Finding Work in Spain
It’s possible to begin a successful new life or spend an extended period of time working in Spain, and there are a number of options and routes to follow in order to aid your journey.
- Secure a job before you arrive in the country - It may not be the job but it’s definitely a start; finding a job before you arrive in Spain can make a move to a new country a lot more stress-free and relaxed. Using the internet and getting into contact with companies that interest you, even though they’re not necessarily advertising any positions, can help you secure at small sense of stability when you arrive in Spain. Furthermore, having an immediate income during those first few months will ease any initial worry issues as well as give you something to fall back on even if you wish to continue your job search for something more suitable when you arrive.
- Internship - If you manage to save enough money to keep you afloat during the first few months, an internship in Spain might be the direction for you. Not only do they provide you with a true insight into any career route and allow you to build new skills, but they are also a great way to get yourself into the job market, with networking possibilities and the chance of a full-time career at the end, you can never go wrong with testing the water and getting yourself established. What’s more, internships can look great on your CV because they demonstrate a passion for work and act as a representative of all those transferable skills that you learned because of it.
- Agencies -
- The Old-fashioned way - Picking up a regional or national newspaper and checking the vacancies every day could one day surprise you, as could trailing round the local shops and businesses with a copy of your CV and a cover letter. Luck is probably one of the main factors contributing to the possibility of finding a job and you never know, you might just walk into the right bar at the right time!
- Make friends with people - One of the most common ways of landing that dream job in Spain is knowing someone who works there already. Networking and word-of-mouth are very common in Spain, especially when it comes to finding work, and employers are sometimes likely to ask for recommendations from current employees for future ones.
Signing up with an employment agency can be risky, but very rewarding. The best agencies are located in larger cities such as Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia but it’s always worth doing some research on the most reputable ones before you leave for Spain. Although you may be offered jobs that aren’t necessarily up your street, it’s still a job and it doesn’t mean the end of your job search. Be warned though, due to problems with employment across the country at the moment, agencies and job centres alike will be full of Spaniards desperate to find work. As a foreigner though, you may have the skills that someone is looking for, so don’t give up!