Cadu

I wanna stay 1 year in year (sab year) and I'd like to begin in UK (4 months). Is it easy to find temp jobs there to help a backpacker survive?? What is better: Scotland or England? I have EU passport (spanish nationality) and speak english/spanish/portuguese/studying Deustch.
Thanx!

nanb

ttt,
what is a sab year?

yk

sabbatical, maybe?

crefloors

I think you have to get a work permit. Me neice lived and worked in London for 6 months. She got her work visa through a company called Bunac. They have a web site...I think she got connected with them through her college. She did find work in a hospital near Kings Road. Bunac had leads posted for temp jobs. My nephew, on the other hand, on the first of his two trips around the world, made London his first stop. He was traveling with a gal from Australia, who had been living and workingin the US for awhile. They lived over a pub and my nephew worked under the table. Don't know about the girl. I know she worked, but don't know her situation. I'm not telling you this as a suggestion or recommendation, just the fact that he did it. I think they took off for Australia after about 6 months.

cigalechanta

I think it's difficult. One of our posters is a young beautiful lawyer and tried to find work. Unless you work for An American company with an office there, it's almost impossible. Maybe you can do odd jobs but I worry, it will not be easy

flanneruk

You, unlike some of the other posters, realise you have the same rights of employment in the UK (or any of the other 14 pre-2004 EU members) as any Brit, so all this claptrap about work permits and BUNAC is irrelevant. What the point of finding an American company is, is quite beyond me.

And there's no question of working under the table. You can - and should - work openly and pay your taxes.

It's a great deal easier to find casual labour in Britain - especially in SE England - than anywhere else in Europe. I suggest you don't exaggerate your grasp of languages, if they're as poor as your written English. And if you haven't learned to spell 'deutsch' yet, I'd keep quiet about your limited German studies. Don't worry about it though: London is awash with workers who can't speak English.

Job-finding is much less easy in Scotland.

Spend time on the Thorn Tree site for job-hunting websites. Or just turn up in London and buy the Evening Standard, or walk round newsagents looking at the 'help wanted' ads. Or just go to any Job Centre, where there are thousands of advertised casual vacancies.

Your problem will finding affordable accommodation, and again the Thorn Tree site is full of advice on this.

janis

Cadu: You should listen to flanneruk's advice and can safely ignore all the other posts. They either assumed you are American or missed the bit about having an EU passport, or both.

elina

That is one of the good points of EU: as an EU-citizen you can walk into any EU-country`s municipal un-employment office and apply for work. No need to do anything under table. Without professional skills I think your best chances are in cleaning jobs.

It may be that you are entitled to some social un-employment money from Spain while you are looking.

elina

To continue: go to your own town's municipal un-employment office. They should have written instructions and rules of your rights and the legalities of working in another EU-country.

And of course if a country is not an EU-country, the rules are different.

lauralamb

When I was last in London I noticed lots of young Spaniards working and living in London. BTW Flanneruk, I thought his/her English was fine and it was horrible of you to lay into them in the way you did.

flanneruk

Lauralamb:

It may or not be "horrible" of me.

But if Cadu fills in an application form in English that's as bad as this post, and with as little interest in whether he or she is understood ("sab" in English means someone who disrupts foxhunts, and nothing else, for example), Cadu won't get any job that requires communication with the public or with colleagues.

You do Cadu no service at all if you tolerate behaviour that can only reduce Cadu's chances of getting a job.

Employers, especially in London, are desperate. But not so desperate as to employ someone so slow at acquiring skills that he or she can't spell the language they claim to be studying.

Mucky

Just out of interest, how many languages do you speak Flanner?

SiobhanP

I don't believe you can claim unemployment as you have to work first and be resident to claim and pick up your benefit. You will be able to get temp jobs etc. London would be good but its expensive. Why not try some of the english speaking resorts in spain. You could do Bar/food service or office temping in the larger cities.

Have fun!

GSteed

I agree with 'flanneruk'. Job applicants need to display business acceptable English skills in written communications. Poorly written job applications are ignored. Many acronyms can not be decoded. Use PC word and grammar checkers. An often successful approach is to simply apply at a suitable business. Some businesses do not use recruiting services. A recent job seeking innovation involves offering a free trial period! Maybe the best involves 'networking'. Many companies rely on their own employees to bring in possible employees.

flygirl

Hi

not defending or condemning... I suspect Cadu is 20 or so. I've seen this sort of shorthand a lot due to knowing quite a few younguns, as well as being aware that IM is a scourge to our language.

however, I suspect he's just fine with written/spoken English when he needs to be! there is a big difference between a job application and the internet.

Go Cadu! you will have a great time.

rockhopper7

Has Mrs. flanneruk been hiding the Metamucil again?

Zeus

Just when I thought all the pompous asses had left Fodors, along comes Flemeruk. I certainly hope he/she isn't in a position where he/she has to deal with human beings. What was the provocation for such rude answers?

Mucky

Flanner doesn't need any provocation, he is usually a pompous ass. As you quite rightly suggested.
Oh ..and I still don't know how many languages he speaks.

Muck

;-)

crefloors

flanner: I was just relaying a couple of experiences for Cadu. I suggested BUNAC because they have a lot of temporary job listings in London and if she could avail herself of their services she might save some time and perhaps be able to find employment sooner. I was not suggesting that she try to work off the books, just said that's what my nephew did. He has more guts than sense. That isn't anything I would do. Some of your points regarding grammer are will taken however, when it comes to spelling: can you spell "jerk"?

Ann41

I'm thinking most of us put a little more time and effort in our CVs/resumes and cover letters than these postings.