Job Discussion Forums

[maxwell999]

Hi, im thinking of coming to spain in June next year. Can anyone if it is possible to make and save money.

Im currently working in Korea, i go round elementary schools in the day and work for Wall street institute at night. The elemntary school jobs pay really well, i wonder if this is the same in Spain.

and can you get part time jobs easily?

Any information would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[maxwell999]

i should add, that i have no formal teaching qualifications, but i do have a one years experience, i would love to go to barcelona, but from reading this site madrid seems better.

[jonniboy]

Make money yes. Save money no. It will also be much easier for you to get work if you have EU citizenship. Cities like Valencia would allow you to save more money than Barsa due to lower rent and living costs.

[spiral78]

Also, if you're coming in June, you should be aware that July-August are holiday time and there's little work going.

[maxwell999]

thanks for the info, the best times to come would be august, just to get settled and find some work for the following months, im also British.

[SirKirby]

I think it should be noted that the profession is poorly paid in Spain -- especially when compared with the cost of living.

Many teachers will not be making more than 1,200 euros a month max, and -- unless you are sharing, i.e. renting a room (350-500 euros, approx.) -- will find flats prohibitively expensive. I currently pay around 650 euros a month for mine -- which is very "cheap" for Barcelona.

In cities smaller than Madrid or Barcelona, the cost of living is considerably lower, but wages correspondingly smaller.

How do people survive? Many by supplementing their income by doing private classes, which are better paid by the hour than what schools offer you.

[maxwell999]

thanks for the advice

is it easy to pick up privates in the big cities?

In Korea, it usually takes a couple of months but then they start flooding in.

[SirKirby]

I'd say it's easy to find private classes if you have contacts -- which can take time to build up.

My advice would be to mention the fact that you'd be interested "even" in private classes if you get an interview at a language school.

You don't get a job with them -- but then they might just remember you next time someone asks them for a "private", and they've not got a teacher available...

[SirKirby]

... easy in big cities, perhaps I should have said...

[jonniboy]

[SirKirby]

Er... on what grounds -- that might interest the original poster -- would Madrid be better than Barcelona?

BTW, sorry to be pedantic and all that, but can I point out that Barsa is not correct, no matter how many times you might see it here on this forum...

Bar�a is the football team. BCN, if you want an abbreviation for Barcelona. Only a "guiri", a pejorative term for a foreigner that no foreigner really wants to be called, would refer to the city as Barsa....

[maxwell999]

how much money would i need to bring with me to set myself up assuming i got a job within a couple of weeks?

From what i gather it's only cost effective to live in Madrid or Barcelona in shared apartments

can you recommend a coastal city with a cheap standard of living, but with lots of adult teaching jobs available?

[Insubordination]

Has anyone tried to set up a job with the British Council? It seems now would be a good time to apply for a September start. I've heard bad things about BC but surely they look after you.

[emmett grogan]

Be careful. The organisation may not be run along the straight lines that you imagine it would be. They seem to franchise out a bit leaving its reputation open to some debate.