Thinking outside the box

[FOJ]

Hola,

I am currently studying to be a certified English teacher in Madrid and am interested to know if there are like-minded individuals or who could shed some light on the teachers schedule and options surrounding the seasonality of the calendar year.

While working in London, I held 3 jobs - 1 professional and 2 bar to stay on top, travel and save money to challenge myself and relocate here to Madrid.  I am not shy of hard work and long hours.

That said, has anyone heard of, or are considering alternative options to fill the financial void?  Ideas that spring to my mind are work with an Spanish company with English speaking clientelle, work at hostels, pubs, tour guiding etc.

Thank you in advance of your comments.

Hasta Luego

 

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[madridinsider]

One of the major difference between Spain and the US / UK , etc. as far as the work place goes is that from ages 20 to 30 (more or less) people in Spain can live with their parents, accept lower paying jobs and internships, and are in the position of being to do whatever it takes to prove themselves to a company, etc. who might eventually hire them.
The problem with that is as foreigners here, who already start out needing more money than the average Spaniard makes, we can not compete with all of the people here who are willing to work for free.
Many of the jobs that we foreigners could do here in Spain are filled by people who will either do it for a lot less or even for free and all of the companies / employers know this and take advantage of this when they can.
Anyway. The one thing you will need here is to come across the right people and get a big break in doing something that you would rather do. You just never know what it is or when it will happen so you will just have to do whatever you can to survive until it does.
Unfortunately for those who do not enjoy it or feel satisfied enough with it, besides babysitting or limited bar work, English / language teaching is probably the only job you can do without papers or connections, etc.
So the big question for everyone is...
Are you willing to hang on, working as an English teacher, making all of the sacrafices necessary just to be in Spain as long as it takes for you to meet the right people and / or get your big break?

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[IamMiller]

How bout translating, editing, proofing, dubbing, telemarketing, call center

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[madridinsider]

How bout translating, editing, proofing, dubbing, telemarketing, call center

All very rare and require connections / knowing the right people.

Translating / editing / proofing - pays very little and not enough work to go around.  (Even more difficult if you do not have papers).
People want official / sworn translations and not translations from people without the proper legal or billing paperwork.
There are many EU citizens and Spanish people who studied 'Filología Inglésa' avaialble for this.

Dubbing - Ya.  Right.  Forget this one.  Once in a blue moon if you are really lucky.
This is very rare and all based on who you know.
I am a bilingual: English / Spanish actor registered with several agencies and post houses here in Spain and I have only had one audition in the last 3 years.

I will give you telemarketing and Call centers.
I have heard of special cases where they are willing to hire people without papers to work some block hours to fill their schedule / needs.

English teaching, babysitting, and limited restaurant / bar work is what most English speaking people without connections or paperwork do and that's just the bottom line.  
I wish that there were more viable options for people in this situation, because I would  be all over them either doing them myself or hipping people to them.
Maybe this will change for the better in the future.
We will have to wait and see.  

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