Tenerife forum

[Baseboy007]

Ok guys im moving to Tenerife in just a few days now with my partner. The main reason we are going is because she's going to be working in the high school in Guaza as part of her Spanish degree. We are going to be in Tenerife for a minimum of a year and already have apartments to view in the area of Los Christianos.

My main concern is that I have outgoings to pay back home and obviously my half of the rent. I'm worried about going into this whole thing blind not even knowing what job im going to get or how much i'm likely to get. The obvious avenue for work is bar/resturaunt work. I have customer service experience, sales and motor trade experience to name but a few. Last year I worked as a Holiday Representative in the Balerics which may be usefull...OR NOT! lol.

basically my heads in a shed and would appreciate any advise from you beautifull people who have experienced this worrying situation before, how difficult is it HONESTLY to get a bar job etc....

love Phelpsy

[karlb]

If your face fits, you are a social chappy, friendly, reliable and punctual I do not see why you cannot get a bar job.

Get a pay as you go mobile, or just the sim card if you have a mobile. Print off some little A5 info sheets about yourself with a photo and contact details on and spend a good 4 or 5 days going around every bar you can see. Would help to learn a little Spanish to show you are trying should you meet any managers and / or owners that speak little English.

Don't wander into a bar, head down and then say to whoever is behind the bar 'any jobs at the moment' !!!!

Bounce in their as though you cannot wait to start work, introduce yourself, explain why you are looking, strike up a conversation, ask to speak with the manager. If he or she is not there ask for the phone number and his or her name and call in again when you know they will be there or call them later on.

Put in the effort, you will get a job. Of that I am convinced.

Good luck.
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[rob]

Hi Baseboy and welcome to our forum. What can I say to top karlb's excellent advice? Did you read the announcement in the index that said "Read this before you post"? Most people don't but it has loads of useful info.
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[nickbeans]

How's your spanish?

If you're looking to save a few pennies you could try living in guaza itself, will be cheaper than los cristianos, but obviously you'd have to take into account using public transport to travel to work
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[karlb]

One thing that amazes me, and from memory here in Tenerife it has never happened to me in any bar or restaurant which I find utterly amazing.

When my glass, be it coke, beer, wine or whatever, is three quarters emtpy no one has ever said to me would you like another.

If I had my own place one thing I would drum into my staff is when someones glass is three quarters empty please ask them if they would like another drink. All the lost revenue because of this simple task. I have often been there with an empty glass of coke and had I been asked I would have had another one !!!

Staff would be out the door if customers sat behind empty glasses had not been asked if they would like another.

Only my opinion.
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[jenny]

I agree with Nick about it being much cheaper to live in Guaza. However you must take into consideration what you will then have to spend on transport to your place of work and if you want to go out to British places in the evenings for drinks and how often. There are regular buses to and from Guaza and it is only a 5 minute drive. Perhaps you could consider getting a bike.

Do you speak any Spanish? If you are interested in jobs other than bar work then this will help a lot. Print out your CV (or get it printed when you arrive) and keep an eye on the sticky at the top of our Job section and in the local papers. El Baul is the Spanish one with jobs but I wouldn't bother looking in there if you don't speak any Spanish.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I bet your partner's mates are jealous of her getting a placement in Tenerife over the winter!! I bet the rest will be stuck in the cold mainland!!
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[TenerifeSolicitors]

Karl's right. If you're sociable, hard working, realistic and flexible, you will find some sort of work here. It might not be high-paid, but your partner is also working (and I assume getting paid?), so if you have reasonable expectations regarding accomodation, your pooled money should support you quite nicely.

Spanish will obviously help you, but there is still enough bar work around for the right people who speak none.

Rob's also right, read the stickes and do searches for the keywords from your original post, you'll find this has been answered 1000s of times before from every angle imaginable.

Karl, if a barman or waiter was on me for a re-fill when my glass was still a quarter-full, I think I would percieve it more as pushy salesmanship rather than good service, as I would then feel obliged to down the remainder of my drink in order to make way for the new one before the ice melted etc. A good waiter/barman will spot the moment your glass is empty and then ask (I know a couple of bars that are perfect at this).
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[karlb]

ok maybe I was a bit over the top, empty then, agreed.
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[Baseboy007]

Karl that is excellent advise, I will take all of that on board and crack on with contact sheets. I have a Movistar mobile already so ill use that. Really appreciated.