The end of February and early March, when everyone is coming back from summer vacation in Buenos Aires is the best time of year to job hunt. A quick glance at Craigslist turns up job offers for waitresses, bar backs, English teachers, nannies, travel consultants and hostel desk staff. For most jobs listed there is no requirement to have Argentine working papers.
Many Argentine employers will secretly admit that they love hiring Americans, Canadians, Australians and other nationals. Usually those from native English-speaking countries have a few more years of work experience under their belts than their Argentine peers of the same age.
Current Jobs Available
Currently the cool Wherever Bar in Palermo is seeking a Spanish-speaking waitress, as is an unnamed bar in Recoleta which may likely be El Alamo. That job offers AR$10 per hour plus tips.
Bait Hostel offers a part-time night shift job at their hostel, but it pays less than AR$10 per hour. A couple of hostels in town, including Circus Hostel offer housing in a shared room for a few nights of work per week.
Another option, particularly for young women are Au pair and babysitting jobs. Offers from Au Pair in Argentina look pretty good at first glance, with pay ranging from $AR 22 – $42 per hour. If you look closer though, there is large registration fee of £250 (around US$400).
The support the agency provides to both host families and au pairs may be worth it. If nothing else the ads give you a good idea of the pay scale for au pairs and nannies, and there are plenty of families searching at this time of year. To land one of these jobs, you’ll want evidence of a clean criminal record, excellent references and a mature demeanor.
Many of the jobs on Craigslist are on the lower end of the pay scale, internship positions or schemes such as Au Pair in Argentina. There are some good opportunities to be found though, particularly for those who speak Spanish. In addition to searching on Craigslist a great way to land a job is to hang out at establishments you enjoy, pound the pavement with your resume in hand and ask everyone you know if they have any job leads.
