# 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

sally phil said:


> 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

sally phil said:


> 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?


----------



## Stravinsky

sally phil said:


> 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?


I think you have to choose the area you like. If you move somewhere just because you have more chance of getting a job, and then find you hate the place ....... well ....... you have to strat all over or just grin and bear it!


----------



## Wils & Nance

sally phil said:


> 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?


I totally agree with you "on the just do it" attitude, and I would, but hubby won't ! I have worked in various countires , mainly greece, so I tend to mix & adapt quite quickly, but he's a bit quiet & stuck in his ways !
We are in our forties so it's kind of a now or never situation, we will have enough money to buy somewhere, but we don't want to do that straight away !
We will be fine if just 1 of us gets a job initially that will keep him happy...lol !

I only suggested CDS to you because the number of English owned hairdressers and beauty salons there actually outnumber the Spanish ones !
Good Luck !
Nance,


----------



## algorfa

Hi girl,

You sound as though, no matter what people on here tell you, you are going, come hell or high water.

So, you are an English Hairdresser. So why not use that as an opening for your own business. The Costa Blanca is FULL of Brits who's hair still grows and needs cutting. There are lots of Urbanisation's and maybe a MOBILE hairdresser may work, especially for the older resident. Plenty of marketing, leaflet dropping, walking around getting to know the area, may just work.

You say you can manage for two years, so a slow buildup of business may get you into that business and then you can work around your child in the holidays.

If Phil knows tool hire, then why not a mobile small tool hire business in the same area, work out of the back of a van, renting small tools to the Brits to do those small jobs, or even do the job for them.

A little bit of lateral thinking sometimes works.

Good luck with it.

Dave
Damatt Property Spain


----------



## sally phil

Hi
Thanks for the advice
Ive definitely thought about mobile hairdressing and that would be my first choice as like you say I can fit it around my sons school hols etc,leaflet drops soon as I get there
Interesting that you are in Algorfa thats where we are looking at now,seems central to lots of other towns and reasonable rents,my only concern is that if its a house on the outskirts it may mean driving everywhere and wondering if it may be a bit isolated
I guess we wont know the geographics until we visit,or which towns we like and opinions of expats are so divided on where is nice or not, how hard it is to get work booo then others say there are plenty of jobs all beit seasonal ...but that might be enough to see us through the first couple of years
Phil has decided to take his HGV license as theres a shortage of drivers in Spain apparently...any thoughts?
The mobile tool hire is a great idea but people say whatever you think of doing 10 people are already doing it and again until you live there you dont know if theres a demand for it ....would you use it?

Does anybody actually live and work in the inland Torrevieja area and can give me a realistic idea how hard it is to find work,I get the impression its all properties and no work,but its a busy area so there has to be loads of jobs in the tourist industry at least,bar work,cleaning villas,hair salons I have an nvq3 in Early years care and education,so Id be interestd to know if there are lots of British run nurseries creches in the area(until my spanish is better)
Thanks all
Sally


----------



## claireinspain

just a quickie to your email....
i moved to spain as a single mum to a 3 year old, had enough money to last me a year...and it was the best move i ever made 
dont get me wrong, it was hard work, but i found jobs to tide us over no problem...cleaning in the morning, shop work in the afternoon and restaurant in evenings. people who say there isnt any work obviously have their standards set too high, and only want employment that uses the qualifications they have. good luck to you


----------



## jojo

claireinspain said:


> just a quickie to your email....
> i moved to spain as a single mum to a 3 year old, had enough money to last me a year...and it was the best move i ever made
> dont get me wrong, it was hard work, but i found jobs to tide us over no problem...cleaning in the morning, shop work in the afternoon and restaurant in evenings. people who say there isnt any work obviously have their standards set too high, and only want employment that uses the qualifications they have. good luck to you



I´m tempted to say that you´re one of the lucky ones, but doing all that work makes me wonder if coming to spain has improved your quality of life!!?

The point is that there maybe work, casual work around but its not always regular or permenant and its almost impossible to budget. And after a while its tiring having to scratch a living just to make ends meet. So its not about standards its about "quality of life" and security, and if you havent got that then is it worth it?

Jo


----------



## chris(madrid)

sally phil said:


> Phil has decided to take his HGV license as theres a shortage of drivers in Spain apparently...any thoughts?


