Work in Ibiza: The Ultimate Guide to Securing Your Dream Job
Why work in Ibiza in 2021?
First thing’s first; why is Ibiza such as a great place to work? As you no doubt already know, Ibiza has been given the grand title of THE party capital of the world. This title has been well and truly earned over the course of half a century.
Its party atmosphere was established with the arrival of the Hippies back in the 60’s. It is now loved by the hard-core clubbers that visit in their millions to experience what Ibiza is all about. For those who want a piece of the hedonistic party atmosphere on a budget, working in Ibiza is a no-brainer.
When should you arrive?
The date you arrive to work in Ibiza really all depends on what job you want to secure. Have your heart set on working behind a bar, waiting tables, collecting glasses or providing security? If so you’ll need to arrive on the island in late April. These types of jobs with fixed wages are always the first to go.
The actual club season in Ibiza runs from the end of May to the beginning of October. Most people want to be there before the clubs open so they can find jobs, settle in and socialise with their newfound friends.
There are plenty of recruitment days across the island throughout May, many of which host some of Ibiza’s leading employers such as OBeach, Simmering Shots, Ibiza Rocks, and Plastik to name just a few.
This is a great time to mingle with the hiring managers and make your presence known. The more confident and bold you are the more likely it is that potential employers will pick you out of the crowd and give you that dream job.
San Antonio, Playa Den Bossa or Ibiza Town?
Unless you’ve visited Ibiza in the past and know exactly where you want to be, it can be tough to decide which area you want settle down in. Each location has its own unique qualities; Ibiza Town is sophisticated and packed full of quirky bars and restaurants; Playa Den Bossa is home to 3 of the world’s most famous clubs – Ushuaia, Hï and Octan (the old Sankey’s) – as well as the notorious Bora Bora beach; San Antonio is home to the gorgeous sunset strip and is a huge pull for the British tourists.
If you’re first time to work in Ibiza, San Antonio is a clear winner when choosing the location for your first season. San An, as it is more commonly known, is where the majority of British visitors flock to on their holidays. This means that it has the largest selection of jobs and without a doubt the best worker community of all three of Ibiza’s key locations.
What type of jobs are there in Ibiza 2021?
Work in Ibiza as a Barman/ girl:
Bar jobs are the most sought after position as an Ibiza worker. Bars start their recruitment process at the end of April with the majority of positions being filled by mid/ late May. Come early, come prepared, and bring your A-game as competition for bar work is fierce.
Working hours: 10pm – 5am
Days per week: 6/7
Average income: €350 per week
Work in Ibiza as a Ticket Seller:
If you’re confident and passionate about clubbing, then ticket selling could be the ideal job for you. Of course, to truly excel at ticket selling you’ll have to be very enthusiastic and able to talk to groups of complete strangers.
Ticket selling is a predominant commission based position with some serious money to be made. Some of the top companies such as Pukka Up offer €15 commission per ticket plus bonuses.
You will need to be self-motivated and have the ability to take the rejections on the chin, but if you think you can handle it then ticket selling can be the best job on the island.
Working hours: 11.30am – 6pm
Days per week: 5/6
The average income per week: Average ticket seller: €250
Top ticket sellers: €500 +
Work in Ibiza as a Shot Seller:
If you have an outgoing personality with excellent persuasion skills, then selling shots could be the job for you. Shot girls work in bars and clubs all over the island; it’s a fantastic opportunity to get paid to party all night long. You will find yourself drinking every shift so this job is not for the fainthearted, and like ticket selling, you’ll need a vibrant and enthusiastic personality to truly excel at it.
Working hours: 10pm – 4am
Nights per week: 5/6
The average income per week: €250+
Top Shot Seller: €500+
Work in Ibiza as a Body Painter:
The Zoo Project is one of the highlights of Ibiza’s life. Every Saturday, thousands of tourists (and even workers) don the body paint and descend on an abandoned zoo for an outdoor party. Of course, someone has to paint all these people and that’s where you come in!
