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Working In Ibiza

So your thinking of working in Ibiza ... ?

The thought of working in a hot sunny country, with an amazing atmosphere and beautiful people everywhere, and of corse, the best clubs in the world sounds very appealing ... but if your not made of money, your going to have to work to survive if you want to last the full 5 month season !

When should I start looking?

The Ibiza season typically begins at the start of May, when the first UK flights jet out to the White Isle. Most employers start recruiting throughout May in preparation for Opening Parties late May and during June, but if your looking for a job its advisable to arrive early May so you've got a full spectrum of jobs available.

Although in 2009 because of the recession , there wasnt as many jobs available than in previous years and there seemed to be alot more workers who arrived early in the season.

A good idea is to book a one way ticket and have enough money for a months rent and living expenses. I would say £750-£1000 spending money would be ok. If after a month it wasnt quite how you thought it would be, or... you just got far too messy and spanked all your money, you can book a flight home.

Good places to find jobs are on the notice boards in The Ship Inn, Up-Market and Western Union

The Season troopers carry on until the end of September / start of October - Thats 5 months of Ibizan madness !

What kind of jobs are available?

It is almost impossible to find first time work on Ibiza without being on the island. Which means you have to fly down here to look personally! Here's a list of all available jobs...

Waiting Tables and Working in Bars

is probably the most popular. Also most sought after due to gaining a Contact and Licence (needed to legally work in Ibiza) Over 4 million tourists come each year, and the huge number of restaurants, bars, cafés and nightclubs ensure a very high turn over of staff in these industries. Unless you know of somebody with a bar or restaurant, it is very difficult to apply for this sort of job before the summer has started.

Positives ... Contract and Licence, Guaranteed Basic Pay plus tips and Workers Cards

Negatives ... Long, very unsociable hours with 1 night off a week

PR work for the Clubs

Ibiza and Party go hand in hand. Public relations work for the clubs and bars is a very important means of advertising for the up-coming nights. Laws were passed in recent years restricting the number of people able to work for each bar / club so only a limited number of Contracts and Licences are issued each season.

Positives ... Contract and Licence, Guaranteed Basic Pay plus commission and Workers Cards.

Negatives ... Long unsociable hours with 1 night off a week - Possible day shifts.

PR work for the Bars

Through personal experience one of the toughest jobs in Ibiza. This work is purely based on commission. Due to not having a contract means if you have a bad night, you wont get paid anything. And due to working illegally means you have to dodge the Policia Locals because you havent got a Licence.

Positives ... Free drinks all night, only night shifts and possible Workers Cards.

Negatives ... Lack of Contract means you dont get a Basic Wage, reliant on Commission. Also lack of a Licence means you have to avoid the Police because you are working illegally!

Other Jobs

Dancers for Bars / Clubs

Parade Girls for Clubs / Events

Stilt Walkers / Entertainers - Limited

Selling Laughing Gas

Shot Girls

Watersports - Very Limited

Ticket Sellers for boat parties and bar crawls

Erotic Dancing

Even if you do not find a job straight away, there is a very high turnover of workers due to lazyness or messyness! So do not despair, jobs become available all the time. Keep asking around. A large majority do fall on their feet eventually.

How much can I earn?

The average summer wage is between 800 Euros and 1000 Euros per month. This is if you work for one of the major clubs with a contract and licence. When I worked for Eden I earnt 35 Euros a night plus commission. Purely commission based jobs tend to pay slightly less, but if you smash it and got a knack of getting people into bars then theres unlimited money to be made ! But a negative is tht you will most likely have to dodge the Policia Locals. Working in Ibiza is illegal without a contract and licence.

Free passes for Clubs/Events are easy to come by at the start of the season if you are working. Most workers passes are handed out by the bosses of bars / clubs that you work for. Some free passes are even handed out in the street if your lucky, and people walk around with workers guestlist's.

The quality of life in Ibiza can not be bettered in Europe. There is a wonderful care free atmosphere on the island, and almost everyone who has worked one season here comes back for a second, and a third....

What qualifications will I need?

Personal qualities. Work here in summer is as hard as it is rewarding. Ibiza is definately not for the shy or weak, you've got to be a strong minded person, in a foreign country, sometimes by yourself. A six day week is the norm, and many bar staff have to work 7 nights a week. Accommodation is often shared, and the comforts of home, such as television and air-conditioning, are rare. Advisable to bring over a laptop.

Remember though, you will be working in Ibiza. The sun is shining, everyone is here to have fun and the atmosphere is amazing. You meet so many people from different walks of life, the beach is just around the corner, and you will probably have free tickets for most of the Clubs ! The White Isle changed The Man Dan's life!

Skills and Qualifications. Academic experience doesnt really mean anything in Ibiza , its all about previous experience. If you've got the charm and can easily talk to people then PR'ing is a good choice. If applying for bar/waitering work then obvious previous experience is required.

Languages. With so many tourists here on the island, it is possible to find work without speaking a word of Spanish! T.M.D would recommend learning a bit of Spanish before you come - a little bit of Spanish goes a very long way !

Cost of Living

Living in Ibiza can be expensive so its best to share accommodation with friends. The average price is between 200 and 400 Euros per month per person, depending on how many people are sharing an apartment. Check out Up-Market for workers accommodation. Also the notice board in The Ship Eating and drinking is relatively cheap with well known workers favourites like Eroski, Vitaminas and Pete the Butchers. You can live off 10 Euros a day - if you dont spank your money ! 0.67 Euro Wine, 1.20 Euros for 6 beers and 3.50 Euro Vodka from Eroski before you go out and always good to visit Viva for some cheap drinks when down the Westend ! Not forgetting the cheaper workers favourite, Don Simon or Pennesol !