1: FINDING EMPLOYMENT IN SPAIN:

As mentioned in the last news letter, this month we cover the prospect of finding employment in Spain.

Hours

In general, the working ours differ in Spain, with many employees not starting until 10 a.m. The lunch break is usually 2 or maybe even 3 hours, before resuming at 5 or 6p.m. until 9 or 10 p.m. This obviously can change with different types of work, such as construction and landscaping, when the working day usually starts at 8am.

The long lunch break, or Siesta, is particularly important in the summer, due to the heat and, with schools having long summer holidays, this allows the family to spend time together. Obviously, the closer the place of employment to the home, the better to facilitate returning home for the Siesta.

Where to find employment

The traditional routes of newspapers, Internet and employment agencies are used less frequently in Spain than other countries. Many jobs are obtained on the basis of relationships and contacts.

Quite often vacant positions will not be advertised publicly, but instead filled by people who have contacts within the company. Our advice is to take advantage of every possible contact that you have, from friends, colleagues, classmates - even your landlord. The most casual acquaintances can sometimes point you towards a potential job lead. Persistence and confidence are vital ingredients to a successful job search.

As always, a solid, well-formatted CV (curriculum vitae/résumé) is essential. Be careful, though, as the typical format of a Spanish CV may differ dramatically from your country. For instance, education tends to be emphasised first and this includes lists of additional work-related classes/seminars. CV cover letters in Spain have their own particular format; they are generally short, to the point, and  written in a very formal language.

Once you start sending out CVs to companies, don’t sit back and wait for companies to call you. Spanish companies are notorious for not responding to letters. Be proactive and follow up with phone calls. If somebody at the company promises to call you back and fails to do so, do not be afraid to call him/her again. It is important to be persistent.

If you are trying to get a job before you move to Spain, then the Internet is your best way of finding employment. Many ex-pat websites often have bulletin boards where job vacancies are posted.

There are websites where you can post your CV and this may well be worth the investment.

When you are living in Spain, you will find searching for a job is much easier. Most vacancies are advertised through word of mouth and in local newspapers. So networking is important.

It is clear that the best possibilities will be in the coastal areas which have many companies catering to the needs of the ex-pat population.

Other ideas are to print out small flyers and post these in letter boxes and ask in bars and ex-pat businesses if you can leave some there.

 Useful websites:

www.thinkspain.com/costa-blanca-employment

www.wemploy.com/en/job_search.asp

www.blancajobs.com

www.costablancaadvertiser.info/jobspot

Contracts

Employment with a full contract will entitle you and your dependants to free medical care.

2: UTILITY BILLS/SUMA:

Every town will have a Suma office, usually with a similar frontage to a bank, and a sign showing ‘SUMA’, with people waiting in line with lots of documents. Suma is a government agency, charged with the collection of taxes, be they personal, commercial or for vehicles, council, etc. (These taxes should be considerably less than the equivalent in most European countries).  It is therefore a one-stop tax shop. Many taxes can be paid by direct debit and, once set up, happen automatically and the office only needs to be visited if circumstances change. They also have a website in English www.suma.es, where direct debits can also be set up. Suma also advertise (in many languages on local Radio) reminders of periods of voluntary payment for taxes. Suma Help Number - Monday to Friday - 9.00 to 12.00 - 965148561 in English, Dutch and German.

3: FOCUS ON BENIDORM:

Benidorm has, over the last three decades, grown from a sleepy fishing village to become the main package holiday destination of the Costa Blanca. The long promenade is lined with numerous bars, restaurants, gift shops, etc. There is a modern cinema which shows up-to-date English language films.

The shopping streets are extensive, offering a wide range of general goods.

In recent years, a number of high quality hotels have been constructed, including the tallest building in Spain and Europe’s tallest hotel, The Bali Tower Hotel. Whilst Benidorm still retains an element of brashness, the town does appeal to both British families and Spanish Nationals.

In addition to the 4 miles of beaches, there are a number of theme parks, including; Terra Mitica for some of Europe´s wildest roller coasters; Terra Natura Animal Park; Aqualandia Water Amusement park; Mundomar Marine Animal Park and a Medieval Tournament for Jousting.

A good night’s entertainment can be found at The Benidorm Palace, which has Europe’s largest stage, and there are many other interests, including water sports, golf courses, mountain walking/climbing, quad biking etc. In the Benidorm area there is always some thing to do.

Benidorm, with all its attractions, is also an entertainment destination for many ex-pats living on the Costa Blanca.

This newsletter is intended as a guide and to be informative and helpful in the process of searching for and purchasing a property in Spain. Total accuracy cannot be guaranteed and in all legal, fiscal and other matters a fully qualified professional should be consulted. Reproduction of any part of this newsletter is not permitted without written permission.