Where to Find Work and Job Vacancies in Tenerife 2012

This page is a guide to finding jobs in Tenerife including a list of job vacancies in Tenerife as well as suggestions on where to find jobs.

WORKING IN TENERIFE AND JOB VACANCIES IN TENERIFE

There are many reasons why Tenerife is one of the best locations in Spain to find work.

It is a very popular tourist destination (over 5 million visitors per year) because it is so close to Africa (just 300km), even though it belongs to Spain.

Tenerife is 1 of 7 islands known as the Canary Islands (or Canaries). Tenerife is the largest of these Canary Islands and the most populated island with over 908,000 people living on the island.

While there are plenty of other popular tourist destinations in Spain, one of the advantages of Tenerife is the fact that the season effectively lasts all year round due to the climate. Although it is quieter in winter, many older visitors come here to enjoy the warm, mild winter temperatures.

It is much colder on the mainland of Spain while in comparison temperatures in Tenerife on average vary between 15°C and 24°C.

Tenerife is also a very nice place to live, with a good quality of life and relatively low cost of living. It has good beaches, plenty of nightlife and a variety of towns and cities. The landscape is varied with the notable landmark of Spain's highest mountain of Mount Teide in the centre of the island.

Tenerife is certainly one of the places we most recommend if you are looking for jobs in Spain and especially if you are an English-speaking person.

Many jobs in Tenerife will not require any knowledge of Spanish as most are casual, seasonal jobs in the tourist industry, working in bars and restaurants.

BAR JOBS IN TENERIFE

The most popular type of job on Tenerife has to be getting work behind one of the many bars on the island.

Not only will you be in the heart of the action, you will get paid to be there!

Having said that, getting a bar job isn't as glamorous as it looks. Firstly, you may not be working in one of the most popular bars and secondly, it is hard working long shifts for little money. Expect to be paid €5-6 per hour.

While the tourists are out clubbing you may well be stuck behind the bar serving drinks to a handful of customers when all you want to do is close up and go out yourself or go to bed!

Still bar work is easy to find in the summer months and you won't need to speak anything other than some basic Spanish. Head for the south of the island to resorts such as Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos.

You might be really lucky to get work behind the bar in a nightclub. Related work in bars include collecting glasses, cloakroom, door supervisors, security or cloakroom.

Lots of bars and clubs in Tenerife need PR reps. These public relations reps stand outside in the street outside of the bar or nightclub attempting to persuade passers-by to come in and buy drinks.

It is easy to get a PR job as they are always paid on commission or very low-hourly rates and the bar owners will quickly fire you if you are not getting more customers so they do not have much to lose in employing you.

You certainly will not be employed officially either, so you will have no rights to social security or the free healthcare service, so take your EHIC card which entitles you to free emergency medical treatment in any European Union country which of course Spain is a member of.

As well as bars and clubs, many sales-related companies selling excursions and timeshares also recruit for PR's on Tenerife.

Most bars do not advertise vacancies, just go in and ask or look for signs in the windows.

You may also find our page on bar jobs in Spain useful to read.

HOTEL JOBS IN TENERIFE - HOLIDAY REP JOBS IN TENERIFE

There are not as many jobs working in hotels as you might think. Tenerife is an all-year-round destination so there isn't the need for seasonal and summer hotel staff as there is in other resorts.

To work on reception you will need to be fluent in Spanish, English and German.

You might be able to get a job as a chambermaid or cleaner but these positions are mainly held by immigrants from North Africa working on minimum wage or cash. You are more likely to find work serving in the restaurant in a hotel as waiter or waitress or serving behind the bar.

Consider getting a position with one of the major holiday companies who will need reps to look after their guests. Thomson, First Choice, Club 18-30 and Cosmos all need reps in hotels.

Some Spanish would be an advantage and you will need to be outgoing, confident and able to handle emergencies.

Transfer reps are a job whereby you get the guests from the airport in Tenerife to their respective accommodations.

Positions with these major package-holiday tour operators must be applied for well in advance of the summer season and you will need to go for an interview and through a rigorous selection process in the United Kingdom.

You will be employed officially with your flights, accommodation, food and medical insurance included in your salary package.

This is a serious position and if you want something more casual, look at bar or restaurant work instead.

The major hotels in Tenerife also need entertainers, animators, singers and dancers to entertain guests in the shows held each night.

Most hotels also need people to work in the kids club or nursery which is provided as a benefit to the hotels guests.