If you love a party atmosphere and have a good level of concentration and skill, then body painting could be the perfect job for you. You can secure body painting jobs that provide work for more than one day a week, but Saturday is the busiest day for people in this line of work.
Working hours: 11am – 7pm
Days per week: Depends on company
Average wage per shift: €30 – €200
Work in Ibiza as a PR:
As a PR, you’re essentially the voice of the bar or restaurant that you’re working for. The great food and drink is ready and waiting inside; all you have to do is get people through the door. Not everyone will say yes, but if you have the gift of the gab then the majority will. This is a very lucrative position for the right type of confident and enthusiastic person.
Working hours: 12pm – 8pm OR 10pm – 4am
Nights per week: 6
The average income per week: Average PR – €200 – €300
Top PR €500 +
Work in Ibiza as a Dancer:
As a dancer it’s all eyes on you. It will be your job to entertain the masses with your club-style dancing. It’s a tough job as you will be on your feet for 6-8 hours a night, but if you are lucky enough to bag one of these jobs then it will be extremely rewarding. This is an industry where the rule ‘who you know’ really does apply, so be prepared for lots of socialising.
Working hours: 11pm – 4am
Nights per week: depends on each bar
The average income per shift: €50 – €120
Work in Ibiza as a Parade girl:
The Ibiza parade is exactly what Ibiza is all about. For years wild, wacky and wonderful guys and girls have been getting dressed up in outfits to promote each different club night. This is another highly sought after job with people being hand-picked for their physical attributes. If you’re lucky enough to bag yourself a parade job then be prepared to wear some skimpy outfits!
Working hours: 8pm – 12pm
Nights per week: 3/4
Average income: €10/15 per hour
How can you work in Ibiza all season long?
As you are no doubt aware, Ibiza is a party island and this ultimately mean long nights out that don’t come to an end until the morning sun begins to rise. If this results in you staying in bed when you’re supposed to be at work, then you won’t last very long.
Most employers have people constantly approaching them with their CV, so just remember you could be just one hangover away from losing the summer job you worked so hard to get!
Good employers will look after their staff, so be sure you go into work with a smile, preferably not too drunk and prepared to do all that is asked of you. At the end of the day the chances are you will have the sun on your back and be surrounded by some amazing people – what more could you want?
How can you find accommodation?
It is a well-known fact that your Ibiza summer is made by those you live with; if you pick the right people you will have the best 5 months of your life. On the other hand, if you end up living with people you don’t get on with it can all become very uncomfortable far too quickly.
Our advice is to join the workers groups on Facebook and get chatting to others that are in the same situation as yourself. Once you have decided who you want to live with you can arrange viewings on apartments and hopefully find a hidden gem that will become your perfect party pad all season long!
What should you do about your mobile phone?
In previous years it was advisable to get a local sim, however most UK phone networks now work in Spain at no extra cost.
If you were to get a local sim card the majority of workers are on the Lebara network which offers great pay-as-you-talk packages; €15 will get you 500 international minutes, 3000 texts, 3000 minutes to other Lebara network numbers and 1GB of data.
It is common to practise for people to get their smartphones unlocked in order to use it with their Spanish SIM card. However, if you don’t trust yourself with a £600 iPhone then you can easily buy yourself a cheap Nokia for €35 including a Spanish SIM.
Top Ibiza Worker Tips
- Don’t spend all your money in the first few weeks; Ibiza is a marathon not a sprint!
- Network with as many people as possible.
- Attend one of the notorious Ibiza Intro workers beach days.
- Visit Es Vedra Rock at sunset for some glorious summer memories.
- Buy at least a quick coffee when you are using free WiFi from bars and restaurants.
- Don’t get into trouble with the wrong people.
- Drink lots of water.
- Work hard.
- Take each day as it comes and enjoy every moment!
