Hey everybody! My roommate and I are coming to Istanbul this summer. We are 21 year old girls and we don't really need a professional, full-time, great benefits job. What do you think our chances are of finding a bar gig or being able to teach in a language school. Do you all see many non-turks in normal sales or service jobs? We have also looked into the travel companies like Travel Talk and other opportunities like hotel baby-sitting services. Basically, we're up for ANYTHING -- except whatever the Russians are doing I know I'm young and dumb but please don't eat me alive! Thank you!

If you are graduates, you may be able to find work in a language school. Technically you need some kind of TEFL qualification but I think certain schools will hire you without. Check out the Turkey section of eslcafe.com for more info about that.

Forget bar work (only shot I'd say would be in Sultanahmet) - the wages are dire.
Nannying could be an option and you may get to go away with the family somewhere but probably not worth it if you came to see the city as you'd be working your arse off and might not actually be in it.
Teaching, if the schools have the intake, sounds like the best option.

Yeah, the more we found out about nannying...the worse it sounded. What about the kid-sitting for hotels though? Don't the hotels hire english sitters for their english guests? But basically there are no other options other than teaching English?

That is the basic starter unless you have some other skills. I haven't heard about hotels having babysitters and if they did i assume it would be badly paid and a job young Turks could do just as well. Turkey has a high unemployment rate so unless you have something using certain skills and experience or doing language teaching then you will find yourself in direct competition with Turks who will end up working for a lot less pay than you would want.

There are some families with enough money and foresight to have both a full-time, live-in nanny and a full to part-time live-out, native English speaking ''nanny'' (who is basically a glorified playmate or teacher, depending on the child's age). Those arrangements can be very beneficial for both parties. Summer is the best time to find such an arrangement.

I completely agree with Geordiedave...you need to find develop or exploit some unique skill sets if you want to find work as a foreigner in Istanbul. It's true the unemployment rate is high and non-Turks have an incredibly difficult time finding work – particularly in the service industry. Hotels, bars and restaurants will express interest in hiring you, until they realize that they need to get you a work visa, which is a complicated and expensive endeavor, only worth doing for potential employees who’d qualify for upper-management type positions, etc. In short, get a TEFL certificate and teach in a school, or accept a position as a nanny, or consider working as a private English tutor (this can be incredibly lucrative if you’re willing to put the effort into finding your own clients). Good luck!!!

[quote user="quemacoco" post="82306"] Basically, we're up for ANYTHING -- except whatever the Russians are doing [/quote] And what is it that we're doing I wonder?

OT: eab0616 nice blog and great photos on your site. Can you please post an introduction to yourself in the New Member Inroductions forum. Thanks.