# Job Hunt



## CollCarr (Nov 19, 2008)

Hi All,

I am a young professional hoping to return to la vida espanola prontisimo. I will certainly need to work while in Spain, though I'm not particular to a specific profession or comunidad. Is is safe to arrive without a contract? Is there a general region/job that has a high labor demand? Are there useful job search engines or other resources to find job postings? I have already scoured the like of El Pais's job pages and the careerbuilder.es page.

Thank you very much for any suggestions!

Cheers,

Colleen


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

CollCarr said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am a young professional hoping to return to la vida espanola prontisimo. I will certainly need to work while in Spain, though I'm not particular to a specific profession or comunidad. Is is safe to arrive without a contract? Is there a general region/job that has a high labor demand? Are there useful job search engines or other resources to find job postings? I have already scoured the like of El Pais's job pages and the careerbuilder.es page.
> 
> ...


Assuming you are totally fluent in Spanish, then you may stand a small chance of getting work without any qualifications. If you arent fluent - well times are really hard here, possibly worse than the UK.

Try looking at the "Sur" newspaper on line?? Or Steve Wall, one of the guys on here has some links on his signature??

Jo


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I never want to burst anyone's bubble - please read all the similar threads - but in Spain the declared figures are that 192,658 people lost their jobs in October alone (18% unemployment in Andalucia!) and with a large proportion of that percentage who would be very happy to work for money that you will probably not be prepared to get out of bed for. 

If you have a job with income wherever you are I would be VERY cautious indeed about coming here unless you speak FLUENT Spanish and even then.......


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## CollCarr (Nov 19, 2008)

Si, hablo bien el espanol aunque no soy una nativa..

Se que hay problemas economicas, pero solamente estuve pregunatandoles para sugerencias de sitios de web o estrategias de buscar....

Por favor, si hay una persona k tenga sugerencias, le agradezco cualquier forma de ayuda que me pueda ofrecer. 

Otra vez, gracias.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

CollCarr said:


> Si, hablo bien el espanol aunque no soy una nativa..
> 
> Se que hay problemas economicas, pero solamente estuve pregunatandoles para sugerencias de sitios de web o estrategias de buscar....
> 
> ...


As Steve says there are a lot of Spanish natives out of work here too. I guess you need to trawl the web or maybe come over for a visit and see what you can find! Good luck anyway, you never know.....!

Jo


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

You'd be stone CRAZY to come with nothing but hope. 

I know folk that found work last year - and as the last in they were the first out. With less than 6 months contributing to the DHSS here you will not be eligible for the dole. And what dole you will get will be about a month.

And please don't take me wrong - but if that is your level of Spanish - you will NOT be high on the list.

You need to be FLUENT not just reasonable. There are 1000's of bilingual Spaniards (mixed marriage kids) here now. They're fighting for 1000Euro/month jobs.


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## CollCarr (Nov 19, 2008)

thank you for your unsolicited, pessimistic commentary on the economy; as a trained economist, i understand your naive perception of labor markets and can correctly reject your claims that there are "no jobs in spain" (for further evidence, please pick up a copy of loquo, el pais, el sur, etc....). perhaps you are in the tourism, real estate, or construction industries, where knowledge of spanish is irrelevent and where economic crises lead to significant reductions in unskilled laborers.

regardless of your profession, it is clear by your pessimism that you have not adopted the spanish way of life and therefore, per the guidelines of this forum, you should not be offering advice.

thank you to those with sound advice re: job search engines, etc.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

CollCarr said:


> thank you for your unsolicited, pessimistic commentary on the economy; as a trained economist, i understand your naive perception of labor markets and can correctly reject your claims that there are "no jobs in spain" (for further evidence, please pick up a copy of loquo, el pais, el sur, etc....). perhaps you are in the tourism, real estate, or construction industries, where knowledge of spanish is irrelevent and where economic crises lead to significant reductions in unskilled laborers.
> 
> regardless of your profession, it is clear by your pessimism that you have not adopted the spanish way of life and therefore, per the guidelines of this forum, you should not be offering advice.
> 
> thank you to those with sound advice re: job search engines, etc.


