Advice please! (Jobs in Spain)

[switch007]

Hey,

How do you move to Spain? I mean:

• Interviews in Spanish (just the thought of them make me sweat!)
• Convincing an employer you're serious about the job, not just that you want to move to Spain
• Actually doing it!

I've only just started my career in IT (sysadmin/programmer) and I'm not sure if it's the best time to start looking for jobs in Spain. What do you guys think? Would it best to build up more of a career (... and bank balance) here in the UK before taking the plunge?

I get seriously depressed every time I come back from Spain - I need to do something about it! Thanks!

---

Hola a todos,

¿Cómo uno se muda a españa? Quiero decir:

• Entrevistas en español (solo con pensar me da miedo)
• Convenciendo un empleador que eres serio, que de verdad quieres trabajar para ellos. No solamente que quieres vivir en españa.
• ¿Como se hace de verdad??

Hace poco desde que empecdé mi vida como sys admin/programador. No estoy seguro, con poco experienca si debo pensar en mudarme a otro pais? ¿Que piensan ustedes? ¿Me vendria mejor adquirir más experiencia aquí en inglaterra antes de que me lo juego todo y mudarme a españa?

Cuando vuelvo desde españa siempre me deprimo. Tengo que arreglar mi vida.. asi que pido ayuda

Gracias!

[richardksa]

I don't know about job interviews, but as a sign of the times with 20% unemployment I know of one person that just got a job in IT, another that has been offered THREE! and has to make up her mind which to accept and another who seriously wants to get fired from what she thinks is a boring IT position and they won't fire her even though others in her company, non-IT, are being let go.

[switch007]

Originally Posted by richardksa

I don't know about job interviews, but as a sign of the times with 20% unemployment I know of one person that just got a job in IT, another that has been offered THREE! and has to make up her mind which to accept and another who seriously wants to get fired from what she thinks is a boring IT position and they win't fire her even though others in her company, non-IT, are being let go.

Sounds like a good time for IT in Spain no?

[richardksa]

Originally Posted by switch007

Sounds like a good time for IT in Spain no?

Could be

[La Rubia]

Originally Posted by switch007

... ... ...Cuando vuelvo desde españa siempre me deprimo. Tengo que arreglar mi vida.. asi que pido ayuda

Gracias!

Really? How many times have you been to Spain? Which places?
So, would you like to moove here definitely?

[switch007]

Originally Posted by La Rubia

Really? How many times have you been to Spain? Which places?
So, would you like to move here definitely?

About 10 times in 3 years I lived there for 10 months doing a 'beca' (internship) in Madrid, and I loved it. I still have friends there. I've also been to Granada, Malaga, Ronda, San Sebastian, Barcelona, towns in La Communidad de Madrid and Bilbao. I fell in love with Barcelona instantly - it's a very beautiful city! I could see myself working there instead of Madrid.

If money was no object and I didn't have to work, I would be on a plane tomorrow I think I'm just being typically British and thinking "oh why would they hire a foreigner, I have nothing I could offer, I have no experience, I can't speak Spanish" etc. I think having an interview in Spanish is my biggest fear

[La Rubia]

Originally Posted by switch007

About 10 times in 3 years I lived there for 10 months doing a 'beca' (internship) in Madrid, and I loved it. I still have friends there. I've also been to Granada, Malaga, Ronda, San Sebastian, Barcelona, towns in La Communidad de Madrid and Bilbao. I fell in love with Barcelona instantly - it's a very beautiful city! I could see myself working there instead of Madrid.

If money was no object and I didn't have to work, I would be on a plane tomorrow I think I'm just being typically British and thinking "oh why would they hire a foreigner, I have nothing I could offer, I have no experience, I can't speak Spanish" etc. I think having an interview in Spanish is my biggest fear

I see.
Well, I was born in Barcelona (mi padre es catalán), and I lived there till I was 6. I really prefer Barcelona than Madrid!!
We were in Barcelona last year on holidays. But I think that it´s possible for you to have the interview in english too.

[MrMark]

Originally Posted by switch007

About 10 times in 3 years I lived there for 10 months doing a 'beca' (internship) in Madrid, and I loved it. I still have friends there. I've also been to Granada, Malaga, Ronda, San Sebastian, Barcelona, towns in La Communidad de Madrid and Bilbao. I fell in love with Barcelona instantly - it's a very beautiful city! I could see myself working there instead of Madrid.

