|
If you plan to work
legally in any European country, you will need to make
arrangements based on your citizenship.
If you are a non-EU national, you will need to get a work permit
or a visa in advance. Expect to do a lot of paperwork and
conquer a lot of red tape to obtain the necessary permits from the
consulate of your own country. You'll also be needing letters from
your future employers as proof of your intent. Before you leave,
make sure you've also contacted the embassy or consulate of the
country that you plan to work in because employment regulations
change frequently.
If you are a Commonwealth citizen between the ages of 17 and 27, you
can get a working holiday visa for Britain which is valid for
two years. If you have a parent or grandparent who was born in an EU
country, get in touch with that country's embassy and inquire about
dual citizenship and work permits. Use this option if you are
closely related to somebody Irish. Ireland easily grants citizenship
and passports to people with an Irish grandparent or parent and once
you have a passport, you can travel the EU easily. If you have a
British-born grandparent or parent, you may be entitled to a four
year work visa from the UK with an option of residency at the end of
the term. Before taking any of these options, make sure that your
home country also recognizes this dual citizenship.
Once you've got the paperwork straightened out, you can legally hold
a casual job that may provide some financial support while you are
Europe. You can teach English, work in the hospitality industry,
pick fruit, take pictures, or write travel articles. You can
also do some other work in counseling, babysitting,
telemarketing, or in factories. Bear in mind that is not always
easy to pick a job because other unemployed EU citizens
usually get them first before you do.
There are many students out there in Europe who want to learn
English, but it is not always easy to get a teaching job. You
will need to be either very well dressed and an extremely bluffer,
or you need to bring the right credentials. A recognized TESOL or
TEFL certificate is useful. You'll also need a university degree
from your home country. August and September are the best times to
look for teaching jobs. If you can't get one, the other
alternative is to offer your services as a private tutor to groups
or individuals, but this is a riskier option. The best places to
find teaching jobs would be Eastern Europe and Greece.
The other countries are already quite saturated with English
teachers.
The hospitality industry is probably the biggest source of temporary
employment in Europe. If you have a work permit and some experience,
it is easy to get work as a waiter or bartender. The best ways to
find this sort of work are to ask around restaurants and bars and
watching hostel notice boards. If you time to work in this industry,
you'll need to take with you a good set of clothes.
If you don't have a permit, fruit picking or harvesting is probably
one of the easiest ways to make extra cash. Employers usually turn a
blind eye to the law and pay up front. This sort of work is
available almost everywhere. The best way to get a job is to
approach farmers directly or ask around the nearest village.
However, timing is very important. If you are too early or too late
in the harvest season, there will be no work. If you show up in the
middle of the harvest, all of the jobs might be taken.
You can also earn extra money by publishing articles or photos of
the places you visited. Travel photography can be very competitive,
so prepare to take a hundred shots before some get accepted. Many
magazines and newspapers also accept travel articles based on the
pictures that go along with them. Make sure to use a professional
approach when writing, as simple essays are almost never bought.
Also make sure you write with interest and depth, with the
occasional offbeat angle to make your article marketable.
>
About the author:
Michael Russell - Your
Independent guide to
Europe Vacation.
You may
also be interested in...
Student Travel -
Backpacking In Europe
Discount European Travel
Traveling
Europe Cheaply in a Hostel
Travelling and
Working in Europe
|
>