Sorry to stick my nose in, but if your comments are directed at Chris, from what I know he's married to a Spanish lady and has been for a very long time, has lived in Spain for at least 10 years, possibly longer, prior to that travelled the world, is fluent in Spanish and works for the Town Hall in Madrid. He is totally intergrated into the Spanish way of life and family

I havent been in Spain for very long, but I can totally recognise what he's saying. I'm watching people around me, both Spanish and British alike losing jobs (professional and manual) and not able to find any new work. I know there are a few jobs around, but to come over and assume you will pick one up easily is very dangerous - why would you??. I think thats what Chris is saying and I value his opinion 150%!!

Jo


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## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

Monster jobs is always a good one, so I'm told.

Saying that I would not fancy a job as a "monster" though


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

CollCarr, 

Not absolutely sure who your temper tantrum was addressed at but with an attitude like that I can guarantee you will struggle. 

If you ask for comment on a public forum you will get it ...... if it doesn't happen to be the answe you want, well, that's life.


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

CollCarr said:


> regardless of your profession, it is clear by your pessimism that you have not adopted the spanish way of life and therefore, per the guidelines of this forum, you should not be offering advice.


If that was aimed at me - As a freelance employee of the Spanish Civil Service - working daily ONLY in Spanish - married to a Spaniard - resident here in real (not expat) Spain almost 15 years - this forum being my only contact with English speakers - having lived through employment & unemployment here - I think I have a pretty good grasp of the realities actually - but there we go.

We spent the weekend with an old Spanish friend whose new native Spanish speaking (but not Spanish) husband came with a similar attitude (I'll do OK - I have training) - he's already discovering that Spain does NOT play by the rules he expected - He's lived all over the world too is fluent in French and good at (American) English. Without a specific skill set that's in demand - it'll be a struggle OR you're lucky (this happens). He's a qualified accountant. But has to cross train to the Spanish system which is complex. 

My comments about folk on the LIFO experience is a Spaniard - BILINGUAL (Father Spanish - Mother English) resident here since birth. He only has an MBA and a doctorate. It's MUCH cheaper to fire a new employee than an old one.

If the work you're looking for involves ANY real professional contact with "the professions" you'll really need excellent Spanish. The Civil Service (incl the IRS) moreso. I've actually had to dismiss a professional (in a previous job here) who was unable to deal with authorities /clients and needed a Spanish Secretary, despite being South American and in theory fluent. But his written Spanish was TERRIBLE.

I have experience as a JOB OFFERER on the "job sites" (I was the technical country manager for a fortune 50 company here).

There is a reason why many of those jobs are on there. Generally they're the ones NOBODY wants, or that you'd not offer to anybody you liked/knew. Good jobs here go via the "old boy network" which is WAY more ingrained than any you though existed in the UK.


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## dizzy (Jul 12, 2008)

I was speaking last night with a native spanish/catalan girl who works for town hall on a parttime basis and also in a local bar on a parttime basis. She was describing to me that even though she has been working in town hall for 5 years, in order for her to keep her job on a permanent basis she has been forced to do an examination to prove her abilities. After completing this examination which she did quite well at, she was then told she needed to do a followup examination to determine if she is able to work at a higher level eg. languages, and skills far beyond what she is required to do now. This is not to move her into a better position but simply to allow her to keep the job she has had for 5 years. Pretty tough if you ask me. 

Something else occured to me whilst talking to this girl and that was where I am from (Australia) you never find a professional working in the local bar unless they are unemployable. Certainly not whilst they are gainfully employed within their profession - it is just not done. Spain however, is very different in that regard. 

The information that has been given here on this forum and in answer to your querie - is the opinions of real people who are either living it or have lived in the past. Don't ask for these opinions if you are not interested in what others have to say. All advise and opinions are worth considering whether they are positive or negative. 

Just my opinion - take it or leave it -- no skin off my nose either way.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I was talking to a Spanish citizen yesterday. Pilar is Spanish born, Spanish bred - Barcelona native and bi-lingual Castellano, Catalan. She is a university graduate - majored in geology - bright, well-presented and very attractive. 

