Working a season in Ibiza is seen as a rite of passage in many young people’s journey to becoming an adult. Rebelling against the threatening conformation of modern society, suits and sensibility; Ibiza offers an idyllic escape to those who dare to cross her sandy beaches and white sand. Working in Ibiza is a different story however, it separates the men from the mice. The women from the girls. The bores from the dare devils.
Everyone who has worked in Ibiza has a story to tell, whether it’s losing half their body mass in a three month period, dressing as obscure species at Zoo Project on a weekly basis or catching a member from a 90s boy band dribbling in Underground. It’s worth forcing yourself to remember your Ibiza memories, even if it does damage your brain cells slightly.
We can’t prepare you for absolutely everything, but we can certainly try. The vast contrast between your local at home and one in Ibiza can seem pretty intimidating at first, but before you know it you’ll be ordering Sangria in Spanish and flirting with the native bar staff in local slang. All of the Together team have not only worked in Ibiza but also partied there, meaning we (like to think) we know a thing or two about surviving on the island.
Whether you’re planning on being a ‘one season wonder’ or a frequent seasonaire, we’ve banged our heads together to give you the essential information for what you should know before on embarking on your journey to Eivissa.
When is the best time to arrive to work in Ibiza?
The most coveted positions on the island are naturally be snatched up quickly, with recruitment days taking place at the beginning of May. Turnover in Ibiza is pretty high, so you can still arrive in peak season and pick up a job.
Ibiza 2016 Jobs: What’s available?
Waiting Tables
With approximately 4 million tourists over the summer, restaurants are incredibly busy throughout the season; meaning plenty of tips. You will need a solid work ethic and lots of energy. Previous experience working in hospitality is desired but not mandatory, a basic lingual level of Spanish is also a major advantage.
PR Work for Nightclubs and bars
Every bar and nightclub has a PR street team working day and night to promote their events. Due to law regulations only so many people can be employed in this position and you are required to wear an orange bib provided by your employer to confirm who you are and who you work for. For this role you need to be confident, outgoing and easily approachable to strangers. A lot of energy and a big smile is essential.
Bar Staff
In San Antonio you’ll find the “West End” strip offering cheap drinks, naturally packed with British tourists throughout the summer. Employers want English speaking staff so this is an ideal role for many of you coming to Ibiza with our working package. Bar staff turnover in the West End is high, so make sure you’re on top of your game and reliable. Superclubs like Space and Ushuaia in Playa D’en Bossa tend to employ the same Spanish workers every year, but local bars like Tantra and Sands have been known to take on English employees.
Shot Girl
Female only position (sorry boys). Bars either pay a small flat wage plus commission or commission only. If you’re going into the illustrious career choice of Shot Girl, a lively personality and a little flirt wouldn’t go amiss.
Selling Club/Event tickets
One of the more challenging yet rewarding jobs on the island. This job is commission only, meaning you need a friendly attitude and inviting personality to persuade people to come to clubs using your tickets. The hours are flexible, but be wary you can go days without making any money at all.
Retail – Sales Assistants
A handful of companies such as Pacha and Ibiza Rocks that have their own retail stores, these can be applied for before you arrive in resort and offer a steady wage. They’re professionally run and have social perks.
Hotel Receptionist
One of the few jobs you can apply for prior to arriving on the island, applications for hotels are easy enough to find on Google. However unless you can speak multiple languages and have previous experience working as a receptionist, chances are you won’t be very successful.
Skilled jobs
Below are a few examples of other jobs that are available, however unless you are experienced or qualified we recommend saving your time and focusing on the jobs listed above.
- Water-sports instructor
- Club Dancer
- Chef/Kitchen staff
- Masseuse
- Exotic Dancer
Where’s the best place to stay and work in Ibiza?
While Playa den Bossa is becoming increasingly more popular amongst British tourists, but when it comes to working a season, especially your first, San Antonio is a lot more affordable and worker orientated.
You have a much greater chance of finding accommodation and work in San Antonio. There’s a strong workers community,similar to living in halls at university where you’re surrounded by friends and like-minded people. There’s always a house party going on somewhere.
How do I get a job in Ibiza?
Getting employment is essential to your stay on the island. Unless you have thousands of pounds to throw away during the summer, you will have to get a job to keep your income coming in at some point.
Getting a job in Ibiza isn’t so different to applying for a job at home. Make sure your CV is up to date and relevant, we cannot stress enough on the relevance part. Six months work experience as a builder means absolutely nothing to a bar owner. An NVQ in hairdressing is worthless to someone wanting a club promoter. Use your head, have some common sense and highlight your best working features.
Employers are looking for workers who are vibrant, pro-active, energetic and eager to succeed. They want somebody they can rely on to turn up to work on time, sober and with a smile on their face. Word process your CV, spellcheck it, print off as many as you need and stick a nice presentable photo of yourself on it.
NIE Number
For anyone seeking reliable, legal employment we strongly recommend getting an NIE number. An NIE number is your right to work in Ibiza, without one you are working “illegally” – many employers require an NIE number but it doesn’t mean you can’t find work without one. To get an NIE number you must go to the Police station in Eivissa / Ibiza town. They’re only open from 7am – 2pm for NIE applications and the earlier you get there the better. It’s also a lot more quieter early in the season so we recommend making it a priority when you get to Ibiza. You must bring your passport with you and you’ll be given an appointment for the next stage. Don’t forget our in resort staff are on hand to make sure you know where to go and what to do.
Professional support
When booking Together workers package, we offer you the support and help you need that gives you an upper hand over fellow workers. If you’re finding online deals that ‘promise’ jobs in Ibiza, this is the first rookie mistake to make. Just like in England, you can never be guaranteed a job until you attend an interview or a trial.
It always helps to have a friend who knows the local area and has connections on the island. That’s where Together comes in. We have worked closely with nightclubs, bars and hotels since 2011, building strong relationships to provide a service which gives our workers a foot in the door with priority access to jobs on the island. Our staff will be on hand to offer advice, friendly support and assistance while you settle into your season, dealing with everything from checking you into the accommodation to over-seeing our social events such as boat and pool parties.
Helpful Tips for getting a job in Ibiza
Get a bank account
Not essential but always handy. No matter how much you trust your flatmates, money is precious and you’re living in a very expensive holiday resort. Why not give yourself peace of mind knowing your money is secure? We recommend starting an account with La Caixa as a “Non Resident” which only costs €30 and can be opened with a passport and proof of address.
Get a Spanish phone
All you need is take your passport to a phone shop and you can get a basic phone starting from approx €20, this will save you money and any new friends you make won’t like you calling from your English phone, credit goes 10x quicker that way. There are several phone companies to choose from, we advise purchasing a “Lebara” phone which allows you to call other Lebara numbers for free. Get all your flatmates and co-workers onto it for free calls!
Bring some passport photos
Part of the Ibiza working lifestyle is scamming your way into just about any party or club for free. It saves a lot of money if you occasionally adopt the “I’m only going if I can get guest list” mentality, but at the same time experience the island as much as possible and don’t get on your flight home regretting not going to a certain event. One thing that will help is being around for the beginning of the season and getting Photo-cards, for example if you have a “We Love” season pass you just show your card and you walk in hassle free every week. You will need passport photo’s for this so bringing them with you is one less thing to do when you arrive.
Bring a camera
Take lots of photos, enjoy every minute of it, keep the memories.
Bring money with you
Not all of us are in the position to come to the island with a shed load of money, especially if you’re a student; but it certainly does help. Securing a month or two’s rent in advance and spends can save you a lot of hassle and give you peace of mind for a good eight weeks whilst you find a reliable source of income.