Jobs in Hawaii????? (applying, interviewing, degree, employers)

[hurricane123]

I am 20 years old and right now the only jobs that seem to interest me are personal trainer/ police detective/ firefighter. I am not currently going to school because i don't yet know which of these 3 i am going to pick. Now all of these jobs are probably needed all over the place its not really something that is restricted to a certain area. So I really want to move to Hawaii and if i were to become a detective or personal trainer or a firefighter what is the chance of me landing a job at the island? I have heard that you need to make friends with locals first? Is that the case?

[MLSFan]

I have friends in healthcare there, nurses primarily, some lab techs, and a pharmacist

[Rabrrita]

For Police and Firefighters, it's highly competitive. Most LEO's in Hawaii stay on the job until retirement. Unlike on the mainland where LEO's and Firefighters often make lateral moves between departments on a regional or national basis, Hawaii has the longest longevity of all departments.

For any non professional position where they are not seeking a specialty or nationwide search, you pretty much have to be there and be there for some months before many employers will chance hiring a transplant. Due to the vast number that arrive on Hawaii with dreams of living on a tropical island and leave when it's not all Mai Tais and surfing, you really can't blame employers from taking a 'wait to make sure you'll stay' attitude.

YTou may want to read through the Hawaii forum here on CD as it can be an eye opener (and maybe even a dream smasher). It' worth asking your question on that forum.

[Hemlock140]

The jobs I have looked at there all required that you be a resident already before applying. Th must have gotten burned before with people chickening out.

[penny1969]

The problem with this "must be here in person for several months/years before applying" is that what results is socio-economic status discrimination. It takes a fortune to move there without a job and keep yourself off the streets and fed for that long, without a job. The cheapest "backpacker hostel" is like $150 a week. And that's probably on Waikiki which I am told is a dodgy area.

Now, if you have a degree in one of the "professions" that is always sending its people "Without Borders" to Hawaii, that may be another option....

[GraceKrispy]

Th must have gotten burned before with people chickening out.

I lived in Hawai'i for years. I was part of hiring people for a specialized job. SO many people interviewed (ooh, I really want to live in Hawai'i!) and we picked the best of the lot (honestly, it really wasn't even a good selection). We gave them time for relocation, waited and waited.... and probably 2/3 of them flaked out (sometimes after stringing us along for months when we were in dire need when we hired). People get beaches and palm trees in their eyes, but don't think about the cost of living, the pay (and how crappy it often is compared to that cost of living), the isolation, etc. before interviewing and selling themselves to us.

As for your chosen jobs, it's been very difficult for people from the mainland to get into the firefighter or police jobs. The islands tend to train their own and hire from within. Personal trainer... that might depend. I had a good friend (a local) who got into personal training and he trained a few celebrities who wintered on our island. Other than him, I didn't know a lot of personal trainers, but I don't go to gyms.