She was DELIGHTED to have got a job in a "scruffy local bar" (her words). She had to go to THREE interviews and was warned that she would not be taken on permanently unless she could bring her English up to near fluency. (Yet, this is Gavà which is well off the tourist track) She HOPES with tips, overtime etc to get 1,100 euros per month - which is almost to the cent her fixed outgoings. IOW just to stand still she will be working 40/50+ hours per week. 

She supplements her income handing out leaflets for a TexMex on Las Ramblas!

The sister of a friend of mine has just got taken on as a ticket collector etc on the Madrid Metro. She is a native madrileña fullly legal etc etc - she had to go through FIVE intereviews/tests for that job. Again after a period of unemployment, Rosa is delighted to be back in work. Another university graduate NOT using what she spent four years learning. 

Guys, it's tough out there! As Chris and Dizzy say, if you don't want to read the answers that's 100% up to you. We'll go on!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

dizzy said:


> She was describing to me that even though she has been working in town hall for 5 years, in order for her to keep her job on a permanent basis she has been forced to do an examination to prove her abilities. After completing this examination which she did quite well at, she was then told she needed to do a follow up examination to determine if she is able to work at a higher level eg. languages, and skills far beyond what she is required to do now.


Sounds as if she's currently an Interino - basically a stand in to cover workload - whilst they've tried to get the post approved. I know folk who've been doing this for 13 years or more. The problem is that the finally approved post may not be 100% what you've done as an Interino

Many town halls have RUN on these Interino posts - but if the post is finally "justified" THEY are obliged by law to announce an "_oposicion_" which means exams. If the approved post states you need languages - well that's what there is. Sounds as if its "_promocion interna_" even so - i.e an _oposicion_ for existing staff.

My wife, my sister-in-law (wifes' sister) and my sister-in-laws own sister-in-law (her husbands sister) are all fully fledged "funcionarias". This is a "CROWN JEWEL" position - job for life, though pay is imo poor. It allows me the freedom to do what I want rather than have to go back to the rat race - some of the rats out there are scary now too.

As Steve knows, I'm sure, "permanent" jobs were not all that common before either - many jobs, though "full time" are "Obra y Servicio" - i.e. you've a job until we don't need the job doing any more. But even so it's only 15days notice here - so what seems permanent isn't anyway.

A lot of professional services seem also more and more to be outsourced to freelance "Autonomos" o "Colegiados (Architects/Lawyers & accountants)". 

In house jobs tend more and more to be "we need somebody here" - rather than "we need a job doing" - and it's cheaper to hire a bod' for answering the phone than pay call dispatch service providers (as an example). These are disposable jobs.


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## Bl_nde1 (Nov 25, 2008)

SteveHall said:


> I never want to burst anyone's bubble - please read all the similar threads - but in Spain the declared figures are that 192,658 people lost their jobs in October alone (18% unemployment in Andalucia!) and with a large proportion of that percentage who would be very happy to work for money that you will probably not be prepared to get out of bed for.
> 
> If you have a job with income wherever you are I would be VERY cautious indeed about coming here unless you speak FLUENT Spanish and even then.......


Hi Steve, I wander then if you could suggest an equally charming place in Europe for a foreign family to do a working holiday?. We were looking into coming to Spain from New Zealand late next year... To give you an idea and hopefully recommend something suitable.....

We are from N.Z, a couple late 20s with a 9 year old son. I have a wide range of experience - office & sales based - from graphic design, purchasing, customer services etc... My partner is an English teacher... neither of us speak spanish but intended to do classes for 16 weeks before we come... We want to go somewhere different with loads of character and love hot weather... obviously schooling will also play a big part in the decision... help!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

imo - You're going to have problems - esp if you are NZ citizens.

As non-EU nationals you'll need to have a SPONSOR to get work lined up before you arrive IN ALL EUROPE. Without this you wont get a work permit or residence. 

EU citizens can move/work/live as they please in Europe - non-EU cannot.

