Greece : Job market

What are my chances of getting a job?

Greece was hit hard by the global financial crisis and is still in recession. The erosion of public finances, inaccurate statistics, lack of adherence to reforms and public tax evasion has led to a major financial emergency. The government has adopted austerity measures which include cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, decreasing tax evasion and reforming health care and pensions.

In May 2010, the International Monetary Fund and Eurozone governments had to provide Greece with emergency loans totaling £96billion. The public have strongly opposed the austerity measures and there has been strike action and public protests. There may still be opportunities for UK graduates but knowledge of Greek will be essential, as will be an acceptance of the perilous state of the Greek economy.

• Typical problems: unemployment is high, currently at 12% and is expected to rise. There will be a high level of competition from home graduates. More than 15,000 students graduate each year and there is no shortage of Greek graduates with a Masters degree. Greek degree courses last at least four years, so holders of three-year undergraduate degrees from the UK may not be considered as highly qualified as graduates from Greek universities.
• How to improve your chances: vocational degrees such as engineering, accountancy and IT are more popular with employers than non-vocational courses such as humanities or science. As Greek employers tend to require a relevant degree, it is easier for UK graduates of non-vocational courses to find jobs in Greece once they are established in their careers, rather than immediately after university. The Greek higher education system is selective and some institutions are seen as more prestigious than others. Employers may, therefore, be favourably impressed by high grades and prestigious universities.
• Language requirements: it can be difficult to get a graduate job if you are not fluent in Greek. The majority of younger people speak at least one foreign language, the most popular being English. Jobs that do not require a knowledge of Greek include teaching English, jobs in the tourist industry, working as an au pair, manual or agricultural work, working as a musician, dancer or DJ. Competence in Greek is likely to be less important for those working for multinational companies which have English as their main language, or in UK/US companies.

Where can I work?

• Major industries: tourism, food processing, textiles, chemicals, tobacco processing, metal products, mining, petroleum, shipping.
• Recent growth areas: technology and telecommunications, transport infrastructure, organic farming, research and development, minerals.
• Industries in decline: textiles, shipbuilding.
• Shortage occupations: qualified personnel for the shipping industry, office and accounting employees and construction workers.
• Major companies: Hellenic Petroleum, ANT 1 Group, Hellenic Telecommunication Organisation (OTE), Intracom, Motor Oil SA, ANEK Lines, Unilever Hellas SA, Alpha Bank, Attica Group, Zagori.
• Search for more companies: Kompass, Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Greek Yellow Pages, Greek Export Directory.
• Major cities: Athens (capital and largest city), Thessaloniki (second largest city), Patra, Heraklio.

What’s it like working in Greece?

• Average working hours: the usual week is 40 hours and the working day cannot exceed ten hours.
• Holidays: average 20 days per year.
• Average graduate starting salary: €1,100 per month.
• Tax rates: income tax rates are progressive, ranging from 5% to 40% (in 2010). The first €12,000 of income is tax exempt. Up-to-date income tax rates and other tax information are available from the Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance.
• Working practices and customs: similar to the UK. Dress code is less formal (smart casual) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Self-employment is much more common in Greece than in the UK. Greek workers are rather less likely to move for work than in other European countries. This is due partly to the high rate of home ownership (80%) and partly to social and cultural factors, particularly the strength of family ties, which form a very strong network of social protection.