Work abroad jobs for 30-somethings?

August 8, 2015 6:22 PM

As I'm 33, I'm too old to be an au pair. Are there other types of jobs that would allow me to live in western Europe for a year or so?

I have experience in childcare, basic front-end web development, non-profit development, office administration, retail and the like.

posted by youcancallmeal to Travel & Transportation (16 answers total)

You totally could work as a nanny if that's what you'd want to do! You have the advantage of experience so it's really about finding an agency that's a good match.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:56 PM on August 8, 2015 [2 favorites]

Also, do you have a college degree or other sort of certification? What part of Europe would you like to live in? What about working for an American company in Europe? (This would likely take a few years of working for them in the US first.) Do you have families who can write recommendations for you as a childcare provider? I'd think that your ability to offer childcare in English will be your biggest opportunity, although getting a job in Europe as a non-EU citizen can be very, very difficult if not impossible in many situations.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:59 PM on August 8, 2015

Response by poster: I have a BA in Political Science from an American university.

I'd ideally like to be in the UK (preferably London, Glasgow or Edinburgh) or Ireland (Dublin or Cork).

Is it possible to get a childcare job without a EU passport if I'm not an actual au pair? I do have families that would write references.
posted by youcancallmeal at 7:16 PM on August 8, 2015

I think having that BA will certainly be helpful because you can help tutor kids, etc. I'd recommend you contact the career services department of your alma mater to see if they could help you with placement at all: not necessarily nanny jobs but work abroad in general!

I'd look up various nanny (and au pair) agencies in the UK and ask if they hire older nannies, too. I'm positive some do; if so, you can send them your resume, references, etc. and take it from there. You may have more luck in non-English speaking European countries where being a native English speaker may give you an edge. I wish I could recommend specific agencies but surely others here can!
posted by smorgasbord at 7:29 PM on August 8, 2015

One more suggestion (my final one, I swear!) would be to continue with the web development. Could you afford to attend a coding bootcamp? You'd probably have to work for at least a year in the US to gain experience but could surely find a European company willing to hire you and help you with the paperwork once you've proved yourself there.
posted by smorgasbord at 7:31 PM on August 8, 2015

Getting a work visa in the UK as an a American without skills in high demand is crushingly hard to the point of insanity and Ireland is close behind. This extends to childcare. The visa that covers this in the UK only applies to a very specific situation. It's MUCH more advisable to save up money and get a masters in the country of your choice, or otherwise look into a freelance visa in Germany.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 8:27 PM on August 8, 2015 [15 favorites]

Is it possible to get a childcare job without a EU passport if I'm not an actual au pair?

Not legally. Unless you are eligible because of your family or are really rich, it is very difficult to get a work visa for EU countries. If you finished school within the past year, you could get a visa for Ireland.
posted by betweenthebars at 8:45 PM on August 8, 2015 [2 favorites]

If you're more flexible countrywise there are some other opportunities, including teaching in Spain and freelancing in the Czech Republic.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 8:45 PM on August 8, 2015 [2 favorites]

I was going to say teaching English too, but maybe also Adventure Nannies!
posted by jrobin276 at 10:15 PM on August 8, 2015

After college, I worked in the UK through their young adult visa program (applicants must be 30 or younger). While I had the equivalent of a work permit, many of the potential employers I encountered were offering cash in hand (i.e., under the table) work. Personally, I would have moral qualms about doing that--especially since Europe is, you know, facing a migrant crisis at the moment, and those jobs are probably better off going to people in really desperate situations--but I believe that it is fairly common for Americans to pick up casual jobs working in pubs or in child care that way.

If you want to avoid the legal and moral badness of under the table work and you want to be in the UK, you are kinda screwed because you lack the unique, high level skills that will get you a visa.

Maybe the thing to do would be to look for volunteer opportunities that would cover room and board and then enter the UK on a tourist visa.
posted by girl flaneur at 10:32 PM on August 8, 2015

In the Netherlands, there's the highly skilled migrant program, which allows an employer to hire a non-EU national who has unique skills. For some jobs, being a native English speaker can be considered a unique skill. The nice part is that the employer does all of the paperwork and handles all of the fees; you just have to apply for jobs. Web development and non-profit development are the two most likely areas where you'd find employers who are willing to hire from outside the EU; for admin or retail work, they'd probably be looking for fluent Dutch speakers.

There's also the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty, which allows you to start your own business in the Netherlands. However, you do have to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself for a year.
posted by neushoorn at 12:18 AM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

You're not "too old" to be an au pair in Ireland, but between your English language skills* and your third level education, you're probably not desperate or vulnerable enough, for example.

* I am assuming although not stated, that you are a US citizen?
posted by bimbam at 1:35 AM on August 9, 2015

Maybe the thing to do would be to look for volunteer opportunities that would cover room and board and then enter the UK on a tourist visa.

This isn't really a feasible alternative (most developed countries are aware of this "loophole" and take steps to prohibit it); the relevant text for the UK is:

A visitor may undertake incidental volunteering, provided it lasts no more than 30 days in total and is for a charity that is registered with either the Charity Commission for England and Wales; the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland; or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. (my emphasis)

Source: UK Immigration Rules as revised on 26 February 2015
posted by andrewesque at 5:46 AM on August 9, 2015

If you can get an American job in front end development that is remote you could live wherever you want
posted by jennybento at 5:44 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

You could do ESOL and find a job at a preschool anywhere in the world. You will probably get a lot of traction from Asia but in Europe you could probably get a job in Belgium or Italy pretty fast.
posted by parmanparman at 11:21 AM on August 20, 2015

You have the skills to get a job in England, but you will probably earn $31,000 in your first year, maybe not getting up to $50,000 a year for five years. I really think you could find a job here if you were also certified in ESOL and looked for jobs in top international and private schools offering preschool in London or the Home Counties. The south is really expensive. Where I live in the Black Country there are also elite schools but the cost of living is 30% less. That said, if you offered your services through an open letter you might get some attention but the recruitment market is packed with consultants who know how to manage the work visa process. TES.co.uk is great for jobs, you can look up London preschool jobs and find everything else. Finally, don't apply for a senior role unless you are seeking a non-classroom, pastoral role. That's your choice, of course.
posted by parmanparman at 11:34 AM on August 20, 2015