You may find an TEFL type position with some ease - but these are not that well paid. But the professions - you'll need fluent Spanish. How else are you going to explain/discuss things as complex as design/administration or C/S with a Spaniard?, especially if their diction is local Spanish not international Spanish. Endings missed off and FAST!. 

Wide experience here is (sadly) not that valued. In general you'll get on board because you have a specific skill set. 

16weeks is (I seriously doubt) enough. I was immersed here for 6 months before I was comfortable and I'm not without linguistic/presentational skills. My first job here was as a product manger, in Spanish but for a US company. All customer work here HAD TO BE in Spanish. Internal comm's in English and German as the EU headquarters was in Heidelberg. 

As part of the hiring cycle I was taken to do a customer presentation. Only after was I offered a contract. 

This is fairly common. You'll be asked to prove you can really translate respond in Spanish without thinking or using a dictionary. The Spanish will "forgive" certain grammatical errors (they make them too) - but fluency means what it says - fluent. 

btw - the use of (what in English would be highly offensive) swearwords in daily speech is pretty commonplace. This you generally are not taught at school. I'm not saying you need to use them - just be aware it happens. I know folk who've been genuinely shocked.

ime - Italians are more ready to deal in English at a professional level than the Spanish. France is just as bad as Spain. You could try CYPRUS. There, English is very common.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I really can't add much to what Chris said. Spain is going to be pretty much a "non-no" as far as being employed locally - at least legally. Unless you have a hot (=family!!) contact, I know nobody who will go through the HASSLE (for them) of sponsoring you. IAC, you have not shown us a skill-set that is required here. 

I am not sure of the laws in England but I "thought" that NZ/Oz citizens had a temporary right of abode under some historical agreement. Certainly London has literally thousands of Antipodean professionals. You might want to check out Southern Cross, TNT (I am sure they will both be online) 

To give you an indication of just how bad things are here, the Spanish government are PAYING legal immigrants HARD CASH to return to their countries of origin. Also read that
probably the most famous (emblamático) of all Spanish hotels looks like it is going down. 

I wish you every success but perhaps you had better just hope for ad hoc jobs as you tour - so, stay where you find work. The black economy is stronger in Southern Europe but occasionally you can get a break elswhere but I'd say you have almost ZERO chance in the former Eastern Europe and Scandinavia is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too bureaucratic to get anything. IAC for 9 months of the year I refuse to live there. It's minus 8 at night this week and although Christmas "en famille" in Sweden sounds great, I have to balance that with a three/four day train/coach journey in both directions and knowing that I can only go out at all if I am dressed up in about 6 jackets, gloves, longjohns, scarves etc. No matter how much I love the place, the views, the mountains, the fjords etc etc ....Well, you get the picture. I am sure it will be on the sun terrace here again! I just need to get the strength to tell them!! 

From La Verdad on Friday and (below) today. 

