Honestly, Ukraine is not a place where you can reasonably expect to find a decent job the traditional way. Prospects, especially without being fluent in Ukrainian or Russian, are nominal at best. They exist, but they take a near monumental effort to uncover unless you already have some good connections. Even then, it is doubtful that you will find a job that will pay comparable to what you can make in the West. Having dashed your hopes, let me try to pick them up a bit.

First, it is appropriate to point you to the best resource of its kind - TryUkraine.com is in my opinion the best overall resource for Ukraine for those not already here. Their jobs search section provides the single best advice and list for anyone seriously looking at finding a job in Ukraine. No - I'm not the least bit connected with it.

Second, I’ll plug OdessaFX as a good source for helping with long-term living in Ukraine. OdessaFX is not the best source for advising about business or starting a business in Ukraine. However, we will be documenting the entire process throughout February and beyond, as well as lining up the resources to help others do the same. My inclination is to think Ukraine is highly underrated for entrepreneurs.

There are basically two options. One is to start your own foreign entrepreneurship or attempt to “create a job” by successfully marketing yourself to an existing business. Don’t try to approach businesses from the “can you give me a job” pitch. What they will listen to is, “Your business makes money doing this and this, but you could also do this, I know how to do it and it may be of interest to you to consider…” Brush up on your negotiating skills, protect your own interests, test their interest and commitment. This is more of an art than a science – it helps to have some contacts here; it helps to develop relationships, incrementally. Rushing too fast is dangerous.

On the entrepreneurial level, if you have finances to support 1-2 years of bootstrapping, Ukraine could be very viable. You will need to come in with a plan that fills a relatively untapped niche with a definite existing, driving need. Understand that there are “micro markets” here…which may range anywhere from selling a single frozen chicken or bag of sunflower seeds (total inventory worth maybe $5.00) to outside book shops, clothing or utility tables with inventory ranging up to maybe $400. Ok….I know…you don’t want to be standing on the corner selling chickens…but, the point is – if you can come in with perhaps $2,000 worth of inventory…you can do business. I will very likely be writing quite a bit on entrepreneurial opportunities in Odessa and Ukraine.

If you happen to be very serious about moving to Ukraine, and especially Odessa – I will happily do everything within my means to assist you. No promises, no guarantees – but if I know your interest, I will do more than just keep an open eye out for you. You are welcome to send me your resume – job titles and skills as you may define them don’t necessarily fit the Ukrainian job market so closely. I do promise to keep what you send me confidential. I’ve worked in Human Resources and was the promotion coordinator for EG&G/LSI in Iraq, so while I’m not Monster.com….I’m not entirely ignorant of how to read a resume or correlating it to job…and entrepreneurial interests. I won’t try to pull your leg, get you to invest in anything, or try to advise you on anything I do not know or at least have a solid reason to believe.

In this line, if you do plan to come to Odessa – whether or not you come through OdessaFX for your stay; do me a favor and let me know when would be good for you to meet over a 4 ounce cup of coffee. Bring a couple 32-ounce Circle K mugs…and we’ll do it right.

I can say that one project of OdessaFX is to explore development of a team of up to 5 expats for some business analyst projects. When I say “explore” – that is extremely literal, suffice that I welcome inquiries for discussing it further.

I strongly believe that Ukraine is in need of a few good western-style entrepreneurs and that the opportunities outweigh the challenges and risks as long as they get off on the right foot. I will do everything reasonably within my means to get you here, keep you here and get you moving. Ukraine lacks a good platform for expats to get jobs. So, we can either sit around and complain about it….or We can drink BIG COFFEE and get about building it ourselves.