Ricardo (or Ricky) is a boy from Spain who loves to write and travel! He is now in Cape Town, South Africa working as a journalist and Spanish-language content writer for Rhino Africa, a luxury travel agency and in this post he will tell us how he got this job. In addition to this type of position, in a travel agency, there are also vacancies as analysts, web developers, photographers or travel consultants in which you might also be interested.
Ricky has a great track record working abroad. He studied journalism and after working in Spain as a journalist, Content Manager and Social Media Manager opened his horizons working as a Spanish teacher for 3 months in Macedonia, camp leader for 3 months in South Korea, and then again editor and social media manager for 1 month in Azerbaijan.
If you want to know more about this and other programs abroad in which Ricky has participated I recommend you to read his blog Textonality and follow him in his social networks:
- Blog: Textonality.com
- Instagram: @Rickyyyy91
- Facebook: @ricky.dominguezsanchez
Now Ricky will tell us:
- Work abroad characteristics
- Application process
- Tips for gaining a job position
- Experience
- History
- Work position
- Salary
- Co-workers
- Location
- General opinion
- Pros
- Cons
- Recommendations
1. Work abroad characteristics
At Rhino Africa I am responsible for all the company’s Spanish content. This includes the website, blog, social networks, newsletters and anything else that comes up. It is a work that combines creativity ─research, writing, trips─ with strategy and analysis, as we always seek to know what is working and what not, through numbers and statistics.
In addition, I work closely with the rest of the company’s teams, including SEO, design, and sales.
- Type of program: work abroad
- Location: Cape Town, South Africa
- Web pages:
- Rhino Africa – Tour agency: rhinoafrica.com/en
- Vacancies page: rhinoafrica.com/en/about-us/careers
- Requirements:
- Nationality: Rhino Africa works with five different languages (English, German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese) and has a multicultural environment, so any nationality is welcome.
- Age: Rhino Africa is open to people of any age, although in general, it is a young team.
- Language(s): English (always) + one of the other languages if needed for the job position.
- Duration: I have a full-time job and now I have been in South Africa for 1 year but there are also internships that last between four to six months.
- Visa: I had to apply for a Critical Skills visa as a Business Analyst. I did it through a South African agency that Rhino Africa recommended me and its duration is four years. *You can read in this post how to apply for the Critical Skills visa.
- Funding: Once I gained the job position, I started processing my visa, a process that took me several months. When I got it I bought my plane tickets and booked a hostel for my first few weeks in Cape Town, until I finally found a home. Now I gain a good salary and in addition, I have discounts on flights and hotels, as well as a reduced-price menu in the office cafe.
2. Application Process
See the vacancies on the website
I first saw the intern job vacancy in the company, but when I discovered that they offered a full-time position, I decided to apply.
Send previous texts
Visas in South Africa are hard to get for foreign professionals, so the company has to make sure you meet the profile they are looking for. In my case, I first sent some published texts.
Written tests
After the texts I sent were approved, I had 2 written tests.
Interviews
After passing the tests, I had an interview with whom would be my boss at Rhino Africa and, finally, with the CEO of the company.
Visa
Once I was accepted, I applied for a visa and six months later I flew to Cape Town with a full-time contract as a Spanish Content Writer.
3. Tips for gaining a job position
My first advice is to be actively searching and to be alert to possible job positions. In my case, it was clear to me that I wanted to work abroad and grow as a journalist and editor. I approached this quest with an open mind, so I had no problem rushing to live in a country as different and distant as South Africa.
Afterward, my experience writing made me pass all the tests, while my knowledge of English ─ needed in this type of work ─ helped me to comfortably handle all the interviews.
Other things that helped was to write a good Cover Letter (specific for this position) and to have the experience of living in several countries during the last years.
4. My experience
a. My history
My story starts several years ago. I studied Journalism and Advertising at RRPR University in Spain. Then I worked in several companies (a newspaper, a design studio and an advertising agency, among others) for several years – always related to communication.
In 2016 I felt that I needed a change and decided to turn my life around. I worked for three months in Macedonia and another three months in South Korea, combining work in camps with children with Spanish classes and writing content as FreeLancer.
When I was in Azerbaijan, working as a social networking manager for a scout event, I found Rhino Africa’s offer. It was perfect for me, as it involved working abroad, a long-term contract and the possibility of working as a travel writer – my passion.
I decided to apply and in a couple of weeks, I got the job.
b. Position and activities
My main job ─ and I couldn’t be happier for it ─ is writing. Writing about Cape Town, Botswana, Mozambique and the different destinations Rhino Africa works with. I mainly create content for both the website and the blog, thinking of new topics that will be of interest for anyone who wants to travel to Africa.
c. Salary
The salary depends a lot on the position, experience, and years you have been in the company. From the very first moment, they are very open to this topic.
In addition to salary, working at Rhino Africa you can have discounts on flights and hotels throughout the continent, as well as reduced-price meals in the cafeteria.
d. Co-workers
Rhino Africa has a great corporate environment. Despite being a large team (about 200 people), the management seeks interaction through various events and activities. Working in five different languages, we work side by side with people from all over the world, from Colombia to Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil and, of course, South Africa.
e. Location
For me, this was my first time in Cape Town and now I am in love with this city. Just a few minutes away you have streets full of bars and restaurants, a beautiful coastline, beaches and Table Mountain, a great place for hiking.
The weather is good all year round, although the wind can be annoying on certain days. The food is varied, with a large number of international restaurants.
In my case, I live in a shared house in the center. During the day safety is fine, but at night it is important you take care of yourself. It is advisable not to walk the streets alone since sunset, but you can use Uber.
As for the people, this is a very international city where there are always people from all over the world coming and going. Cape Town has a nice vibe, with open people and a slow pace of life.
5. General opinion
Pros
- To be working on what I like the most ─ traveling and writing ─.
- Have the opportunity to explore Cape Town, South Africa, and Africa.
- Being part of a big international company (it has been the best safari company in Africa for the last six years).
Cons
- Being such a large company, it is difficult to move up the organizational chart.
- Despite discounts, it can still be expensive to travel across the continent.
6. Recommendations
My recommendation would be to make the most of such an opportunity. Enjoy your passion, learn, travel, and be attentive to new projects.
I am taking the opportunity to study the history and geography of many of the African countries, as well as traveling as much as possible and getting to know new people and cultures.
Don’t hesitate and apply!
Do you want to know more opportunities to work abroad?
Read the post Jobs that will let you earn money while traveling the world
In the Work Abroad section, you can find more experiences earning internships and full-time job positions abroad! If you had a similar experience and want to inspire others to apply please send an email to pilar.noriega@thelifestylehunter.com
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