I want to work in Europe - HELP

Rizzeck   Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:19 pm GMT
I'm graduating from a top 20 business school this May with honors and an additional history degree to boot. I speak rudimentary Spanish - I'm in my 4th semester at University - although can I read and write Spanish fairly well. I learn quickly and I would speak fluent Spanish within 1-2 months if immersed in the language. Is there a demand for English-only speakers in the European Union?

My interests are banking, international affairs, and public policy; I've had an internship and, so far, I've avoided jail time in America. Can someone direct me to websites that focus on finding jobs in the Euroland?
Benjamin   Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:49 pm GMT
When you say that you want to work in the European Union, it seems to me that you could mean one of two things:

1. You want to work for one of the European Union institutions, most probably (but not necessarily) in either Brussels, Strasbourg or Luxembourg.

2. You want to work in a member state of the European Union, but not actually for the European Union institutions themselves.

If it's the first, then you will probably have difficulty in finding a job if you only speak English. And in this circumstance, speaking English and Spanish would not be as advantageous as speaking English and French and/or German.

If it's the second, then there is plenty of demand for monolingual English speakers in the European Union — in Britain and Ireland.
Rizzeck   Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:26 pm GMT
Thanks Benjamin. I'm leaning toward option 2, although I want to work in Continental Europe rather than the British Isles. If there are any openings, please email me at bradleynomics@hotmail.com.
Benjamin   Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:45 pm GMT
In that case, why specifically the European Union? Why not Switzerland?
Guest   Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:26 am GMT
Or Norway?
D.Mare   Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:50 am GMT
Go to Barça or madrid, there are plenty of jobs there especially in the eastern
European   Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:24 am GMT
Why spanish?
To go to the EU you must learn German or French...
(the languages of work in EU are: English, French and German).

But English is the EU lingua franca, isn't it?

Magna Britannia ab Societate Europae illico expulsanda est, si vere Societatem Europae quaeremus.
Azure   Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:26 pm GMT
If you go to EU you have to learn the local language. Try http://ec.europa.eu/eures/ and see with your own eyes that you have to learn the local language exept when they ask for people with specific langauge skills.
And by the way, why would someone mail you if there are openings? This is not a job agency.
Rizzeck   Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:24 pm GMT
"And by the way, why would someone mail you if there are openings? This is not a job agency." - Azure

Why do you care? I know people that have gotten banking jobs via blogs you moron.
Alba   Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:43 pm GMT
"My interests are banking, international affairs, and public policy; I've had an internship and, so far, I've avoided jail time in America."

Congrats on having avoided jail time! Once again, why are people so retarded this is a LANGUAGE FORUM not a job agency or political discussion! What you described in your sentence are probably at least 30 million people in America! so waht???? why would they hire you in the European Union...and via the internet hahaha....I should hope you asked this as a joke.....you dont find jobs via websites you apply and go for an interview...if not you're a lost cause...
Rizzeck   Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:09 am GMT
"Once again, why are people so retarded this is a LANGUAGE FORUM not a job agency or political discussion!" - alba

Shut the fuck up fascist!
Guest   Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:10 am GMT
I know people that have gotten banking jobs via blogs you moron

Does this forum look like a blog, you moron? Banking jobs via blogs does not happen in Europe. Great, now people hire through blogs, in Europe. What else have you heard, that big foot moved to alaska?
Libelle Reiher   Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:29 pm GMT
Spanish isn't going to take you far in Europe unless you're working in Spain and only Spain. The three working languages of the European Union are English, German, and French. Germany is the economic powerhouse of Europe, by the way, so I would suggest German since you have mainly studied business. You might find French easier to learn if you have already studied Spanish, though -- but then again, there are thousand of cognates in French & English, so no worries... both German and French are close enough to English to make it not very difficult for you to learn them if you are willing to put in the effort.

I would search the EU or even German websites for working abroad. You should be able to find something fairly easily.
Riadach   Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:40 pm GMT
British Isles?

Where exactly are they?

:)
Guest   Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:50 pm GMT