Lost in Madrid,

Thanks for your candid analysis of the life/job market in Spain. I think most all of us here on this board struggle almost on a daily basis with the issues of a life in Spain vs. a life here in the U.S. Asking the same questions, will I be able to save money?, What about my children/family?, Am I willing to sacrafice quantity($) for quality(life)?

It is somehow comforting to hear your own account of how you are dealing with those same issues, and to see how successful it has been for you.

Thanks.

BK

Hey LiM and pim - congratulations! and we have our collective fingers crossed for your potential new position, Asterault.

Had to laugh when I saw Chica's one word response to the availability of pr/marketing positions in Spain . Not really any different than anywhere else - advertising/public relations/broadcasting etc. are all "considered" glamour jobs and therefore usually difficult to get and usually underpaid. Ask any of us that have worked in those fields!

Russ - loved your posts about the interview process and your take on it. Some great insights - thanks for sharing!

Espe3, et. al.

Here is some more information about salary levels here in Spain just to give you an idea.

Straight from the horse´s mouth...

One of my English students is a director (i.e. reports to the President) of the Spanish headquarters of an American multinational (did that make any sense to you?).

This morning we chatted about salary levels in Spain and the USA. He has lived in the USA and is familiar with the salary levels there.

This is pretty much what he told me (for marketing/PR) .. per year:

1-5 yrs experience 3-4 million ptas ($16K - 22K)
5-7 yrs exp. (manager level) 5-8 million ptas ($27K-$43K)
10-15 yrs exp. (director level) 8-12 million ptas ($43K - $65K)
National President of the multinational - upwards of 30 million pts ($162K)

Remember, these are salary levels for an American multinational in Spain -- the national headquarters. Jobs at these companies are extremely extremely competitive. In the area of Marketing/PR a Spaniard, then European, would probably be preferred over an American simply for the familiarity with the market and cultural tastes in advertising. It´s a whole different ball game here.

With those salaries, you can get a good idea of what you are facing, particularly if you aren´t so "fortunate" to be working for a multinational.

Oh, and to dispell any myths, in this particular company, they work their butts off...they are often in the office from 8:30am until 9 or 10pm. Their English class consumes an hour and a half of their two hour lunch. My classes there become counseling sessions!!

Thank God I am out of that rat race!

Chica! Just got your message! So, it gives me hope! Especially if I get lucky and get a job at such a place, I'm skipping the English classes! There are a few places that I've researched and think I'd have a very good chance, but I won't know for sure until I get over there. i know I'll have some learning to do (i'm in the 1-5 year range, and experience is stateside) but I'm very familiar with the market over there.. and will only become more so with time. For now I'm not going to sweat it! I'm still working on my paperwork (which is making me sweat quite a bit! ARGH!!!!!!!) Thanks for the extra info though! VERY helpful!

LostInMadrid, congratulations with the job and thanks for the information (also to the rest).

How coincidental, I sent an application to Telefonica R&D a week ago or so, and am waiting for a reply (if they will send me any...)
I almost have my masters degree, but, like MM said, people with a degree but without experience are not in favour. Altough high potential, at the moment i can (practically) only do some applied physics and acoustics, which is not exactely what the market is screaming for.

LiM, how is Telefonica R&D doing? The most R&D companies in the telecom scene seem to prefer getting rid of people instead of hiring them...
If it is all about knowing the right people, maybe you can have a good word for me, no? ( hehe), then you will be my manager and rise on the salary scale in no time :p !

Maarten

Hello, what an interesting topic, I only have a different opinion about one of the things LiM said, moving laterally from one company to another can increase your salary (in my case more than 50%). This is very normal in IT when you beguin working in a big company, you beguin with a small salary and when you get experience they want to keep you with a salary under the ones the market offers. Now, it's not a good time to find a good salary.
About the ledder, I agree, arrives a time when the only way to increase your salary is to become a manager, and I think this is a mistake, people who are good programming for example, could be bad managing, and the boss can loose a good worker if he want to compensate him his god labour...
One good new, the Government will forbide to smoke in work places and some other places in one year more or less.

So I got the job I was after, it's next to the Bernabunker and I start early July. Now I just have to get a place to live and haul all my stuff down to Madrid! Yay!

Asterault, you're going to be working next to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium? I work across from it (started at the beginning of this month and love it!)

Pim, Asterault...I also work next to the stadium 3 days a week... Castellana, 130 (in La Estrella Seguros building). We´ll have to get together for lunch some day!!

Congrats on the job Asterault! Good luck with the move. I remember when we moved from Gandía to El Espinar (Segovia) in October. Ugghhh!! Don´t want to repeat that again any time soon!!

I will be starting July 1st and living on C/Hortaleza. A lunchie is in order.

Becky I think someone stole your phone cause I called it and some guy answered...