Era un secreto a voces. El principal complejo turístico de la Región, La Manga Club, se ve incapaz de pagar todas sus deudas, que ascienden a 97 millones de euros, tras «una fuerte caída de las reservas y de los usuarios». Así lo confirmó ayer un portavoz de MedGroup, propietaria de La Manga Club, que recordó que están a la espera de que el juzgado de lo Mercantil de Murcia autorice el concurso de acreedores (suspensión de pagos) planteado el viernes pasado.
La empresa inmobiliaria prepara un plan de viabilidad que supondrá el despido de decenas de trabajadores. Estos, tras varias reuniones con sus directivos, aseguran que La Manga Club ya ha iniciado las negociaciones para romper el contrato con la cadena hotelera Hyatt (con 753 hoteles en todo el mundo, dos en España), que gestiona desde hace casi dos décadas los hoteles de lujo y los restaurantes del complejo de Los Belones.
La marcha de la prestigiosa cadena hotelera es vista con buenos ojos por parte de un sector de los empleados ya que acusan a esta empresa de «despilfarrar y de gestionar mal los recursos desde hace años». MedGroup no ha confirmado ni ha desmentido la posible salida de Hyatt.
Los más afectados por esta situación son los trabajadores que han denunciado que la compañía inmobiliaria prepara un expediente de regulación de empleo (ERE) que podría afectar a un 20% de la plantilla, compuesta por setecientas personas. Unos doscientos empleados mantuvieron el miércoles por la tarde una asamblea en la que decidieron estudiar movilizaciones si la empresa no les proporciona información.
«Estamos pendientes de lo que sucede. Nos han prometido que nos informarán de todos los movimientos. Si no es así estudiaremos medidas de presión. Nos han dicho que hay un 20% más de plantilla que hace unos años y nos tememos que sea la que ahora sobra», señaló la presidenta del comité de empresa, Úrsula Gallego (del sindicato CSIF).
Un portavoz de MedGroup confirmó que la compañía ya está preparando un plan de viabilidad que se entregará en los próximos días a los administradores concursales «para estabilizar la compañía. Queremos dejar claro que a pesar de las dificultades la continuidad del complejo no está en duda y se sigue trabajando en el futuro».
Amplias instalaciones
Hyatt La Manga Club es uno de los complejos turísticos más importantes del mundo. Sus instalaciones tienen una extensión de 560 hectáreas, dentro de las cuales se encuentran el hotel de cinco estrellas Hyatt Regency La Manga, el complejo de apartamentos de lujo Hyatt Las Lomas Village, un centro de belleza y spa de 2.000 metros cuadrados y más de 450 hectáreas de equipamientos deportivos, entre los que destacan tres campos de golf, 28 pistas de tenis y ocho campos de fútbol.
En octubre fue designado como uno de los mejores centros turísticos de golf en Europa por parte de los prestigiosos premios de turismo World Travel Awards.


CARTAGENA
La Manga Club quiere tener en un mes inversores que asuman los hoteles y alivien su crisis
La preocupación crece entre los trabajadores mientras los dueños negocian la salida de la compañía Hyatt

La cadena hotelera Hyatt, que más de 738 hoteles en todo el mundo, parecer tener los días contados en de La Manga Club. La empresa MedGroup, propietaria de este complejo turístico de Los Belones, está negociando una salida inminente de la compañía hotelera que lleva le gestión de los hoteles el Hyatt Regency La Manga y El Hyatt Las Lomas Village y la firma de un acuerdo con un nuevo grupo inversor que se haga cargo de estos establecimientos e inyecte fondos que permitan pagara las deudas con proveedores, que suman 97 millones de euros.
Los directivos de la empresa MedGroup, que presentó hace diez días un concurso voluntario de acreedores (antigua suspensión de pagos), han intensificado las reuniones con la cadena hotelera para tomar una decisión «antes de finales de año». La falta de liquidez por «la caída de las reservas y los usuarios» provoca que no pueda hacer frente a sus deudas.
Un portavoz de MedGroup confirmó que diretivos de esta empresa y de Hyatt han intensificado las reuniones para tratar de llegar a un acuerdo y, con toda probabilidad, sean rescindidos los contratos firmados tras más dos décadas de relación en el principal complejo turístico de la Región.
«hay pocas posibilidades de que Hyatt se quede. Pero hay que esperar», señaló el citado portavoz de Medgroup. Otras de las cuestiones en las que trabajan los directivos de esta inmobiliaria catalana es el plan de viabilidad, que supondrá el espido de unos cien de los setecientos del complejo.
Reclaman información
Los obreros dan por seguro que la empresa prepara un expediente de regulación de empleo (ERE) y piden que les informen «lo antes posible para aclarar el futuro laboral cuanto antes».
Así lo acordaron ayer representantes del comité de empresa durante una reunión a mediodía.
«Queremos estar unido ante lo que se nos viene encima. La empresa no dice nada y queremos que nos entreguen el plan de viabilidad cuanto antes. Nos tememos que no lo van a hacer y directamente nos presentarán el expediente de regulación de empleo», manifestó la presidente del comité de empresa, Úrsula Gallego (del sindicato CSIF).
Desde MedGroup quisieron dejar claro que mantendrán la actividad del complejo de Los Belones, que incluyen campos de golf, restaurantes y campos de fútbol, entre otras instalaciones.
Recuerdan que han hecho inversiones recientemente para mejorar lasinstalaciones y que el complejo designado como uno de los mejores centros turísticos en Europa por parte de World Travel Awards. Además, es uno de los lugares de concentración de invierno preferidos por deportistas de élite


