# Infomation needed/Looking for a little advice - work for young people in Málaga



## MichaelMcloughlin1 (Apr 16, 2011)

Hello everyone im new to the forum and im looking to move to spain, im 20 years old and need to start a new life away from england. Would like to know how much i would need to get me through a month or 2 untill i find myself a job out there. and where in spain would a good place to go? ive been told malaga from a girl i know who recently moved back from there, any info would be great!!!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

MichaelMcloughlin1 said:


> Hello everyone im new to the forum and im looking to move to spain, im 20 years old and need to start a new life away from england. Would like to know how much i would need to get me through a month or 2 untill i find myself a job out there. and where in spain would a good place to go? ive been told malaga from a girl i know who recently moved back from there, any info would be great!!!


Hi Michael, welcome to the forum.

What sort of job are you looking for? Unemployment here is the highest in Europe - over 40% of under 25s are out of work. There are very few new jobs being created, as businesses are closing or laying off staff. 

Do you speak fluent Spanish? Do you have any valuable skills? What would give you an advantage over the 4.5 million people who are currently looking for work here? 

To be frank, unless you have a job lined up before you come or a lot of money behind you, you are going to find it very difficult. There are some jobs going in Gibraltar, mainly in IT and online gaming, lots of people work in Gib and live in Spain. Check the agency ads and see if anything looks hopeful.

If you are on Jobseekers Allowance in the UK you can get continue to get it here for 3 months while you look for work, but after that you´re on your own, there is no support in the long term.

As for what you need to live on, that depends on your lifestyle. €1000 a month should see you OK, if you can find somewhere reasonable to live - we are coming up to holiday season so short-term rentals are hard to find. Perhaps your friend in Malaga can help you out?


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## candyfloss19uk (Apr 17, 2011)

*Just looking for a little advice*

Hi, im thinking of going over to malaga in the beginning of june and hopefully staying out there for a few months, only problem is im a bit short on cash so obv id have to get a job, just wondering if anyone knows what my chances are, obv im only looking for something like bar work just something to get money to pay for cheap accomodation and food, would i need any kinda insurance (apart from holiday insurance) 
any help would be great ppl anything you need to know in order to help me just ask 
thanks in advance ppl


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

MichaelMcloughlin1 & candyfloss19uk - I've merged your threads because you are both essentially asking for the same information - this way one of you won't get 'lost'


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I suppose it depends...

It depends on what you want, what you're aiming for.
If you want to come out to Spain to have a good time and see how long your money will last, whilst not making any life changing decisions, so that you'd be able to go back to the UK when the money dries up... You might as well come over and see what's up. 

Any work you get offered will most likely be seasonal bar work, probably paid under the table. They are predicting a good summer, 'cos the papers say the Brits are coming back and other holiday destinations are looking too dodgy, so you might get 3/ 4 months work. 

But you will be competing against the Spanish unemployed - many of whom are skilled waiters (yes, a good waiter is skilled) who speak enough English to do their job well. Other nationalities like Romanians, who have an amazing language aptitude and many have been here for years are on the job market too.

However, if you are making a decision about changing your life for ever, you need more than a short term bar job to come to.


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Here's the link to the local English language paper for the Costa del Sol:Surinenglish.com, the site for Southern Spain. Latest News. 
You could also look at this site for summer work:
Season Workers | Summer Resort Jobs | Kids Camp Work | Camping Jobs

Good luck with your adventure.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Just come over and treat it like a holiday - in otherwords dont burn your UK bridges! You need to come over with some money, cos if nothing else, you'll need to pay a deposit and a months rent on any accommodation and have your flight money should things not work out. If you havent got at least £1000 to start with, i think you'll be on a non starter. You maybe lucky and get work quickly, but you'll be up against all the Spanish school leavers and those who are looking for holiday work - and theres lots of em - Spanish schools break for the summer in June! Its a lovely place, but without money, its grim and there is no benefits system here that will help you! But come over and give it a shot, you never know???!

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I think you would need more than 1000 euros a month to live on in the summer months and even in winter that wouldn't go far if you are young and are looking for amusement as well as work.
Summer short-term rentals can be high even for a fairly grotty apartment, you have to add utilities, maybe internet/phone and tv to water and electricity, transport if there is any, otherwise a car of some kind...and that's before you eat or even think about a night out clubbing.
When you live somewhere permanently it's easier to find ways to economise especially if like me you're past staying up all night partying but a short-term visit doesn't give the time to do that.
If you do find a job you'll be working long hours for a very low wage compared to the UK.
I'm not so sure about the expected increase in NBritish visitors -other reports say the opposite. People are taking 'staycations' because of the uncertain job situation.
German and French tourists seem to be taking up the slack round here...they tend to be more affluent and spend more than the Brits (and behave better, it seems!). So as well as Spanish, in some parts of Spain , the Ballearics for one, you'll find a knowledge of German especially useful. 
As PW pointed out, waiting tables is actually a skilled and demanding job as I know from experience of working in hotels when a student. Great fun but it is a trade with its own skills.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> As PW pointed out, waiting tables is actually a skilled and demanding job as I know from experience of working in hotels when a student. Great fun but it is a trade with its own skills.


