What job opportunities would I have in Spain? (if any)?

Question

Unfortunately, I am an American. I went to Spain for 3 1/2 weeks last summer and I fell in LOVE, particularly with Salamanca where we went to U. of Salamanca for two weeks and took classes in Spanish, and I also really loved Madrid.

Now, I am only 16... but my plan is to go to college Saint Louis University at the Madrid campus for all 4 years and major in international business. My native language is English; I speak very decent Spanish, and I just started taking French.

My dream is to move to Salamanca after going to college in Madrid. But my worry is, would I be able to get a job there? Would it be better to stick with Madrid?

I learned over the summer in one of my classes at the university that their unemployment rate is 9%, and I heard EU citizens are hired before Americans. Would my dream be more realistic if I were to major in Spanish?

Don't tell me that I'm only a little 16 year old, and I don't know what I really want. Nothing has ever felt so right to me like Spain. This is my dream; don't try to tell me differently. But do be honest, what kind of job could I get?!

Answer 1

I'm a "United Statesen" living in Madrid now only 3 years but had been visiting Madrid and Spain about 10 times in the previous 10 years before moving here. I'm also self employed with my Spain-registered company. There are very few "Americans" living and working successfully in Spain because it's difficult-to-impossible for them. Coming from the USA, it's difficult to adjust to the much lower wages, the difficulty with culture shock, the lack of decent jobs, the hard work and lack of respect given by employers/bosses, insecure or short-term jobs, and on and on. That's not to say some don't get lucky because some do but it's rare.

Many United Statesens think they can easily apply for and get jobs at "American" companies like, let's say, Microsoft in Spain and that'll be the answer to their prayers. First, although Microsoft in Spain is a USA-owned company, all their employees are Spanish because they're required to first consider Spaniards/Europeans before considering non Spaniards/Europeans.  And to hire you, a United Statesen, they would have to spend money to apply (for you) for a work visa and wait 6-9 months for approval. So unless you're the-best-of-the-best in your field and they NEED to have you on their team, they aren't likely to go to the expense and spend the time dealing with it when they can get a Spaniard immediately who's probably happier to work for a lower salary than you would.

Let's break this down for YOU:

* you're 16 now and in 2 years you'll go to university

* you expect to study for 4 years at university in Spain

* you will look for work in Madrid/Spain AFTER completing your 4-year university studies

Okay. First, you're starting early and that's excellent. Essential. The better and faster you become acquainted with the Spanish culture, language, people, and social & economic climate the better. This will help you more than anything when it comes time to look for work and live permanently and HAPPILY in Spain.

If you plan to study in Madrid and then move to Salamanca, that's fine. Or even the other way around!

Where is it easier to find work? I think that's impossible to say 6 years in advance but your chances are better in Madrid since it's a much bigger city than Salamanca. While you're studying at the Madrid university you'll be able to better judge this within your major, talking with other students whom are anticipating the working world within their field. In this regard, I doubt things will change all that much.

Unemployment is at 9% (probably much higher) mainly because people are now forced to take whatever job they can get. Most of the people graduating with a degree in X are not working within their area of education.

We imagine that after 4 years studying in Madrid/Spain your Spanish will be very very good and that will help a lot. I don't think majoring in Spanish will help you IN Spain. In fact, probably it will hurt you because you won't be teaching Spanish to Spanish kids - they'll have a native Spaniard for that job, not a foreigner. It may well help you teach Spanish in the USA though - but that's not your goal.

But even with great Spanish you're unfortunately not Spanish - and this will hurt you more than anything. It would help if you were at least European because, as you know, companies are required to first consider Spanish/European applicants because considering those whom are not. And in case you didn't know this already, professional/employment discrimination is actively practiced in Spain whether it be for race, color, nationality, s*x, or age. There are no laws against it. And Spanish employers are happier giving jobs to a fellow Spaniard than to a non-Spaniard - unless you're THE TOP specialist in your field.

Also consider that salaries are VERY low in Spain, barely a livable wage, and for people just out of university it's really horrible because A) they have no experience and B) they're desperate to take any job (in their field or otherwise) just to earn some money. For this reason (among others), most Spanish kids live with their parents into their 30s!

Also keep in mind that university fees for NON-Spaniards and non-Europeans can be highly prohibitive.  Going to an excellent USA-based private university can be cheaper. Add to that the frequent airfares back and forth to visit family in the USA - and who knows how expensive this will become!

So which "United States" citizens/students studying in Spain are more likely to become professionally successful IN Spain? 1) The rich,  2) the very intelligent/clever, 3) the well-connected, 4) and the lucky.

All the best to you! Don't give up your dream but work hard in preparing for its reality.

Saludos, MadridMan/BarcelonaMan @ you-know-where!

Answer 2

And what do your parents think about this?? You just cant up and go at 16... Spain doesnt even like people that are not from spain as the videos show below..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_20vLitD...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00UecUxf6...