I have spent the past seven years working in Spain - which has been a somewhat interesting experience. In a way, it has enhanced my life in Spain. Certainly, within the predicatable frustrations of normal day to day work, it has provided a fascinating insight into Spanish culture – or, at least, the working Spanish culture of our area.
I am, of course, a journalist and author - so most of my time is spent writing. Unfortunately, this is rarely profitable enough to avoid having to work for real! So, during the past seven years, I have also had to work in Spain, at times, conventionally. This has included acting as a management consultant to two estate agencies selling Spanish property and as a marketing consultant to other unrelated businesses.
So, you may well ask, what is it like to work in Spain?
Well, firstly, I must emphasise that my experience of working in Spain has been restricted to the Comunitat de Valencia (an area that stretches down much of the middle to bottom part of east coast Spain). So, it may not be representative of the rest of the country. Indeed, even to speak in terms of anything to do with Spanish culture (whether social or working) is, to some extent, always going to be little more than a generalisation. Spain is nothing if not vast and has very significant regional variations. That said, I suspect that much of what I have experienced is reasonably true for much of the country:
If you wish to work in Spain, the first thing to appreciate is how, in most areas, Spanish businesses seem to operate within a very personal network of close contacts – often extended family. All of these are frequently interwoven with other businesses which are often completely unrelated. For example, the head of one business (sometimes even a very small one) can often be connected, quite unexpectedly, to other businesses that you never realised had anything to do with the person concerned. This can make working in Spain a somewhat hazardous matter. Upset one person and you can find that you have, unwittingly, upset a whole range of completely ‘unrelated’ people – running a series of businesses potentially important to you!.
Of course, tight social and working networks have their advantages. If your work meets with the approval of one person - your reputation can spread firmly within that particular local ‘circle’. The trouble is that this is organic growth at its slowest - and it is very difficult to accelerate! Unfortunately, Spain (or at least the Comunitat de Valencia) seems to work on personal recommendation to (almost) the exclusion of all else.
As a consequence of the above, it is vital to understand the importance of an ‘enchufe’. Strictly speaking, this is Spanish for an 'electical' plug – however, in human terms, it means something quite different and something that few North Europeans ever seem fully able to grasp. This is despite the fact that understanding the importance of an ‘enchufe’ is fundamental to success for anyone working in Spain.
An ‘enchufe’ is someone with ‘connections’ i.e. someone influential either in a social or work sense – although both, as I have mentioned, are generally inextricably interwined. This is the type of person who can introduce you to contacts (and contracts) way beyond your ‘pay scale’. An ‘enchufe’ is absolutely vital in a range of multifarious ways and can get you out of trouble - or make the critical difference between your work in Spain being a success or failure.
Needless to say, ‘enchufes’need to be treated with great care together with an absolute recognition that a favour asked - is one to be repaid at some time. Misunderstand this concept and any work in Spain (connected with the Spanish) will be an uphill struggle! So, identify an ‘enchufe’ - critical to your work - and make sure you look after him (or her) even if, at times, the relationship can feel strained, artifical or lop-sided!
Spain is, of course, the land of small businesses. This is not say that there are not ‘big’ businesses but that most businesses are small and family owned. So, much of the time you are likely to be working in Spain with business people (outside of the major cities) who are somewhat parochial. This tends to mean (as a dangerous generality) that they are not always very sophisticated. This may be the reason why doing business in provincial Spain can sometimes feel a little bit ‘manana-ish’ (if there is such a word!) and sluggish.
Certainly, I have had countless meetings with some very dynamic sounding (and looking) Spaniards who, at the time, seemed to have definitely understood a particular proposal – and given it the green light. Unfortunately, all too often, nothing actually happened in reality. This may, of course, have something to do with the lunacy of my own proposals! However, if it does, then it reflects a common feeling (amongst British business friends) that the Spanish are sometimes infuriatingly reticent (maybe from politeness) simply to say no or that something is rubbish! Either way, my own experience is that it can be hard to ‘nail down’ a contract – despite being under the very distinct impression that everything is going ahead.
None of this must be taken as meaning that it is impossible to work in Spain or that the Spanish do not work hard. That would be to completely misunderstand my experience. The Spanish work extremely hard and labour for long hours for little pay. They are a delight to work with and invariably charming and fun. In fact, I have no doubts at all that my life in Spain (and that of my wife) has been enhanced by working here.
However, recognise that working in Spain is different from the UK and that you have to find a strategy that works for you. This, by definition, should take into account all the wonderful parts of Spanish culture - together with those parts that can make work in Spain, at times, exasperating!
