Work - Haiti Observer Blog

SONAPI is the acronym for eSociété Nationale des Parcs Industrielsf (National Society of Industrial Parks), a semi-governmental agency that supports the largest number of jobs in the manufacturing sector in Haiti. Caracol Industrial Park (PIC) and Metropolitan Industrial Park are the properties of SONAPI which is an industrial and commercial autonomous body under public law responsible to implement, promote, organize and manage Industrial Parks in the Republic of Haiti. SONAPI was once a pride project of Haiti, opened in September 2012, with the objective of maintaining a constant initiative to boost the employment conditions in Haiti and create 60,000 jobs by 2016. However, since December 2013, news of wage differences started to come out, the brutal exploitation of workers in SONAPI have always remained in the news.

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We all probably experienced this one time or another; however one Haitian nurse working in Long Island hospital is doing something about it. Diana St. Gerard who is a light skin Haitian nurse has been discriminated by other staff members for her background. They assume that because she is Haitian, therefore, she must be practicing "Black magic" and Voodoo.

According to Diana St. Gerard, the white staff at Long Island hospital made her life a living hell there. During the nine years that she worked in the mental health unit she was faced with many incidents of discrimination. Nurses have told St. Gerard that she looked like a voodoo doll; another staff member actually brought a voodoo doll at the Hospital once.

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Carole Demesmin, a Haitian artist, made the name Mawoule popular through his song titled 'Maroule'. Maroule reflects the resilience and endurance of Haitian people. Maroules actually refer to people who are known for traveling from countryside to Dominican Republic and Haitian border and sometimes to Port-au-Prince with their cows. They travel by foot and they cover long distances anywhere between 70 and 160 miles to reach the destination. Maroules are people who come from different places of south Haiti.

As the story goes, one group of Maroules consisted of 2 to 3 people who traveled with around 20 to 30 cows. They traveled from one place to another in an attempt to sell these cows. This extraordinary travel by foot generally takes place during the night so that day traffic can be avoided. The travel beings somewhere at 9:00 P.M. and ends at around 5 P.M.

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Landing a job in the government can be your key to success. Government agencies offer competitive salary and benefits. Also, you can build an impressive work record when you are employed in the government. However, only those who have the patience and determination can nail a federal government job.

So in order to join its workforce, you might as well follow these tips.

First and foremost, you have to know more about government jobs. It is not advisable to apply for just about any job without understanding its requirements and description. There are more than 70 agencies and departments under the government and they offer a lot of opportunities to job seekers.

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A resume is your ticket to winning an interview at your prospective company. Do not underestimate the importance of a comprehensive resume because submitting it is the first way for employers to know more about you. If they were impressed by your resume, then you will likely receive a call for interview. Otherwise, your resume may just go straight to the shredder.

There are several factors you have to think about when creating a resume. One of them is the content. Do not include every little detail about you and your career experience, especially if you have been working for quite a long time already. You have to highlight relevant experiences only, including previous jobs that will have a great bearing on the position you are applying for. As much as possible, keep your resume short, clear and concise. A three-page resume is already considered a long one.

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Jerks are common at work places. Almost every company or office you'd work in, there will be one or two who'll be very good at ruining your day. However, you shouldn't let yourself and your productivity to be affected by their rude behavior, as there are ways to deal with jerk officemates.

First thing you can do is to reflect on yourself. Try to see if you have certain behavior that illicit a rude reaction from your jerk workmate. If you can find nothing wrong in your own attitude, then it is time to confront the other party in a peaceful manner.

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Freelancing is not for everyone. It has its pros and cons as well. So, if you ever want to quit that regular job of yours and try your hand at freelancing, you may want to take several factors into consideration first.
The Pros

Flexibility is one the best upsides of freelancing. When you are a freelancer, you can set your own work schedule and pace. Moreover, you can choose different projects to work on, as you won't be limited to a certain job role.

Another good thing about freelancing is that you can build a wide base of contacts and clients. People who have been freelancing for a few years already have a great network. They know who to call for certain projects anytime.

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