If money was no object and I didn't have to work, I would be on a plane tomorrow I think I'm just being typically British and thinking "oh why would they hire a foreigner, I have nothing I could offer, I have no experience, I can't speak Spanish" etc. I think having an interview in Spanish is my biggest fear

Why not take an IT course in Spanish. You'll pick up the industry jargon, plus the way familiar words are pronounced differently in Spanish (I gasped when I heard for the first time how Oracle is pronounced). Here's a good listings sites for courses (not just IT) in Spain:
http://www.solocursos.net/

Also, while you're on the course you can book a room for a month or two via a budget rental service (for example http://www.madridrooms.co.uk/ ) You can then apply for jobs on http://www.infojobs.net/ (putting down your Madrid location as your address) and see what response you get. Good luck!

[switch007]

Originally Posted by MrMark

Why not take an IT course in Spanish. You'll pick up the industry jargon, plus the way familiar words are pronounced differently in Spanish (I gasped when I heard for the first time how Oracle is pronounced). Here's a good listings sites for courses (not just IT) in Spain:
http://www.solocursos.net/

Also, while you're on the course you can book a room for a month or two via a budget rental service (for example http://www.madridrooms.co.uk/ ) You can then apply for jobs on http://www.infojobs.net/ (putting down your Madrid location as your address) and see what response you get. Good luck!

I love how they pronounce words.. WiFi, DVD, ADSL .. Oracle, never heard that but I imagine its something like 'orák-lay'? That's an awesome idea about a course in spanish! My friend has a spare room in Madrid so accommodation wouldn't be a problem.

[Legazpi]

I moved to Spain in 2004 and, without speaking Spanish at the time, was lucky enough to find a job as web developer in an english-speaking office. The pay was crap to begin with, but at least I got my foot on the ladder. There was also somebody on this forum last year who managed to get an IT job through an intercambio in Madrid!

However I think it would be much better if you could get 2 years experience in the UK first - ideally with a company that has an office in Spain so there's an outside chance of being transferred there. Think of companies owned by Spanish companies (e.g. Abbey National owned by Santander, Scottish Power owned by Iberdrola) and apply to them. The other good thing about being transferred over is that they might let you keep a UK salary. If you can get into SAP then you'll be in demand anywhere, including Spain.

Even if you don't get a job with a company that will transfer you over, you'll have a much better chance of finding a job in Spain if you have 2 years experience under your belt, and you can use that time to improve your Spanish as well.

At the moment there's not much work around in any sector, I know a few Spanish people who have changed job recently but they have experience. There's a final-year IT student in my French class, and he says all his mates are staying on to do a year of post graduate study because nobody is recruiting people straight out of uni. So if you do come over during the next few years, expect plenty of competition for jobs.

[lucas]

about the job interview, I like this page: http://www.gipe.ua.es/orientacion-la...a-trabajo.html

it splits in:
1- Antes de la entrevista (Before the interview)
2- Durante la entrevista (During the interview)
3-Después de la entrevista (After the interview)
4- Posibles preguntas que te pueden plantear en la entrevista (Possible questions that can raise you in the interview)

Por si algo no lo entiendes, aquí traducida al inglés (con traductor online): http://translate.google.es/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gipe.ua.es%2F orientacion-laboral%2Fconsejos-superar-entrevista-trabajo.html&sl=es&tl=en

[aoife]

Can anyone recommend a good recruitment agency in Spain, specialising in IT roles if possible? I'm ideally trying to find an english speaking role in madrid or the north of spain (a long-shot i know!). My spanish is ok - i'm nearly ready to do the DELE B1 but I don't think I can cope with doing an interview in Spanish just yet!!!

Has anyone had any success in making the move and getting a job that they could share with us?

thanks,
Aoife

[Legazpi]

Originally Posted by aoife

Can anyone recommend a good recruitment agency in Spain, specialising in IT roles if possible? I'm ideally trying to find an english speaking role in madrid or the north of spain (a long-shot i know!). My spanish is ok - i'm nearly ready to do the DELE B1 but I don't think I can cope with doing an interview in Spanish just yet!!!

Has anyone had any success in making the move and getting a job that they could share with us?

thanks,
Aoife

See my above post. I was successful in terms of making the move, but measured in terms of overall income I think I would have been better off financially if I had spent the last 6 years in London (I don't regret it though).

The IT industry in Spain is slightly different to the UK (and I imagine Ireland) in that most companies recruit directly for permanent positions on websites such as infojobs.net. There aren't that many specialist IT recruitment agents, and there aren't that many IT contractors. I know that Adecco handle Microsoft, but they normally advertise on infojobs.net anyway. Your best bet (at least to begin with) is to search for the keyword "English" on infojobs.net and trawl through the results. Monster.es is worth a try as well. Be prepared to compromise as well - obviously there aren't that many jobs for those who don't speak Spanish, so don't be too fussy.

[aoife]

cheers Legazpi, I'll try infojobs.net and go from there