Job Discussion Forums

[Tabish]

Hi. I just completed my TESOL training and am looking for work in Spain. The college I took my course in assured us it would be easy to procure employment but I have seen hardly anything avaibale as fars as working in Spain goes. I have a BA in communications from NY. I have an EU passport. I have no experience in teaching. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Meg4]

Unfortunately you're looking for work at the wrong time. The school year here is just ending, which is why you haven't seen many ads looking for teachers. There are schools that don' t have classes during the summer and the ones that do don't usually need new teachers because they just use the ones that have been working with them all year. Try looking in September / October and you'll have much better luck because this is when schools do their hiring for the new school year.

[Tabish]

Thank you. I appreciate it. Whar parts of the country are warmer? I know that the south is warm but what cities are appealing there?

[grahamb]

Seville is the obvious choice in the south, Valencia in the south-west. Madrid's hot in summer but damned cold in winter. Some people swear by Barcelona.
Take a fistful of CVs/resumes and go around the schools in September.

[foss]

The Madrid climate doesn't really include spring but it's the axle in the wheel. If you live there you have the whole of the country within a few hours by road or rail.

[Spainish]

[grahamb]

I'm glad someone spotted my ... ahem! ... deliberate mistake!
Valencia is indeed east of Madrid, but slightly further south. It's definitlely not west!
Yes, the heat and middle age have ganged up on me!

[Tabish]

Thanks for the feedback. So there is little or no winter in Seville and Valencia. Is that about right? Is there much to do in those cities? I've never been to spain. Will I have much luck looking at job postings on this and other sites and just sending my CV? I cannot really financially afford to come to Spain, set up shop and then look for work. It's just not going to happen like that.

[grahamb]

Try contacting your nearest Wall Street, Berlitz or other multi-national and ask them to arrange an intervew on behalf of one of their schools in Spain. They might offer you a job on that basis. Alternatively, email your CV to some prospective employers and see if they'll interview you by phone.
In any case, you'll need spending money for the first month, plus money for a month's rent and probably a deposit as well.

[Helen Frubeck]

Just wanted to drop in and share what I saw in the El Pais newspaper about Wall Street Institute. It said that they were closing their Wall Street owned and run centers in Spain, the franchises were being given the option to stay open, but with no support from the Wall Street central office. Sorry I can�t remember the date of the paper but just research more into this company. They are multi media schools, and some years back many schools like Wall Street closed shop and students couldn�t get refunds and of course teachers went unpaid.

On the brighter side, Madrid is a great city and its friendly, noisy and a non stop party town.

[Tabish]

I'm sure Madrid is accomodatng like any othe big city(I'm from London and NY) but can one enjoy life on an English teacher's salary after taking care of expenses?

[grahamb]

It all depends on how much you want to spend/save. A few hours of private tuition will boost your meagre salary.

[Tabish]

That's encouraging. Getting my foot in there seems like the hardest part. From what I am reading, the far east seems like an easier gig to obtain compared to Spain and Europe in general (except maybe Poland but its too damn cold there). The majority of schools are closed in summer so this is a hard time to get a gig. I have little or no experience(in a classroom setting, although I have done tutoring). To be totally honest, I do not want to go the far east. Are EU citizens eligible for any loans to pursue higher studies?