Quesada job situation

[sally phil]

Hi
Moving to this area wondered what the employment situation is like for non spanish speaking brits
willing to do most things,I have quals in hairdressing and childcare ,other half has no formal qualifications but experience in tool hire and maintenance
Surely if we looked hard enough we could find work even if its shop/bar/cafe work etc
We need to earn about 12000 euros per year between us as we have savings and interest from house sale equity to live on
Most expats I chat to say its really hard to get work,is it really that bad or do you just not want us to come over there....just kidding!!!!
Thanks for your time
Sally

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by sally phil

Hi
Moving to this area wondered what the employment situation is like for non spanish speaking brits
willing to do most things,I have quals in hairdressing and childcare ,other half has no formal qualifications but experience in tool hire and maintenance
Surely if we looked hard enough we could find work even if its shop/bar/cafe work etc
We need to earn about 12000 euros per year between us as we have savings and interest from house sale equity to live on
Most expats I chat to say its really hard to get work,is it really that bad or do you just not want us to come over there....just kidding!!!!
Thanks for your time
Sally

Had you thought of doing something in a van?

Yes. its not easy to get a job over here

If I'd come here and had to work, I think I might think twice about it from what I've read over the last couple of years.

Interested you say you have to earn €12000 a year as you have house rental & investments. The average salary in Spain is around €13k, and its been said before regularly that without rent / mortgage you can live here for around €10 - 12k a year (a couple).

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

You're really putting yourself into a tough spot if you come to Spain (or any country) to find work without speaking the local language. Besides having to communicate with colleagues, bosses and customers, there is all the usual paperwork to deal with (taxes, banking, registrations) in the local language plus things like shopping, healthcare and entertainment.

If you're serious about moving to Spain (or anywhere else), it would be well worth it to start some language classes, even if only for six months or a year before you go.
Cheers,
Bev

[sally phil]

Something with a van ...yes!
no harm in getting about.hey..you obviosly do
Im glad to hear someone validate my calculations about what we will need to live on
Basically the plan is one of us works full time or we both work a part time job and if we both get full time work then we are laughing
We will save enough to see us through about 18 months to 2 years ....thats if the situation is as bad as the expats there paint it and we dont get any work at all....surely if you are determined enough and knock on enough doors you will get something eventually,there are enough shops bars and restaurants....are the people who say they cant find work really trying that hard or being too fussy? Im not trying to be cheeky ...just get a realistic view
I have an nvq3 in childcare and education and Im a qualified hairdresser,I ran a barbers for 4 years,managing 8 staff,training newbies,wages,accounts etc,and if I can work using my Quals then great but to be honest Id be just as happy serving coffees or cleaning rooms,even if we get jobs we hate,we only need to work half a day each so it cant be that bad
And Emilio will be 3 when we go so he will be in full time state school apparently ....even better,.....no childcare fees(except school hols)

We will be learning Spanish before we go but its hard because youre not hearing the language day in day out and you soon forget everything youve learnt so we will go over with basic spanish and intend on doing an intensive course maybe for 3 months when we first get there....while we are looking for work ....as we may have time on our hands!!

Anyone whos gone to that area and is doing ok...please Id love to hear a positive story
Thanks for your time
Sally

[Bevdeforges]

Sally,
Obviously, you're determined to try and make a go of it, no matter what people tell you. Let me recommend that you take a look at the information on Working in Spain on the EURES website. (This is an agency of the EU involved in employment.) EUROPA - EURES - Living & Working

They give a pretty unbiased picture of the working environment for Spain as a whole and for the various regions. Also some figures on the numbers of foreigners and the types of jobs for which there are "too many" or "not enough" applicants. It may give you some ideas.

There is also a job hunting facility on the site, though I haven't used it myself so I'm not sure how it stacks up. Still, it can't hurt to see what gets posted there.
Cheers,
Bev

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by sally phil

Something with a van ...yes!
no harm in getting about.hey..you obviosly do
Im glad to hear someone validate my calculations about what we will need to live on
Basically the plan is one of us works full time or we both work a part time job and if we both get full time work then we are laughing
We will save enough to see us through about 18 months to 2 years ....thats if the situation is as bad as the expats there paint it and we dont get any work at all....surely if you are determined enough and knock on enough doors you will get something eventually,there are enough shops bars and restaurants....are the people who say they cant find work really trying that hard or being too fussy? Im not trying to be cheeky ...just get a realistic view
I have an nvq3 in childcare and education and Im a qualified hairdresser,I ran a barbers for 4 years,managing 8 staff,training newbies,wages,accounts etc,and if I can work using my Quals then great but to be honest Id be just as happy serving coffees or cleaning rooms,even if we get jobs we hate,we only need to work half a day each so it cant be that bad
And Emilio will be 3 when we go so he will be in full time state school apparently ....even better,.....no childcare fees(except school hols)

We will be learning Spanish before we go but its hard because youre not hearing the language day in day out and you soon forget everything youve learnt so we will go over with basic spanish and intend on doing an intensive course maybe for 3 months when we first get there....while we are looking for work ....as we may have time on our hands!!

Anyone whos gone to that area and is doing ok...please Id love to hear a positive story
Thanks for your time
Sally

Look at my post in "american needs to pick your brain" with all the job agency links.

I did some spanish lessons the year before we moved here but nothing is better than having to use it on a day to day basis.

[Wils & Nance]

Hi Sally,
I have got to say "your hardy" !
I have been looking for work in Spain for months now and I am not having much luck !
I have 8 highers and an HNC in Travel & Tourism, been a holiday rep have years of customer service and sales experience and bar managment and a little Spanish and i have had very few jobs to apply for, and like you i am willing to do most things, very flexible. The few jobs i have applied for I have heard nothing back.
My hubby is a highly qualified 4x4 mechanic, computer diagnostics the lot and we have only found one job for him and we applied and sent a cv, but still no reply back !
I feel that maybe peeps on here are correct, you have got to be there , and have the means to support yourselves for what might possibly be a long time.
I don't have small children to cope with either, so hats off to you girl, your definitley hardy !

[Wils & Nance]

P>S. forgot to say there are more job vacancies in the costa del sol than anywhere else in Spain, but that is not where we want to be, but maybe that would suit you !

[sally phil]

Costa del sol doesnt appeal to me either
I followed a link given to me on here for the Euro website which quotes statistics and it stated 3rd most posted vacancy last year after business manager and It consultant was HGV driver so Phil is going to do his HGV test...hes always wanted to
What do you think people is that going to open more doors,he will learn Spanish of course also ....we have 2 years,we thought learn the basics here then do a 3 month intensive course once we arrive
I cant see the point in us applying for jobs before we go,we are not in the kind of industries where employers post vacancies online,so Ill go to every hairdressers /barber shop/nursery/creche/school within 20 mile radius and take it from there
Thanks ....I am hardy,you have to be to live in the UK these days dont you think????
Everything going up apart from wages and summer lasted about 2 weeks last year from what I can recall
I wont bore you but Ive been through tougher things in my life than moving to Spain
plus Im not stupid we do have a plan b (ie come back buy a house get jobs).....God so gloomy,its an adventure isnt it????

You only live once...whats the worse that can happen that cant happen here?

[sally phil]

Thanks I will take another look at costa del sol though,if our chances of getting work are better there,what does everybody else think?