16 weeks ? It's a great start if it's 20+ hours per week. If it's an hour or two per week I'd DEFINITELY do it but don't expect to be able to do much more than ask for a coffee (wrongly!) and for directions to the Opera House. I encourage EVERYBODY to learn as much Spanish as humanly possible before they come - hence my site is full of free links etc.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> - the use of (what in English would be highly offensive) swearwords in daily speech is pretty commonplace. This you generally are not taught at school. I'm not saying you need to use them - just be aware it happens. I know folk who've been genuinely shocked.



Just as an aside, I'm glad you said that chris. The other day, my neighbour yelled at the top of her voice to her husband what apparently was the "C" word, My son picked up on it and understood it (as of course a 13 yr old lad would!!)and told me what she'd shouted! I was quite shocked as they seem quite a nice, polite couple! My friend told me later that the Spanish dont see "swear" words as offensive or malicious as us Brits do!

Jo

Jo


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

jojo said:


> My friend told me later that the Spanish dont see "swear" words as offensive or malicious as us Brits do!


The point is they actually use different ones to be deliberately offensive.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

CollCarr said:


> thank you for your unsolicited, pessimistic commentary on the economy; as a trained economist, i understand your naive perception of labor markets and can correctly reject your claims that there are "no jobs in spain" (for further evidence, please pick up a copy of loquo, el pais, el sur, etc....). perhaps you are in the tourism, real estate, or construction industries, where knowledge of spanish is irrelevent and where economic crises lead to significant reductions in unskilled laborers.
> 
> regardless of your profession, it is clear by your pessimism that you have not adopted the spanish way of life and therefore, per the guidelines of this forum, you should not be offering advice.
> 
> thank you to those with sound advice re: job search engines, etc.


I have a long list of search engines for jobs in Spain which I could have sent to you, but I am unsure if you really _want_ details or just came on here to be rude to long standing reputable members  

Anyone who thinks that the job situation in Spain for expats is not without majot problems at the moment is deluding themselves. The construction industry is in turmoil, building has stopped in many places. Those that were working there are seeking employment elsewhere. Estate agents are dead, and looking to diversify or close and seek new jobs. Tourism has taken a hit. People are looking elsewhere.

I guess certain specialised fields will be immune to this, but good luck anyway 


Oh and peeps, can we stick to English, and only publish links to newspaper articles


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> The point is they actually use different ones to be deliberately offensive.



Oooh. and what are they??? I've gotta telefonica engineer coming round later!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jo


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Calling him a Gillipollas - hilly-poil-yas - is a certain guaranty that he'll walk out on you and not sort it out. It also depends how you say it.

It equates nicely to "D*ckhead" - experienced users of Spanish invective only please.


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Sorry, didn't know we had a no-Spanish policy. Apologies

The amazing thing, Chris, is that you are actually luring JoJo into believing the engineer might come! Well, if you both believe it....Mmmmm, this is definitely turning into a LOA moment - let's not go there!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

SteveHall said:


> The amazing thing, Chris, is that you are actually luring JoJo into believing the engineer might come! Well, if you both believe it....Mmmmm, this is definitely turning into a LOA moment - let's not go there!!


Oh I've no doubt he wont turn up, if for no other reason that telefonica have the wrong address on our account and no ammount of me or my bilingual friends telling them will make them put the correct one on, I even changed it on our on-line account and they changed it back!! I dont think I'll ever be able to use my phone and internet at the same time and my internet only works for 5 minutes an hour on under 1 MB and neither work if it rains!


As for "Gillipollas" well my surname is Heeley - now say that with a Spanish accent...... and you can see what the Spanish probably call me!!!


Jo x


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

I am Sr Hall. (Pronounced as in the English "eye") or often Sr Esteve as the seem to have a problem with given names and family names.