The best places to search for hotel jobs would be the resorts of Playa de las Americas, Los Cristianos and Puerto de la Cruz.

SUMMER JOBS IN TENERIFE

Most jobs in Tenerife are going to be just for the summer season when most tourists visit. The peak months are July and August but you can find work as early as May and work through to September.

Summer jobs are ideal for students looking to work through their summer holidays in a foreign and fun tourist resort while being able to earn some money to pay for their living expenses.

We doubt you will be able to save any money, most summer jobs pay a rate of €5 an hour because owners know there is a huge demand for these jobs so there is no need to pay much.

These positions are also relatively unskilled. Sure it may help to have worked in a bar or restaurant before, but it is not essential. Neither is being able to speak Spanish.

Try come out before the end of June to beat the rush. Unfortunately you won't find many of these seasonal jobs advertised. They are filled locally by word-of-mouth and notices in the windows of businesses.

Most summer jobs can be found in the largest tourist resorts which are located in the south of Tenerife, these are Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos although Puerto de la Cruz is also a good place to go in the north-west of Tenerife.

The most popular types of summer jobs in Tenerife are in restaurants which need part-time and full-time staff as cooks, chefs, kitchen assistants, waiters, waitresses or dishwashers. Then there are the bars (see section above).

HOW TO FIND WORK IN TENERIFE

As we have said previously, most jobs are not advertised but are obtained locally through word of mouth.

Only positions requiring skilled workers will be found on international job websites, forums, recruitment agencies and in national newspapers.

The good news with these typically professional vacancies is that they will come with an official working contract with medical benefits and a pension if you work for long enough.

For job adverts try the classified section in the Tenerife News. "The premier information portal and newspaper for anybody living or visiting the Canary Islands."

Tenerife has many local and national newspapers many of which have classified job sections:

Canarian Weekly - "Looking for new employment then follow the Canarian Weekly for all the latest jobs available in Tenerife."

Island Connection - "Daily news from the Canaries and the islands' biggest English language newspaper on-line."

Job websites & forums such as the Tenerife Forum are a good source of jobs.

Radio Stations such as Oasis FM advertise jobs. This English speaking radio station broadcasts a daily job section.

Most of these jobs will be for sales jobs, telesales advisors, telemarketer, PR's, timeshare sales reps, call centre staff and bar staff.

WHERE TO FIND TENERIFE JOBS

So where is the best place to find a job in Tenerife?

Well it is best to head for the south of Tenerife which has the biggest tourist resorts such as Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos.

The capital of Tenerife is the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A very scenic city this is a lovely place to live but most jobs here would require you to be fluent in Spanish.

These are the most popular tourist resorts on Tenerife: Santa Cruz de Tenerife (the capital), Amarilla Golf, Costa Adeje, El Medano, Garachico, Guia De Isora, Los Cristianos, Los Gigantes, Playa De La Arena, Playa De Las Americas, Playa Paraiso, Puerto De La Cruz, Puerto De Santiago and San Miguel De Abona.

Below we have guides on the best resorts and places to find work.

PLAYA DE LAS AMERICA JOBS - JOBS IN TENERIFE SOUTH

Playa de las Americas is a purpose-built resort next to Los Cristianos at the south of Tenerife.

It is known to be the best place for nightlife so this is where to go to get related jobs such as bar work, nightclub jobs and as waiters or waitresses in the many restaurants.

Head for the Veronica Strip area where most of the bars and clubs are located.

Playa de las Americas has a good choice of beaches, a marina and port. You can see what it looks like on our Playa de las Americas webcam page.

Just 1.5 kilometers from Playa de las Americas is the quieter beach area of Playa de Fanabe.

Getting to Playa de las Americas takes 30-45 minutes transfer time from Reina Sofia airport in the north.

JOBS IN LOS CRISTIANOS

Literally right next to the busy resort of Playa de las Americas is Los Cristianos.

If you can't find work in the bars and clubs in Playa de las Americas, this is your next stop to search for work.

This used to be a quaint fishing village which is also now one of Tenerife's biggest and most lively resorts.

There is a great sandy beach which has many bars and restaurants and is favoured by families, many of whom enjoy boat excursions from the harbour to whale and dolphin watch.

COSTA ADEJE JOBS

To the north of the busy Playa de las Americas is the upmarket resort of Costa Adeje which has a nice beach area.

There are job possibilities here although it is much quieter so work is more likely to be in the restaurants.