There was most certainly a shortage - BUT in general for the long haul stuff - I'm told. 

I've a good friend who runs a haulage business in Hull. From him I know that much of the shipping into Spain is on a Wall to Wall basis. i.e stops at huge transfer depots at borders. There was a HUGE demand in BCN for drivers - so much so the BCN hall of commerce were sending recruitment agents to Poland. 

Inside Spain you'll find more and more huge transport centres where stuff is parcelled out to smaller local use lorries. Local "only" HGV will require a highish level of Spanish generally - as you'll be having to ask where/how of locals all the time. The Long distance guys in general deal with a warehouse that is "internationally" minded.


----------



## algorfa

sally phil said:


> Hi
> Thanks for the advice
> Ive definitely thought about mobile hairdressing and that would be my first choice as like you say I can fit it around my sons school hols etc,leaflet drops soon as I get there
> Interesting that you are in Algorfa thats where we are looking at now,seems central to lots of other towns and reasonable rents,my only concern is that if its a house on the outskirts it may mean driving everywhere and wondering if it may be a bit isolated
> I guess we wont know the geographics until we visit,or which towns we like and opinions of expats are so divided on where is nice or not, how hard it is to get work booo then others say there are plenty of jobs all beit seasonal ...but that might be enough to see us through the first couple of years
> Phil has decided to take his HGV license as theres a shortage of drivers in Spain apparently...any thoughts?
> The mobile tool hire is a great idea but people say whatever you think of doing 10 people are already doing it and again until you live there you dont know if theres a demand for it ....would you use it?
> 
> Does anybody actually live and work in the inland Torrevieja area and can give me a realistic idea how hard it is to find work,I get the impression its all properties and no work,but its a busy area so there has to be loads of jobs in the tourist industry at least,bar work,cleaning villas,hair salons I have an nvq3 in Early years care and education,so Id be interestd to know if there are lots of British run nurseries creches in the area(until my spanish is better)
> Thanks all
> Sally


Hi Sally,

We have had our place in Algorfa for almost 3 years. It is within easy reach of most area's of Costa Blanca, Guardemar is only 15 mins, Torrevieja is 20 mins, Almoradi is 5 mins. All these places have good levels of expats. The further inland you go, the cheaper it will be to rent or buy. All these places have good links to the motorway and airports, they are not out back places, they are developing places.

With the other half looking at HGV, like it has been said, he will need Spanish to allow him to deliver within Spain.

Good luck.

Dave


----------



## claireinspain

jojo said:


> I´m tempted to say that you´re one of the lucky ones, but doing all that work makes me wonder if coming to spain has improved your quality of life!!?
> 
> The point is that there maybe work, casual work around but its not always regular or permenant and its almost impossible to budget. And after a while its tiring having to scratch a living just to make ends meet. So its not about standards its about "quality of life" and security, and if you havent got that then is it worth it?
> 
> Jo


hehehe,i got lucky though...
i found a lovely bloke with his own business 3 years ago, so im now a lady of leisure!!!
but that said...our quality of life improved greatly before i met him since being here. i fitted the work in around my daughters school hours, and evening job didnt start until she went to bed, so had afternoons chilling at the pool with her.


----------



## claireinspain

hi again sally,
just thought i'd let you know, i went to a hairdressers today here in quesada, and the stylist told me that he rents his chair in the salon, and he thinks most salons in this area do the same... so maybe that would be as good an option as going mobile.
he has been in this area for 1 year now, and he said he is doing well. there are also 2 english/spanish private nurseries in this area, so maybe that could be worthwhile looking into.
if you wanted to look into them, one is called red monkeys (owned by a lady called paula, they have a weblink somewhere) and the other is magicworld (the owner is called violet, she is spanish, and a lady called sam is employed by her).
anyway, good luck with your venture


----------



## doug610

Hi
I am a c+e driver and can tell you that there is no vacancies in the catalonia area,my son in law was driving for a firm in barcelona port and has just been lost his job and can't find anything else.The only good thing is when it does pick up the spanish firms like the english drivers they can reverse them unlike the spanish drivers,so having a hgv would be a good investment for the future ,by the way you should look at campsites as i have just started back on one that i worked for last year.Good Luck.


----------