I am often amazed at just how good waiters are here. I've had a few really bad ones, which I can literally count on one hand and they've given us a few funny stories, so in the end it doesn't really matter. Most waiters who've served me have been good or very good and a lot have been excellent. You know the kind of thing. You go to a bar twice and on the third visit they know what coffee you have and where you like to sit. I go to one café about once every 6 weeks, when I have a wait between classes. On the third visit I didn't ask for coffee, there it was (descafinado de maquina, en vaso, la leche templada, ni azucar ni sacarina) Not bad, eh?
However, in a terraza, the service can often be painful, at least in Madrid, so best to order and pay at the same time


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I am often amazed at just how good waiters are here. I've had a few really bad ones, which I can literally count on one hand and they've given us a few funny stories, so in the end it doesn't really matter. Most waiters who've served me have been good or very good and a lot have been excellent. You know the kind of thing. You go to a bar twice and on the third visit they know what coffee you have and where you like to sit. I go to one café about once every 6 weeks, when I have a wait between classes. On the third visit I didn't ask for coffee, there it was (descafinado de maquina, en vaso, la leche templada, ni azucar ni sacarina) Not bad, eh?
> However, in a terraza, the service can often be painful, at least in Madrid, so best to order and pay at the same time


in my favourite bar this morning

a couple of brit tourists standing at the bar waiting to be served (regular locals would never do that)

a spanish couple walk in - not regulars - before they sit down the guy is calling out 'un cortado la leche templada con sacarina y un café con leche con azúcar, la leche caliente - un teacake no tostado, sin mantequilla'

a nod from the owner who was at the coffee machine with her back to the bar

the brits were beginning to fume..........

the owner turned round - took the brits order, served them & then the spanish couple - so fairly & in order


how on earth could someone inexperienced who doesn't speak spanish manage that:confused2:


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## MacRov (Oct 26, 2010)

so is that the normal way to order in Spain, just give it as you're getting your seat ? we were probably that couple a few times when we were over haha


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

MacRov said:


> so is that the normal way to order in Spain, just give it as you're getting your seat ? we were probably that couple a few times when we were over haha


if they're sitting outside they just stand at the door & call their order!!

regulars don't have to - it just appears magically in front of you - if you want something different to your usual, you have to get in quick !!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

MacRov said:


> so is that the normal way to order in Spain, just give it as you're getting your seat ? we were probably that couple a few times when we were over haha


Don´t worry, we've all been there/done that! It depends on the bar, some offer table service and in others you just ask whoever catches your eye. If there are stools around the bar, odds on you are better off ordering at the bar.

I used to work in a pub in Oxford , where foreign visitors used to sit patiently at the tables waiting to be served and the other bar staff would take great delight in ignoring them because they "should have known" that in England you order at the bar and pay in advance ... SOOO rude! It isn't normally like that in Spain, thank goodness.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Don´t worry, we've all been there/done that! It depends on the bar, some offer table service and in others you just ask whoever catches your eye. If there are stools around the bar, odds on you are better off ordering at the bar.
> 
> I used to work in a pub in Oxford , where foreign visitors used to sit patiently at the tables waiting to be served and the other bar staff would take great delight in ignoring them because they "should have known" that in England you order at the bar and pay in advance ... SOOO rude! It isn't normally like that in Spain, thank goodness.


the point I was making was that a good _barista_ will be able to serve everyone, in order & efficiently - no matter where they are standing/sitting or whether they wait to be asked or just call through the door as they arrive

in a tourist area in Spain that also means being able to do it in _at least_ 2 languages - one of which really needs to be Spanish


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

MacRov said:


> so is that the normal way to order in Spain, just give it as you're getting your seat ? we were probably that couple a few times when we were over haha


Not round my way it isn't!
But it's the kind of thing that looks very informal, but The Good Waiter knows how to organise all this shouting out and ordering in the bar and paying on the way out etc.

The other thing about waiters in Spain, the pros, is that if it's just drinks the vast majority don't write anything down! Doesn't matter if it 2 people ordering or 20!


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