You can get to Costa Adeje from the airport in 35-40 minutes.

PUERTO DE LA CRUZ JOBS

Puerto de la Cruz is one of the best-known resorts on Tenerife. Admittedly not as lively or busy as Playa de las Americas, it still has some good nightlife, bars and restaurants mostly located in the main shopping strip of Avenida de Colon and the Plaza de Charco.

As a former fishing village this still retains much of it's original charms and attraction. Visitors expecting golden sandy beaches will be disappointed as the resort has black volcanic sand in common with most Tenerife beaches.

Puerto de la Cruz is situated on the north-west coast 35km from the capital of Santa Cruz.

ENGLISH SPEAKING JOBS IN TENERIFE

If you are from a European Union country you will not need a visa or work permit for jobs in Tenerife.

However if you are an American, Canadian, Australian or national from any country outside of the EU then you need to apply to the Spanish Embassy or consulate in your country for a three-month visa.

There is also much confusion about if you need an N.I.E. number to work in Tenerife. Only if you are employed on an official working contract would you need to have an NIE number which is used as a tax identification number.

Your N.I.E. number is your Número de Identificación de Extranjeros. The NIE is easily obtained by filling in a few forms at the local police station in Tenerife together with producing your documentation such as passport or driving license.

As most jobs in Tenerife are paid unofficially in cash, and therefore you are working illegally, you won't need a NIE number.

Below we include some of the jobs that we know English-speaking people have found on Tenerife:

Most Tenerife jobs and positions will be in the tourist industry although mostly of a seasonal and part-time nature, these include promoting for bars and nightclubs, catering jobs, singers, comedians, airport jobs, tour and travel reps, car hire jobs, cleaning, gardener, hairdresser, stylist, nail technician, beautician, shop assistant, removals, fitness instructor, personal trainer, pet grooming, vet, teacher, graphic designer, insurance sales, customer services, sales, marketing, lawyer, legal secretary, PA, care assistant, I.T.

Driving Jobs

Tourists need to get to and from the airport so drivers are needed for airport runs or as taxi drivers or for shuttle bus transfers.

Excursion around the island require coach drivers and bus drivers although most of these jobs are filled by local islanders.

Property Jobs

There are still estate agencies looking for staff although more on the lettings side of things than sales.

Properties still need cleaning on changeover days and maintaining so handymen and tradesmen will find their services in demand.

Swimming pools need cleaning and maintaining too.

Childcare Jobs

There are many Spanish families on Tenerife who require help with looking after children. Spanish families like to employ English-speaking au pairs or nannies so that their children can pick up some English.

Working as an au pair in Tenerife is a matter of earning some 'pocket money' but it is usual to live with your host family and therefore all your living costs are covered as they accommodate you and feed you.

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TEACHING JOBS IN TENERIFE

There are many international schools on the island where you could gain employment as a teacher.

We have some good resources below and you could also look to teach English to Spanish people wanting to learn English.

You will probably need to take two or three part-time positions to make this pay in order to cover your living costs.

Get a professional qualification before you arrive in Tenerife. The TEFL, TESOL and EFL course and qualifications are recognised the world over and massively increase the possibility of getting work in one of the many language schools.

International Academy FU - "Our teachers are university graduates and native English speakers. Many of them have worked with us on a full-time basis for several years and we ensure that they regularly update their skills."

100% English Academy - "We may from time to time consider applications from those who have recently acquired their qualifications who may initially work in a support and part time role, under the supervision of one of the Academy's teachers."

TRADESMEN, BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION JOBS

The large expat population on Tenerife means there are opportunities if you have skills as a tradesmen such as for plumbers, builders, electricians, carpenters, tilers, painters & decorator, labourers, bricklayers or general property maintenance.

You would be better off going self-employed and advertising your skills directly rather than hoping to find employment. Running your own business requires you register a company or work as an individual (autonomo).

Tenerife Job Article Summary

The article above covers various aspects of working and finding a job on the island of Tenerife, one of the Spanish Canary Islands.

Of all the Canaries, Tenerife is the best island to search for jobs as it is the largest island and the liveliest in terms of tourism which of course provides most of the jobs, both part-time and full-time.

Alternatively look at jobs in Gran Canaria, jobs in Lanzarote or work in Fuerteventura.

These much smaller Canary Islands may have a handful of jobs but they are much quieter and more popular for walking holidays than mass tourism:

La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Alegranza, Isla de Lobos, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste.

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