know errands (Kona/Puna) are a different skill but if you are a highly organized person, think of the car as your office.
Keep your chin up! Something will come up!
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Hi Lucy,
I can give you many examples from personal experience and several examples from discussions with others -- haole and non-haole. Be very careful about paying money for projects up front -- you may never see the person again. Don't pay for rocks for a rock wall to individuals. They may have the rocks delivered but never show up and then you'll get a bill from the rock supplier since none of the money went toward the rocks. If you have your roof spray painted and the paint is included in the price, make show that the paint has not been diluted with water or the paint's applied too thin. A foreman that works for a Hilo moving company came from Oahu. He was a non-haole. He could not believe the terrible work ethic of the crew and most of the crew had been with the company for years. He said that the work ethic on Oahu was much better. The crew wanted to make a 1/2 job into 2 days. They drove one of the company trucks somewhere to have lunch and were not supposed to because of insurance reasons. People will "gang" up on a good worker to "drive" them away -- in many different ways. I've experienced it because my wife's a manager at a place in Hilo. She's seen it all.
I was talking with employee at a nursery and she said that guys will work there just long enough to get some beer or "ice" money.
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Lindsay, stop by our Papa'aloa office and talk to Jim or Harvest Edmonds. They know a lot of people in that area and might have some leads for you on the Hamakua Coast. And make sure they have a way to contact you in case they don't know of anything now, but something comes up.
John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com
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On the subject of "lazy crews", just get references. As there is everywhere, there are good people and bad. I have a house in Hilo that I'm renovating. I've had the whole house (exterior) repainted and all the junk plants/overgrown stuff removed from the yard. I have no hesitation recommending the people that did the work for me because they were "on it". They did the work promised quickly (well, at least when the weather cooperated), at the very reasonable prices quoted and I am thrilled with the results. There are other people that I've used that I warn people away from, because I had completely different results. But this has been the way its been for me everywhere I've lived.
As for anti-haole (in the "white" sense of the term), I've lived here 6 years and never encountered a moment of it and I'm as haole as it gets. Maybe I'm just clueless to it, but I've never seen it. From the first time I went to Maku'u Market (it was in a completely different location then) and Auntie Emily welcomed me with open arms, I've never felt anything but great openness and acceptance. Last year, a local family gave me and my partner the gift of a beautiful goddaughter, who's part-Hawaiian, part-Filipino, part-Portugese (and I think a little Asian too). You can't get more accepting than that.
John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com
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.02 US currency,
Based upon my experience having lived in Hawaii for about 5 years on Maui and Oahu and having formally been married to a local Maui girl (was a girl then, someone’s grandma now) of Japanese ancestry( I also have some familiarity with Chuuk culture, which makes the BI look like a rat race): The work ethic on the BI is what is part of what is called Island Time. It’s very frustrating for employers but contributes to the overall relaxed and laid-back atmosphere of Hawaii, or just parts of Hawaii now. Theft, of course, is always theft. Oahu has lost a lot of that laid-back attitude, as has Maui, probably, so it no longer runs so much on island time now. Much more efficient but not as relaxed. It is part of what many of us like about this place. The good with the bad. Years ago, even when married to a local and living in strictly local populated communities, I was occasionally called a f**king haole. Amazing, it was often by f**king haoles that just happened to have been there longer than me or at least thought so. It never bothered me much although I did get in a couple of fights with locals. I did experience some job discrimination but nothing that really bothered me. I was at that time mainly working in the resort industry. I believe the statement is correct, that there is race prejudice against whites not necessarily experienced by people of other races. I think this is largely due to the heritage left by earlier whites who stole the islands from the Hawaiians. Also, the other cultures brought to Hawaii were brought by the whites in political and economic power, to be their laborers. That made the whites the them and all other cultures the us.(In this case I’m a them and not an us) White Western society has to pay some price for it’s past successes. I think I’ll keep my skin though.
Back to the work ethic and prejudice: As a slightly similar example, much of southern society used to be fairly laid-back also. This enabled many northerners from the cities to move to the old deep South and beat the locals in business. The locals had/have to adapt to compete. Business is in general is now more aggressive and faster and a simple handshake will no longer do. In many places a northerner, read Yankee, will experience some prejudice in the work place in areas that are mostly still southern in culture. In other areas, the culture and power has changed, and northerners now control the process with the result that in some areas of the South a southerner has difficulty getting a job due to perceived prejudices.
For job skills that are not in high demand, you can’t blame employers for being a bit leery of new arrivals with no local work history.
Incidentally, I think Portugese consider themselves white and I believe they are considered locals. If you are not too tall, get a little tan, dye your hair black and take on a Portugese surname. You should be ok then. You might have to work on your pidgin a bit also.
Lindsey, I’m sure if you keep at it you will find your job. Good luck with the search and don’t get discouraged.
S. FL Islander to be
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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I dunno, Lindsey.
Maybe I'm Pollyanna.
Maybe I'm already blind.
Maybe I'm surrounded by a simple-minded good-luck cloud.
See, despite the fact I'm as bloody pale as that computer-screen you're staring at, talented-at-nothing, and stupid-in-the-extreme, no one, I repeat no one in the 20+ years I've spent here has ever treated me in anything but an overly-overly-open-armed-ultra-ultra-fair manner...whether it's been in regards to hiring-practices, my needing their help, anything!
Not just Hilo...not just Puna...but anywhere in the islands.
Then again...and I'm just guessing here...I suspect that were I to spend all my time looking over my shoulder, concentrating on differences, waiting for something bad to happen to me, preparing to become a victim of sorts, expecting the worst...icky stuff would be coming my way.
My guess, Lindsey (since it seems at first glimpse that you're a relatively positive person with a good heart and a decent work-ethic and something to offer), that you'll be fine. Just fine. Something will pop up.
Things that don't pan out, don't pan out for a very good reason:
something else was supposed to happen! So there!
"Starting small" as mella1 mentioned, is wonderful advice.
Volunteering is always a good way to get a foot in the door. Being willing to work an oddball-schedule, taking a few hours here and a few hours there, lets potential bosses know you're serious; really interested in the position. Y'know?
You've received heaps of good advice from several of the folks here and I wish you nothing but great good luck.
Continue to be the first one to smile.
The first to crack the silliest of jokes.
The first to admit your foibles.
The first to express interest in other folks' lives (...always a biggie.)
And you'll be fine.
Mark my words.
---malolo (...who popped back in, not so much to correct her atrocious spelling as to laugh out loud at a couple of oink's comments that she hadnt seen earlier. Ha! Yes, Lindsey. As loffelkopffl said earlier, a well-developed all-encompassing ever-humble jab-in-the-ribs kooky sense of humor works miracles wherever one happens to be on the planet!)
~~~~~~~~~~
Edited by - malolo on 10/21/2006 16:58:58
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