So you’re giving some serious thought to working abroad this summer? Well, one popular destination for those looking to work abroad is Greece; after all, with the amazing nightlife, glorious beaches and a lot of historical and cultural sites thrown in for good measure, what’s not to like? Picture the scene: partying every night at the hottest clubs, sunbathing on endless stretches of white sand or waking up every morning to a view of the sparkling Mediterranean!
InGlobe Greece Resort Job Replacement
If you want to make those dreams a reality, there are plenty of ways to do it. One is to just book a flight out there and ask around at all the hotels, bars and restaurants you come across, but this can be time consuming and not really that effective. We interviewed Sarin Balasanian from InGlobe, a large Greek overseas recruitment agency, to discover the best way of finding a summer job on the Greek islands. InGlobe do not employ people themselves, but instead act as merging agents (or middlemen) between hotels and applicants. This means instead of sending your CV to twenty different employers, you give your details to InGlobe and they find a job for you. Last year they placed more than two thousand students into Greek hotels, so it’s very effective! After all, it’s far more reassuring to know you are going out there with a job waiting for you, rather than spending valuable time (and money!) job searching when you arrive.
This year InGlobe has more than 800 positions available with several 4 and 5 star hotels and water parks in Crete, Kos, Corfu, Zakynthos, Naxos, Halkidiki and Peloponnesus, as well as job offers in smaller hotels on all the Greek islands and Cyprus. See the box for some of the jobs on offer this year.
The way the agency works is to separate applicants into two different programs – one aimed at students, and one open to non-students as well. The Student Training Program is directed at 18-27 year olds studying a tourism-related course who want to do vocational work or an internship in a Greek or Cypriot hotel. The second Regular Placement Program is for people aged 18-40 who are not tourism students, but simply want some summer work.
As far as job length is concerned, it varies. Contracts start from as short as three months, but can last up to nine months so there’s plenty of time to get a great tan! It’s worth noting that au pair and nanny jobs start all year round, while hotel positions usually run for the Greek tourism season of April to October.
Sarin believes that the reason so many young people come to work in resorts is the sense of fun and adventure that the islands possess. The Mediterranean lifestyle is a great way to make new friends and meet people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, and Greece is teeming with history, culture and beautiful scenery. Those Olivio adverts weren’t lying! And after all, it’s not all work, work, work! Employees usually get one day off per week, although during the high season of June to September this is not guaranteed, and the average working hours are 8-10 hours a day, which leaves lots of time to soak up the sun and socialise in the bars and clubs of the infamous Greek party scene. Beware of stumbling into work hungover the next day though!
Realistically, this is going to be a summer for working as well as socialising, and sometimes misunderstandings and problems can arise between you and your employer, but as you have a contact with InGlobe during your time in Greece if you have a problem you can go straight to them and they will try to work it out.
Of course, with such a big company receiving so many applications each year it’s important to make yours that extra bit special. We asked Sarin what made a CV stand out, and she said the most desirable skills are previous experience, language skills, good communication skills and a determination to work.
Sounds good? If you fancy spending your summer this way, here’s how to apply:
You can either send an email to maria@inglobe.com.gr or sarin@inglobe.com.gr and request an information pack for the program that suits you, or visit the InGlobe website www.inglobe.com.gr and download the application form from there – but be aware there is an application fee of ten euros per application.
You need to have at least two job references or full contact details from previous employers, and copies of any relevant qualification certificates are useful.
The forms must be sent back to InGlobe with a passport and full body photo by email, not post or fax. InGlobe will regularly inform you on how your application is progressing, and you will receive a telephone interview once employers take an interest. As soon as an employer offers you a job InGlobe will send you the contract and specific details and you take it from there!
AVAILABLE VACANCIES
• Receptionists
• Lifeguards
• Animators
• Bar Staff
• Hotel Staff
• Waiting Staff
• Kitchen Help
• Pool Attendants
• Chefs/Cooks
• SPA Staff
• Drivers
• Masseur/Masseuse
• Cleaners
• Babysitters
• Sports Instructors
• Au Pairs
• Maintenance Staff
• Aerobic Instructors
• Office Staff
• Yacht Jobs
JOB REQUIREMENTS
• You must be either a citizen of the EU, Romania, Macedonia or Bulgaria.
• A Fluent English speaker.
• Experienced and able to produce references for hotel/restaurant work and childcare.
• Knowledge of Greek/other European languages is a plus although not strictly necessary.
• On arrival in Greece you will be asked for a criminal and medical check.
Best of luck!