Top 5 Jobs in Barcelona for English Speakers

If you are an English speaker living in Barcelona for a few months, there are several roles that you can consider that will help you to earn money while you are there. It’s worth remembering that travelers from outside of the EU must apply for a work visa at the Spanish Embassy in their home country before they travel. They also need to apply for a work permit once they arrive in Spain.

Once permits have been obtained, you can start to look for roles that are best suited to your abilities. It’s a big advantage if you can speak Spanish and/or Catalan. Being bi-lingual or multi-lingual opens up a wider range of opportunities. If you can speak other languages as well, that is even better. Here are five roles that you may want to consider, some of which require you to know other languages as well as English.

Interpretation and translation

For tourists visiting Barcelona, there is plenty to see. However, many people do not speak English. You may be able to offer your services to travel and tour companies that are looking for translators to work with their customers. You may also be able to find work translating at meetings and conferences, for business travelers. You obviously need to be able to speak Spanish and/or Catalan to undertake this role.

To be successful in this role, it’s helpful if you have had some previous experience and you also need to have highly developed people skills as you spend a lot of time helping clients. The average salary for a translator in Barcelona is €22,961.

Hotel reception

To work in a hotel reception in Barcelona, you will need to be able to speak the local language as well as English. This can be a stressful busy job, and previous experience is an advantage if you want to be able to cope with the demands.

Remember that working as a hotel receptionist is a responsible job. Duties include:

• Welcoming guests to the hotel when they arrive. You are often the first member of staff that they see, so it’s important to make a good impression.
• Checking guests out when they leave. A friendly and interesting goodbye is just as important as the welcome when it comes to making a good impression.
• Responding to reservation requests by email or telephone.
• Preparing bills for guests.
• Providing information and answering any questions that guests may have. This means that you need to be able to retain as much of the general information about the hotel as possible.

You can see by the work involved that having the role of hotel receptionist means that you need to have good people skills and a lot of patience. The average salary for a receptionist in Barcelona is €15,600.

Holiday rep

During the main tourist season, from June to September, there is a great demand for holiday reps in Spain. Even if you cannot find a rep job in Barcelona itself, you are likely to be successful in nearby resorts such as Lloret de Mar. It’s worth mentioning that holiday companies want to hire people who have previous experience of working in customer care and have an engaging personality.

It’s also a big advantage if you can speak Spanish and/or Catalan, and have some previous knowledge of the local area. Working as a holiday rep can be fun, but it’s also hard work, so you will need to have plenty of energy if you choose this role. Salaries for a role as a holiday rep vary, depending on the company and what other benefits are provided.

Child care provider

If you love children and have experience of caring for them, you may want to use these abilities while you are in Barcelona. You may be able to find a job proving childcare at a hotel, or local resort. Alternatively, many travelers choose to work as an au pair. This allows them to practice speaking the local language, while also getting an opportunity to see some of the local landmarks and experience the local culture.

It’s worth noting that au pair jobs vary greatly. Au pairs are normally expected to work at least 25 hours per week and working hours can actually be a lot longer than that. Some au pairs are only required to look after the children during the day. Others have evening care duties as well and are also expected to carry out household chores. Many au pairs receive a salary of less than €100 per week, but room and board are usually provided.

Front of house roles

Barcelona is a city that is famous for its restaurant culture. There are plenty of opportunities to work in front of the house, so that you can use your English skills to welcome tourists into the restaurant, and show them to their seats. It helps if you already have experience of working in the sector, or if you have a qualification. You may want to think about looking at online training options, such as the Certificate 3 in commercial hospitality at Courses, before you travel.

The more experience and training that you have, the more likely you are to secure a good role, once you arrive in Barcelona. Having this role means that you have the money to enjoy your time off while you are in the city. Front of house jobs in Barcelona attracts an average salary of around €22,000.

Spending time working in Barcelona is a memorable experience. It gives you the opportunity to improve your knowledge of the Spanish language, or of the Catalan language which is spoken locally. You also get the chance to mix with local people and immerse yourself in the culture. There are plenty of opportunities to secure short-term employment in the city, and long as you have the right visas and permits in place. Choose to look for a role that is best suited to your skills and personality.