Working in Barcelona

**threaded** · 21 May 2007, 11:34

I did, years ago, during the run-up to the Olympics. Stayed in a place called Malgrat up/down the coast a little ways and commuted in by train. I remember the Siesta the most, 4 rush hours a day... And a road called the Diagonal, fantastic idea, every city should have one.

**bonpartit** · 21 May 2007, 12:19

I'm originally from nearby Barcelona and worked a few years around there.
Best job site is www.infojobs.es, although not many contracts listed. Another site is www.freelance.com, not many there either though.
Agencies are not as common there as in the UK. Most companies post their positions themselves at the infojobs website.
You can expect rates to be less than half of the UK, but of course it's a very fun place to spend a few months or years

Spanish language knowledge is very important at the workplace, although you may get away with only english at some big multinationals.
I can give you the details of my previous client there if you PM me, they had a network team...

Cheers

**NetwkSupport** · 21 May 2007, 13:18

Thanks for the info girls will look into it some more....

**markinbrussels** · 21 May 2007, 14:30

Originally posted by NetwkSupport

I really would like to work in spain, specifically barcelona, anyone else done it?

Any tips/agency recommendations, etc..?

(Please, thanks.)

Permie or contractor?

I am from Barcelona. Lots of gigs for SAP folks.

OTOH, profiency in Spanish is usually a must.

Mark

**Schrodinger's Cat** · 21 May 2007, 14:52

Originally posted by markinbrussels

Permie or contractor?

I am from Barcelona. Lots of gigs for SAP folks.

OTOH, profiency in Spanish is usually a must.

Mark

Do you get any "Please excuse him, he's from Barcelona" remarks when you mess up?

**NetwkSupport** · 21 May 2007, 15:01

Contract only really, im looking to live there for about 12 months.

I dont have very good spanish language skills atm so im going to brush up on that 1st....

**ookook** · 21 May 2007, 15:35

I worked as a permy for a multinational for 3 years in Madrid - where English was the office language so my lack of Spanish wasnt a problem. I had a look round for contract opportunities while I was out there but they are pretty thin (unless you have SAP) and since hardly any Spanish can speak English you will need to be proficient in the language. Saying that, there are a few big multinationals out there.

**gingerjedi** · 21 May 2007, 15:45

Whilst visiting my dad in Spain I was talking to his Dutch neighbour who'd made his fortune in networking, apart from the big multi nationals he reckons a lot of medium size companies are about 10 years behind their rivals in the UK, France, Germany etc and the IT job market in Spain is about to take off in a big way and its easy to work 'on the black' as they call it out there.

Couple that with the supposed housing market slump on the Costa’s it could be an ideal way to slip comfortably into retirement?!

**markinbrussels** · 22 May 2007, 11:41

Originally posted by Schrodinger's Cat

Do you get any "Please excuse him, he's from Barcelona" remarks when you mess up?

No. When I mess up they always treat me as if I were an Englishman.

Actually there's a band called "I'm from Barcelona".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I'm_from_Barcelona

I guess you wouldn't find a band called "I'm from Swindon", would ya?

Mark

Working in Barcelona