Find a Gap Year Job in Europe
Summer jobs and seasonal work in Europe are easier to find with Gapwork.com. Popular job opportunities for travellers on their gap year or summer break include bar work, waiting on tables in restaurants, work in resorts, hotels or visitor attractions and campsites. Right now, with winter fast approaching, most gap year backpackers or seasonal workers are on the lookout for winter resort jobs in France, Austria or Switzerland in the Alps, or other winter ski destinations such as Germany or even Scotland. Your next step should be to check out the seasonal job opportunities available with the organisations on this page, or take a look at our Winter Ski Jobs or Sports and Ski Job sections.
Top Tips for Backpacker Jobs in Europe
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Parlez Francais. Or Deutsch, or Espanol. English speaking jobs aren't impossible to find outside of the UK or Ireland, but you won't get far in many sectors without a second language. Even if you want to get a job as an Au Pair or TEFL teacher, which don't require you to speak a second language, you still need to communicate with non-English speakers in your destination country.
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Bring some cash to tide you over. No matter how fabulous you are at skiing, mixing cocktails, waitressing or fruitpicking, you can't expect to walk into a job immediately. And even if you do, you won't get paid upfront. You will need enough money to pay for food and accommodation for at least three weeks while you are looking for work.
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Don't put all your job eggs into one employers basket. Especially if you have found your job online. You might turn up and realise it is totally not what you wanted or expected, or the employer might realise that you are totally not what they wanted or expected. Either way, you need a plan B, C, D and E.
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Get your timing right. Generally speaking the early bird gets the job worm (how many more old chestnuts can we get into this article!) so applications for summer work need to be in by May at the latest, and winter season needs to be sorted by September. Some jobs do vary, and you can be lucky and turn up to find a vacancy, but generally speaking it pays to do things sooner rather than later.
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Don't be too fussy. You may have told your friends you were going to work in Ibiza as a podium dancer, and you've ended up handing out flyers in the street dressed as a chicken. Welcome to the world of temporary jobs. Thankfully, they are temporary, and you need the cash.
So that's some of our top tips for job hunting in European destinations. Good luck and don't forget to take a really good look at the organisations who can help you find your dream summer or winter job in Europe.
