Moving to Spain
 

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and firstly would like to say hi!

I have been thinking about moving to Spain for about a year now, but never really had the guts to make the move. However, over the last couple of weeks I am seriously keen on moving over for a year or say (maybe longer!).

I have read through nearly every thread on this forum since 6pm (!) and have been researching over the last couple of weeks.

I have a friend who has an apartment in Retamar (nr Almeria) which I can rent, however its work that I'm very concerned about. Im currently working as a pensions administrator and am looking for work in Spain (office work, admin roles etc). However, it seems that people find it hard to find work over there. I have registered with a few recruitment agencies, and alot of the work seems to be in real estate.

Unfortuantly, I do not speak Spanish yet, but start lessons next week (however, grasping a new language is like teaching me how to fly ;) !!).

I was just wondering whether anyone knows of any recruitment agencies and if anyone can give any tips. Im not going to demand a really high paid job - just something that covers the rent!!!

Thanks

Re: Moving to Spain
 

here are a few sites that you might find useful

http://www.recruitspain.com/Index.htm
http://www.gtrabajo.com/
http://www.right.com/es/lac/lac.htm
http://www.manpower.es/Pub/content.a...home&langid=es
http://www.adecco.es/
http://www.oficinaempleo.com/
http://www.jobtoasterspain.com/
http://www.24spain.com/category-331.html
http://www.infojobs.net/index.htm

you will find more openings if you at least have a grasp of basic Spanish (imagine a foreigner arriving in England not being able to speak English and expecting to find a job :unsure: ) but sadly even then you may have difficulties

Only coming for a year doesnt give you much time to settle in and get established as a lot of jobs come via word of mouth so I would come with a few months money to live on just in case

Re: Moving to Spain
 

From what I have been told also, just registering with a staff agency is not quite enough ... you have to keep sending in CV's for individual jobs as and when they are advertised. So you have to be proactive rather than wait for them to contact you. I have been told that many staff agencies in Spain get paid when they are contracted, not when they find the member of staff

Re: Moving to Spain
 

Thanks for that. I have looked into it and realised that recruitment agencies don't work the same in Spain as they do over here. I have gone through classifieds on thinkspain.com, by looking at the pdf of the newspaper, and through agencies.

I am trying to pick up the language, and I know someone in Spain who teaches spanish, however, the best way for me to pick up the language is being out there, rather than being tutored over here with a textbook!!

Any other advice with office admin jobs would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Moving to Spain
 

Hi Matt,

We have lived here for over 5 years, and I have worked in Admin for most of that time. My Spanish (although I have taken lessons) is practically nil! I have been lucky to have "fell" into these jobs, as they are rarely advertised, it is just being in the right place at the right time. The agencies are pretty useless, I registered with one and had one call in over a year. You will see admin jobs in the paper but normally they ask for bilingual staff and pay not brilliant. My advice would be to look at general tele sales type jobs in the area you are going to, and ring these numbers and see if they need any admin staff, or apply for one of these tele sales jobs, and once in the door try for the admin position there, that is what happened to me in the first place.

Looking at the area you are going to I do not have any contacts for you, but there are lots of these type of jobs in Malaga, and many more in Marbella.

You may have to lower your standards and take one of the boring jobs before you get what you want, Good Luck.

Re: Moving to Spain
 

Matt,

For what it's worth, I would say have enough money saved to last you 6 to 12 months. Move over and feel the water, once you are there, meet different people, ask lots of questions, but be careful as there are some people that might not always be as they seem. You will probably have to be flexible with your employment expectations and wages. Try something different, give it a go, what have you got to lose?....good luck.