Gaby Fresnedo, a Cuban living in Spain and awaiting the recognition of her medical degree, currently works as a social media manager. She recently shared a candid video on Instagram detailing the challenges of job hunting as an immigrant: endless forms, resumes left unanswered, and the necessity of taking unwanted jobs to pay for rent and food.
This marks the third time Gaby has undergone this process within just eight months of her arrival in Spain, although she notes she has never truly stopped working. Her story struck a chord, garnering thousands of views and reactions, with many Cuban and Latin American immigrants relating to her experience.
The Struggle of Job Applications
"The process of tailoring resumes to each job, sending them out, going door-to-door to businesses, and spending hours filling out online applications and surveys that often crash, forcing you to start over, is overwhelming," she captioned the video.
Gaby describes a familiar routine for many immigrants: opening apps, submitting applications, overcoming the embarrassment of introducing oneself to businesses, only to be met with silence. "There are days when you wake up, and by 10:00 p.m., you feel like you've achieved nothing," she confesses.
Facing Dead Ends
Even when she advanced in the hiring process, the outcome remained unchanged. For marketing and content creation roles, she filmed videos and crafted idea proposals, investing her time only to be met with silence. "I never heard back," she laments.
The Reality of Immediate Needs
Faced with urgent expenses, Gaby acknowledges her return to the hospitality industry, a sector known for swift responses for newcomers. "Hospitality is not a dishonorable job; it's demanding and strenuous, but often the conditions, pace, and physical-mental toll wear you down," she remarks in the video.
Her core message resonated powerfully with her audience: "In ANYTHING, you only work when you're desperate." People claim they'll take any job, but in reality, everyone has their limits, and those limits only vanish when financial pressure leaves no other choice.
Pursuing Goals Amidst Challenges
Despite the obstacles, Gaby remains committed to her dreams. "I'm still waiting for my medical degree recognition, studying digital marketing, and applying for opportunities that bring me closer to my goals, but meanwhile, I have to pay rent, buy food, and keep moving forward," she writes. She uses Maslow's hierarchy of needs to explain her approach: first, meet basic needs while keeping an eye on the next step.
Gaby's experience highlights a documented structural issue. Spain records the highest rate of overqualification among foreign workers in the European Union: 54% of immigrants with university degrees are in jobs that don't require such qualifications, compared to 33% of Spaniards in the same situation, according to the Real Instituto Elcano. Forty-five percent of hospitality jobs are filled by immigrants.
Long Road for Cuban Doctors
For Cuban doctors, the process of obtaining degree recognition in Spain is especially lengthy. Although the legal timeframe is six months, it can take between one and seven years, with widespread delays reported since September 2023.
In the comments section, other immigrants shared their survival strategies: registering with SEPE even while working in hospitality, applying directly to companies to avoid talent agencies, and relying on word-of-mouth. "Everything in Spain is about connections, but keep pushing, my dear, good luck," one follower encouraged her.
"We keep moving forward little by little, knowing that when one door closes, you find a window you hadn't even noticed," Gaby concluded her video.
Immigrant Job Challenges in Spain: FAQs
What challenges do immigrants face when job hunting in Spain?
Immigrants in Spain often deal with ignored resumes, the need to constantly adapt resumes to job descriptions, and the pressure of taking undesired jobs to cover living expenses.
Why is the recognition process for Cuban doctors in Spain so prolonged?
The recognition process for Cuban doctors is extended due to bureaucratic delays, often stretching from one to seven years, despite a legal limit of six months.
How significant is the overqualification issue for immigrants in Spain?
Overqualification is a major issue, with 54% of immigrants with university degrees working in positions that don't require such qualifications, compared to 33% of Spaniards.