In other words, be prepared to adjust your expectations and normal working practices to suit the different environment of Spain. If you do this successfully then your life in Spain and any work in Spain that you do - will be both fulfilling and rewarding...1
I am, of course, a journalist and author - so most of my time is spent writing. Unfortunately, this is rarely profitable enough to avoid having to work for real! So, during the past seven years, I have also had to work in Spain, at times, conventionally. This has included acting as a management consultant to two estate agencies selling Spanish property and as a marketing consultant to other unrelated businesses.
So, you may well ask, what is it like to work in Spain?
Well, firstly, I must emphasise that my experience of working in Spain has been restricted to the Comunitat de Valencia (an area that stretches down much of the middle to bottom part of east coast Spain). So, it may not be representative of the rest of the country. Indeed, even to speak in terms of anything to do with Spanish culture (whether social or working) is, to some extent, always going to be little more than a generalisation. Spain is nothing if not vast and has very significant regional variations. That said, I suspect that much of what I have experienced is reasonably true for much of the country:
If you wish to work in Spain, the first thing to appreciate is how, in most areas, Spanish businesses seem to operate within a very personal network of close contacts – often extended family. All of these are frequently interwoven with other businesses which are often completely unrelated. For example, the head of one business (sometimes even a very small one) can often be connected, quite unexpectedly, to other businesses that you never realised had anything to do with the person concerned. This can make working in Spain a somewhat hazardous matter. Upset one person and you can find that you have, unwittingly, upset a whole range of completely ‘unrelated’ people – running a series of businesses potentially important to you!.
Of course, tight social and working networks have their advantages. If your work meets with the approval of one person - your reputation can spread firmly within that particular local ‘circle’. The trouble is that this is organic growth at its slowest - and it is very difficult to accelerate! Unfortunately, Spain (or at least the Comunitat de Valencia) seems to work on personal recommendation to (almost) the exclusion of all else.
As a consequence of the above, it is vital to understand the importance of an ‘enchufe’. Strictly speaking, this is Spanish for an 'electical' plug – however, in human terms, it means something quite different and something that few North Europeans ever seem fully able to grasp. This is despite the fact that understanding the importance of an ‘enchufe’ is fundamental to success for anyone working in Spain.
An ‘enchufe’ is someone with ‘connections’ i.e. someone influential either in a social or work sense – although both, as I have mentioned, are generally inextricably interwined. This is the type of person who can introduce you to contacts (and contracts) way beyond your ‘pay scale’. An ‘enchufe’ is absolutely vital in a range of multifarious ways and can get you out of trouble - or make the critical difference between your work in Spain being a success or failure.
Needless to say, ‘enchufes’need to be treated with great care together with an absolute recognition that a favour asked - is one to be repaid at some time. Misunderstand this concept and any work in Spain (connected with the Spanish) will be an uphill struggle! So, identify an ‘enchufe’ - critical to your work - and make sure you look after him (or her) even if, at times, the relationship can feel strained, artifical or lop-sided!
Spain is, of course, the land of small businesses. This is not say that there are not ‘big’ businesses but that most businesses are small and family owned. So, much of the time you are likely to be working in Spain with business people (outside of the major cities) who are somewhat parochial. This tends to mean (as a dangerous generality) that they are not always very sophisticated. This may be the reason why doing business in provincial Spain can sometimes feel a little bit ‘manana-ish’ (if there is such a word!) and sluggish.
Certainly, I have had countless meetings with some very dynamic sounding (and looking) Spaniards who, at the time, seemed to have definitely understood a particular proposal – and given it the green light. Unfortunately, all too often, nothing actually happened in reality. This may, of course, have something to do with the lunacy of my own proposals! However, if it does, then it reflects a common feeling (amongst British business friends) that the Spanish are sometimes infuriatingly reticent (maybe from politeness) simply to say no or that something is rubbish! Either way, my own experience is that it can be hard to ‘nail down’ a contract – despite being under the very distinct impression that everything is going ahead.
None of this must be taken as meaning that it is impossible to work in Spain or that the Spanish do not work hard. That would be to completely misunderstand my experience. The Spanish work extremely hard and labour for long hours for little pay. They are a delight to work with and invariably charming and fun. In fact, I have no doubts at all that my life in Spain (and that of my wife) has been enhanced by working here.
However, recognise that working in Spain is different from the UK and that you have to find a strategy that works for you. This, by definition, should take into account all the wonderful parts of Spanish culture - together with those parts that can make work in Spain, at times, exasperating!
In other words, be prepared to adjust your expectations and normal working practices to suit the different environment of Spain. If you do this successfully then your life in Spain and any work in Spain that you do - will be both fulfilling and rewarding...1
