Looking For A Job In Buenos Aires

[sjeftijssen]

Hi there,

My name is Sjef tijssen and currently I am looking for a job, temporary or permanent in Buenos Aires.
My background is in accounting in which i obtained a master's degree last year.

I would love to work somewhere within the line of accounting, controlling or basic administrative tasks.

If anybody knows about someone or a company that could use me for some job or the other, please let me know,

Thanks so much,

Sjef

 

[JamJam]

Tumbleweed...

 

[Manonvh]

You could try Deloitte...

 

[nicoenarg]

You can only work for local accounting companies if you know Spanish. Foreign degrees are NOT preferred over Argentine ones in the field. Its a different matter if you were transferred here by your company.

I am wondering though, who told you it was a good idea to come to Argentina looking for a job? The market here is bust.

 

[trennod]

You can only work for local accounting companies if you know Spanish. Foreign degrees are NOT preferred over Argentine ones in the field. Its a different matter if you were transferred here by your company.

I am wondering though, who told you it was a good idea to come to Argentina looking for a job? The market here is bust.

Nicoenarg perhaps is right when talking about local accounting firms that only serve local clients (tax and perhaps audit of local statutory Argentine GAAP) or international firms in certain field (ie tax).

However, working for one of the big 4 firms having being transferred from outside, all things being equal foreign degrees are preferrable, particularly if you also have some experience and a CPA / CA qualification as well. Argentine public companies are transitioning to IFRS as of this financial year end 31/12/12 so IFRS experience / knowledge is fairly highly sought after.

But, as nico alludes to you have a few road bumps in the way and this is how I see it:
1) Most companies either are not hiring at all or have greatly reduced hiring.
2) Another and probably the most important is the spanish factor; I think it would be difficult unless you are here for specific client assignments or you find a company that has a special need that you fit, to find a decent job without being well proficient in the language, being that its not that hard to find professionals that speak a decent level of english that suffices what a company needs. In addition, dont underestimate the connection with other spanish speaking countries in the region, particularly given many multinationals have either pulled their ops from Argentina, are significantly downscaling or planning exits.
3) The work visa problem. I have a friend I met here that is Australian, has a good CV given he has an accounting/finance degree from Aust and has some years experience in one of the big banks in Aust, plus was ex professional rugby league player. He came with very little Spanish, but his father in law is very high profile at River Plate and has a lot of contacts. Anyway, he got a number of interviews but had the problem of not having a work visa. Its a bit of a circle, its difficult to get a work visa without a sponsor / work but to get work they want you to have a visa already. Anyway, eventually he got work with one of the big 4s, but he entered at basically a graduate level. I am fairly certain the grads take home about 4-5k pesos per month. Lucky his gf has an apartment and he has savings, otherwise I am not sure he would be still be here.

I dont mean to burst your bubble, but I am just not sure BA is the place to come and enter in to your chosen field and commence / continue a career, unless you are coming here from outside on a contract / transfer etc or you can work mobile with a computer. Much better destination for a holiday.

If you want any further info, send me a PM I would be glad to help where I can.

 

[sjeftijssen]

Thanks for the responds. It indeed turns out to be a bit of a hazzle to find something. Let alone something decent.

However, it is also a challange so stuborn as i am i will just continue looking.
I have some experience with the big 4 but they are not as internationally organized as one might think.

My spanish is already improving a lot and in case anybody knows of something Please let me know,

 

[camberiu]

I am wondering though, who told you it was a good idea to come to Argentina looking for a job? The market here is bust.

But....
But....
Just yesterday people were posting here that the economy was doing great!

 

[lamarque]

I'm accountant to, is not true that there is no job for accountants i would say the opposite i just start working again 4 months ago in the country as i was in Europe living before and i receive lot of calls from different places offering work as accountant or auditor, in the finance sector there is more difficult to get a job do. But your problem and main obstacle to get a work here would be the Spanish level and second the work visa. You should know that salary’s are not so appealing in this sector but people normally get their own clients and work for them in the office in the free time. Salaries start in 5500 for accountant without experience and go to 15,000 with 5 years experience and a good negotiation then there are some that make much more than that but is people with lot of experience or working for the government or that have their own office. You do have lot of benefit and you can make much more money getting your own clients that the salary itself.

The better salary’s and more relaxed works are as accountant for a company the worst salary’s and more stressing is in a study (but there you are more near to the clients so you can start making clients of your own with the time) or in one of the big 4. Accounting studyos or the big 4 are a good place to start getting experience and then fly away as they are known for pay few and make you work a lot.

 

[trennod]

Lets just be honest, here on a peso salary you are never going to make decent money unless you have your own business.

Lamarque has it about right for the salaries in this industry and from what I have seen both at firms and payroll of clients he is probably even being a little kind. Based on my experience, progression/advancement in both companies and at firms is much slower here in this industry. Actually, it seems to be atleast 3-5 years slower than Europe, USA/Canada, Aust/NZ etc, plus adding to the fact that university degrees are 5-6 years (depending on how fast you do it). Also, combined with the fact that there are a lot of accountants (not necessarily well qualified but still...) & the fact that the country as a whole tends to value years / experience over ability in many cases.

For example, I have colleagues in a similar to role to mine which are atleast 4 years older and up to 8 years older. So, combined with the fact of the peso salaries, you may also be fighting for a lower position.

Stjef, what you mean by "internally organised"? Care to elaborate...
Anyway, good attitude to have that you are going to keep fighting! Sjef, what nationality are you? Have you tried looking up some companies from your homeland that have presences here and trying to get in touch with them. If I was you, that would be the first thing I would be doing.