Lynn R

I'm sure I have seen mention in previous threads of an internet forum for Spaniards living abroad - can anyone please provide the url?

A young neighbour of mine is keen to try his luck in London as he can't find any work here in Andalucia (sadly an all too familiar story, I should think) and has asked if he can have a chat with me about it. I'm not sure how much help I can be as I don't know London that well, only having visited for business trips, or anything about the current employment situation, but I will gladly help him improve his English if he doesn't plan to go immediately. Just hope he doesn't think the streets are paved with gold as my impression is that although there may be work available, it will be low paid and the cost of living, especially for accommodation, will be very high.

I thought it might help him to read of the experiences of other Spaniards in his position and be able to ask questions of those who have been there and done it.

Rosemary

It is Agoreira that has mentioned a forum that their Spanish friends use.

Rosemary

steviedeluxe

He can try this:

http://www.spaniards.es/foros

There is also this site

http://www.forolondres.com/

agoreira

Yes, either of the two sites mentioned above. Obviously forolondres is UK only, the other takes in the whole world. There is also http://www.viajeros.com/foros/reino-unido but much less busy than forolondres and more about travel than work.
As for streets paved with gold, he'd probably say "atan los perros con longanizas"

JLFS

Not anymore.........those days are long gone, unless they have jobs in "la banca"

Lynn R

Thanks very much for the information. He came round yesterday and we had a long chat, he had already found the forolondres site so I have suggested he post some questions on there. Meanwhile we have discussed the cheapest flights, a hostel to stay in at first, and how he might look for a job. I suggested he put off travelling until say the beginning of October when flights and rooms will be cheaper, and in the meantime he will work on his English with me and a CD-based English course. We reckon he has enough money to travel and live on for a month, which isn't very long I know.

I do feel sorry for the thousands and thousands of young people in his position desperate for work, I would have hated to have to leave my family and friends and all I had ever known at his age because I couldn't find work at home, it is quite brave really that he is prepared to do it. But I suppose earlier generations of Spaniards did it in large numbers, and without benefit of the internet to be able to research things in advance.

jackytoo

He would be better trying the agencies for hotel work, especially the ones who want live in. There seems to be thousands of young spaniards working on the south coast around Bournemouth. He will find lots of "know how" stuff on the forums, such as how to claim benefits, get their rent paid and spend a gap year gratis!

agoreira

Agree, and thanks to these sort of forums a lot of the homework has already been done for him, there are some pretty switched on guys there, they are even well up on UK benefits! There are always loads of adverts for rooms for rent from fellow Spanish. I see IDS is telling UK businesses to give jobs to Brits instead of foreigners today in the news!

HBG

I'm not being facetious and applaud the young man's courage, but would he not be better off learning German?

jackytoo

I think this applies to any country if they live in the provinces. In the UK most have to move after leaving Uni if they want a career.

steviedeluxe

In a sense you're right, as Germany is actively seeking skilled workers from Spain (and elsewhere) and if you have the necessary skills you have a good chance of a well-paying job.. Problem is, German is a very hard language to learn (ich kann ein bisschen Deutsche, aber es ist ziemlich schlect...) and if he already has some english, I can see the appeal of building on that in the UK. There seem to be quite a few Spanish around London (I'm sure they're not all tourists) but it also depends on what kind of work the person can do (certain sectors are doing better than others). If he's a painter and decorator for example - he may as well forget it, the industry has been swamped.

He may want to start looking at one or two sites...

http://www.londonjobs.co.uk/
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/

Also, he may consider advertising on Gumtree (make sure he only puts his email as contact - a lot of spammers and crooks use the site)

warn him that a large number of jobs advertised by agencies (especially in IT) do not exist, and are just an attempt by those agents to get new contacts.

If he's in catering he could try the many tapas bars around London - there may not be a job directly but if he speaks to the staff they can proably give him leads as to where to work.

EDIT: I know a few Spanish who did well by coming to the UK and teaching Spanish, but I suspect this is no longer an easy option, as there are so many trying to earn their living.

agoreira

Up until last year I was attending a Spanish class run by the nearest university, and we needed 4 or 5 minimum for the class to proceed. Now with the crisis (that's what they are saying!) we need min of 8, which for us is impossible, so no class, my Spanish neighbour has lost her teaching job. As you say, too many chasing ever fewer jobs. Reading those forums most seem to get a job here in UK, but they are prepared to take anything, lots of au pairs, fast food outlets, whilst learning English at the same time. I think I'd be guided by the informed members in the groups when it comes to jobs, there are lots of agencies that seem a tad unscrupulous. Learn from someone else's mistakes. Of the few Spanish girls I know locally, they all have good jobs, two are teachers, one an architect, and one doing a degree in midwifery.

steviedeluxe

A couple more links that may be useful if he heads towards London

http://www.magazinebabylon.com/online_issue.php

http://www.eliberico.com/

Lynn R

Thanks again. The young man in question seems very realistic and is prepared to do any kind of work, he has experience as a bricklayer but would be happy to take a labouring job, work in a bar or hotel, etc. We have looked at some vacancies online (through the Job Centre website as I agree that some private recruitment agency sites may be a bit dodgy) so he is aware of how much (or how little, they are only minimum wage jobs) he is likely to earn.

He is not looking to go to the UK to claim benefits, in fact he was absolutely amazed and rather disapproving that I told him he would be entitled to claim Child Benefit for his little daughter, but who knows, he may change his opinion if things get really tough once he is there and he finds out how many other people are doing it.

busters mum

Have a look at Butlins and Haven, they are usually looking for staff and you get cheap meals and accomodation