While O'ahu does have the lion's share of Hawaii's employment opportunities, you'll be better off having a job before you move here. That said, there are plenty of jobs if you know where to look and, in many cases, if you're willing to change careers.

You may have to reconsider your career as a mining engineer or a nuclear physicist and apply for a job in the visitor industry. Tourism is and probably always will be Hawai'i's No. 1 money-maker. Although pay in most job categories is on par with or lower than on the Mainland, the visitor industry here generally pays more.

Learn Japanese

There's always a high demand in Hawai'i for Japanese-speaking visitor industry personnel and retail sales people, as well as in a great variety of other jobs. Learn Japanese and you'll increase the odds that you'll have a good job waiting for you wherever you go. Of course, you must be proficient in English, as well.

Positions in Highest Demand

• Bookkeepers and accountants
• Cashiers
• Dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants
• Food preparers
• General office clerks
• Housekeeping personnel
• Janitors
• Legal secretaries
• Medical assistants
• Medical secretaries
• Medical technologies
• Paralegals
• Physicians
• Physical therapists and assistants
• Radiology technologists
• Registered nurses
• Retail sales people
• Waitpersons

Start Your Job

Search Here

The Honolulu Advertiser
The logical first place to start is with current advertised job listings and post your resume here: www.honoluluadvertiser.com

CareerBuilder TV
A great resource for channel-surfing job-seekers
Mon.-Fri., 6:30 a.m., KFVE

City and County of Honolulu
24-hour Jobline: 523-4301
Job listings and online applications
www.co.honolulu.hi.us/hr

EHawaii
www.ehawaiigov.org/working/html/resources.html

Hawai'i State Job Information Line
(24 hours) 587-0977

Hawai'i State Job Opportunities
www.state.hi.us/hrd/re_index.htm

Hawai'i State Labor and Occupational Information
Information includes average hourly earnings, wages by industry and job search links
www.state.hi.us/dlir/rs/loihi

Hawai'i's Job Bank
www.ajb.org

JobsHawaii
www.jobshawaii.com

Starting your own business

An invaluable resource, whether you're looking for a job or starting your own business, is the Pacific Business News Book of Lists. It's a powerful business reference guide, a compilation of the weekly Top 25 Lists from the Pacific Business News. The book can be ordered in printed or electronic versions. For complete information, log on to their Web site: www.bizjournals.com/bookoflists/pacific.

If you're thinking of starting your own business, remember that this endeavor is not for the faint of heart. Considering the high failure rate of new businesses in Hawai'i, it's going to take a lot of hard work and perseverance on your part to succeed.

If you're still determined to try, think small and think familiar. Don't start out on too large a scale and don't start something you don't know that much about. Then ask yourself these questions:

• Is this a business that Hawai'i wants or needs?
• How large is the market for this type of business?
• Where is the best location?
• What are the tax considerations.

Hawai'i state taxes you should know about are the general excise tax (GET) and the use tax.

The GET is based on your percentage of gross sales. For details, go to the Hawai'i State Department of Taxation: www.hawaii.gov/tax/tax.html or call the Taxation Department at 587-4242.

List of Small Business Resources

Leading job groups • Agricultural professions • Banking industry • Legal professions • Managerial • Marketing and sales • Medical professions • Production • Service industry

United States Small Business Administration
www.sba.gov

SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
Resource partner to the U.S. Small Business Administration to the formulation, growth and success of small businesses. You can even get e-mail counseling at their Web site: www.score.org

1111 Bishop St., Suite 204
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 522-8132

State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)
Provides applications for doing business in Hawai'i, information on business regulations and small business publications.

No. 1 Capitol District Building
250 S. Hotel Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 586-2423
Fax: 587-2790
www.state.hi.us/dbedt/small.html

State Business Action Center
This branch of DBEDT provides information on starting a business in Hawai'i, business forms, licenses and permits.

1130 North Nimitz Highway
Second Level, Suite A-254
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: 586-2545

State Business Resource Center
Statistical and economic information about Hawai'i.

No. 1 Capitol District Building
250 S. Hotel Street, 4th floor, Ewa Wing
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 586-2423
Fax: 587-2790

O'ahu Small Business Development Center

Business Information & Counseling Center
1111 Bishop Street, Suite 204
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 522-8131
Fax: 522-8135

High Tech Development Corp.
State agency markets Hawai'i as a location for high-technology businesses, maintains high-tech business directory and publicizes networking opportunities.