Not arrived yet? Want a bet on it?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

SteveHall said:


> I am Sr Hall. (Pronounced as in the English "eye") or often Sr Esteve as the seem to have a problem with given names and family names.
> 
> Not arrived yet? Want a bet on it?


One of my sons teachers is called Mrs Hodder - now she is ALWAYS known by her first name!!!!!


and no, I dont think we need to bet on Sr Telefonica, I was gonna wait at the address on my bill and bring him round here, trouble is, the address doesnt exist, its a parcel of land and he wouldnt turn up there anyway!

Jo


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

So did he turn up?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

SteveHall said:


> So did he turn up?



did he f***!!! I'm not waiting in tomorrow!! What should I do now??

Jo


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

jojo said:


> did he f***!!! I'm not waiting in tomorrow!! What should I do now??
> 
> Jo


DO you have strong religious beliefs? If so, pray to your god or gods. 

If not then you are at the mercy of Telefónica....... like the rest of us!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

SteveHall said:


> DO you have strong religious beliefs? If so, pray to your god or gods.
> 
> If not then you are at the mercy of Telefónica....... like the rest of us!


Unless you make a friend of the local engineer - then he'll turn up even on Sunday and cheaper!


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## SteveHall (Oct 17, 2008)

Oh, I have plenty of those contacts - mainly S.American and 20 euros is genuinely "appreciated". Sadly, the rest of expatshire has not spent 30 years in telecom and most speak so little Spanish that they can't even start to explain the problem. 

I have sorted two "issues" this morning for expats who have lived here 6 and 13 years respectviely. 

Here's a question? Why do I sort their Telefónica problems and they think that is a "favour" but when her husband came round and re-gassed the a/c he stuck his paw out for 40 euros for 15 minutes work. 

Chris and I can assure the world that learning the imperfect subjunctive and the negative imperatives took a lot more work than learning how to gas an a/c unit, 

RANT OVER 

BTW - just an aside and I would not start a thread, I went to the doctors last night. He checked me over, picked up the phone and I was at the hospital @ 10am this morning. The Spanish Health Service is SUPERB!! ¡VIVA ESPAÑA!


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## Keidik (Nov 26, 2008)

CollCarr said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am a young professional hoping to return to la vida espanola prontisimo. I will certainly need to work while in Spain, though I'm not particular to a specific profession or comunidad. Is is safe to arrive without a contract? Is there a general region/job that has a high labor demand? Are there useful job search engines or other resources to find job postings? I have already scoured the like of El Pais's job pages and the careerbuilder.es page.
> 
> ...


Hi Colleen, what region of Spain are you moving to and perhaps I can help. 

Kind regards

Keidi


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## Xose (Dec 10, 2008)

CollCarr said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am a young professional hoping to return to la vida espanola prontisimo. I will certainly need to work while in Spain, though I'm not particular to a specific profession or comunidad. Is is safe to arrive without a contract? Is there a general region/job that has a high labor demand? Are there useful job search engines or other resources to find job postings? I have already scoured the like of El Pais's job pages and the careerbuilder.es page.
> 
> ...


A very popular site, if not the definitive article for work sites, is infojobs net.

This will give you an idea. I know there's a lot of work available for SAP consultants and engineers - even ABAP capabilities get good rates, though mostly contract. IT is definetely a skill requirement so appart from SAP, WEB work at all levels and Oracle DBA etc., are all in demand.

Typical for Spain, you get a small contract and then stay - or not!

Spain has a tough labour market. Loads of Doctors and "Licenciados" (grads) on the dole. If you run out of dole (2 years max), the system is VERY tough. Basically, you're out on the street unless you have major dependants like young children etc., and even then it's tough. On the other hand, if you can try, and it doesn't work, move on, it's most definetely worth a shot and you'll love it whilst trying.

The good news is that Spain is a fantastic country if you can cover the basics, and they don't need a huge budget. The bad news is that Spain is a horrendous place if you are comming from the UK with a DHSS mentality for the long term.

Good Luck.


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