Job Discussion Forums

dannybigs · Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Hey there,

I just finished teaching a year in Costa Rica and absolutely loved it. Now I would like to keep teaching over here in Spain. I just arrived to Barcelona, but am going to travel around for a bit before I get settled down here and before the school year starts (from what I have been reading somewhere around sept/oct).

My question is where do I actually find jobs teaching English? Where do I look to find job ads or schools that are willing to hire me? (I also have the CELTA, but am a citizen of the United States). I have a bunch of copies of my resume printed out, but the only question I have is where exactly do I find the schools to give them to. I understand that I will be working illegally and I have no problem with that. So where do I head???!!

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Moore · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 730 Location: Madrid

You can start with the Yellow Pages, and local expat press for adverts. Then start sending your cv out and see what happens: don't expect people to answer "yes" over the phone if you ask if they employ North Americans, but they will call you if they are interested.

Don't forget, this time of year is a terrible time to look for work, so don't bother until September, just concentrate on getting the feel of the place, learning Spanish and finding yourself a good room to rent.

Also, don't forget that Madrid is an excellent starting point for people without papers as there's such a huge demand in September.

________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona and Berlin... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona or Berlin in one hit with our c.v. sending service... www.lingobongo.com

dannybigs · Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Thanks Moore,

I know from what I've read here that now is not a good time to look. I'm currently traveling through Eastern Europe and will get back to Barcelona at the end of August.
Thanks for the advice on Madrid too, but I have lived in Spain before and do speak Spanish and have been to both cities plenty of times, and although Madrid may have more opportunities, as far as choosing between these two cities, there's no question I want to be in Barcelona.
With that being said, I guess I just have to spend September looking for a place and sending out my CV. I realize most will say no due to the fact that I'm American.

But are there any decent schools out there that don't mind hiring those from the U.S.?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

If your definition of 'decent' includes schools that hire illegal workers... Mad

In case you weren't aware, things have changed just since Jan 2008. Since Jan 1, non-EU member citizens can only stay within the Schengen zone for 90 days. Then, they must be OUTSIDE the zone for at least 90 days.

If you are travelling inside the zone (which includes the Czech Rep, Poland, Slovakia...where are you?) your 90 days are ticking.

To be caught overstaying carries a penalty of a red stamp in your passport saying that you are banned from the EU for five years....

I'm not happy to spread bad news, but things have (unfortunately) changed. It's not so safe these days to plan to work illegally.

Moore · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 730 Location: Madrid

Depends what you mean by "decent school": to be quite honest most of the schools in Madrid have fairly low standards and so apart from a few notable exceptions, which do mostly only hire EU residents, they are all much of a muchness, and it is still pretty easy for a North American to find work here at a reasonable rate.

Also of course there is always the market for private classes, although how far both this market and the business English teaching market is affected by the economic crisis has yet to be seen.

I would seriously recommend starting off in Madrid though and then possibly moving to Barcelona after Christmas when you have a better idea of the situation.

________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona and Berlin... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona or Berlin in one hit with our c.v. sending service... www.lingobongo.com

MO39 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject:

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I think the possibility is much higher these days because now it's not just a national law, but Eurozone law...and the presence of interested officials seems to be discernably higher in many areas.

tvik · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 371 Location: here

how is one caught? at the border when leaving?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

At any border where the spirit moves officials to check a passport. Not just when leaving the EU necessarily. Remember that officials in any country always have the right to check documents at borders, even if they are not technically obliged to do so.

For example, I came back into Netherlands from Brussels last week by train. Both countries are in the Euro zone, of course.

It happened that the officials at the train station in the Dutch town where I live had the platform blocked off and wanted to examine everyone's documents.

I frequently see random border police at train and bus stations. Any airport is also obviously a risk.

dannybigs · Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

I'm actually currently traveling through Bosnia on my way over to Ukraine, so I'm not worried about my 90 days because it won't start until the beginning of September when I return to Spain. I knew it would be tough finding work in Spain, but I heard that they were just more relaxed than other countries of the EU and the Schengen zone. I always found Spain borders and the officials who worked there to not really care all that much, but maybe things have changed?

I knew I would be working illegally too, but didn't mind so much because I knew that I'd be living in Spain and I love it there. I also figured that overstaying my 90 days wouldn't be a big issue since I could find a cheap flight somewhere out of the Schengen and just get my passport stamped there and be good for another 90 days. Somewhere like Morocco or Tunisia would sound good. I'll be there for this apparent "mad dash" in October, so I was hoping to find something then. I'm here at least until Christmas.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Bad news, Danny - one of the changes is that border runs don't work anymore.

The new laws (Jan 1 this year) state that non-EU visitors can be IN the zone for 90 days, then they have to be OUT of the zone for 90 days.

So, you'll be enjoying three months in Spain, then three months in Morocco or Tunisia if you expect to stay legal.

tvik · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 371 Location: here

naturally i apreciate all the information coming from the more experienced people and i realize this is the most over played topic on this forum BUT!!!!

lets say i get a job and overstay my visa by 6 months. when i am leaving the country, will they automatically *beep* me according to their computer systems and NEW directives or is it more complicated than that?
does anyone have experience with the new laws?

gracias · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 27

Very likely (I would say 95% + chance) you will get a 5 year ban from Schengen countries on leaving after overstaying by 6 months. The only way to avoid this would be to exit Schengen by road and go back home from a distant Eastern European country.

It's very unlikely you will be caught whilst you are here. So you have to decide if you want to take the risk of a 5 year ban on your exit or if you are prepared to travel to somewhere like Russia by backroads and fly back to the US from there. Alternatively, you could try a merchant shipping boat to get you out of Schengen, some of them take passengers no questions asked. But personally, I wouldn't want to do either.

jonniboy · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:07 am Post subject:

gracias · Joined: 08 May 2008 Posts: 27

Err Jonniboy I think if you read it again you will see I am NOT advising him to do either of those things.

But that is what you have to do if you want to overstay and not get a 5 year ban.

Someone I knew got a boat to Ghana last month. Now he's home in the US. No ban.

I also know people who've entered Georgia by road and got home that way, it is actually very easy to cross borders by road if you get the right advice. But, as I said, I wouldn;t want to do it.