It seems like going to work abroad might not be such a good idea after all.  It’s been announced this week that the Euro offers more than pretty notes and a rubbish name for currency, it also offers unemployment.  OK, that might be a generalisation, but the 16 countries that have been Euro’d are currently enduring the highest rate of unemployment in 10 years as unemployment jumped from 8.9% in March to 9.2% in April.  This jump places the Euro countries just above America where there is currently 9.6% unemployment but way ahead of the UK where we’re currently suffering 7.1% unemployment.  This 9.2% unemployment rate in Europe is expected to grow with predictions that another 8.5million people will be made redundant in the next 12 months, pushing unemployment to its highest figures since World War Two. These stats can be deceptive as some Euro spending countries are performing quite well (Germany’s unemployment is 7.7% and France is 8.9%) in the grand scheme of things, Romania and Greece are even reporting employment growth, but others are well and truly letting the side down namely Spain has an 18.1% unemployment rate (which is expected to grow to over 20%), but Lithuania has 16.8% and Latvia sitting at 17.4% are doing their bit too!

Tags: european unemployment, Spain, working abroad

Good news for those of you who fancy a career in the travel industry, Thomson and First Choice are looking to recruit up to 250 new staff for their bases in Coventry and Luton.  Granted you might have to live in either Coventry or Luton, but at least you’d be able to follow your dreams and take to the skies or at the very least the departures desk. For those of you chomping at the bit to work in Coventry there will be 128 vacancies and the people that favour the hot bed that is Luton there will be 155 vacancies.  These vacancies will be across the board including the customer service, legal, wedding and logistical departments.  So if this sounds like a good opportunity why not check out our Leisure & Tourism videos.

Tags: First Choice, thomson, travel, tui

An NUS report “revealsâ€� that 80% of current students are ”concerned” by current graduate employment levels and their likely future job prospects. Thanks for that, we had no idea. I’ve said it before; when the going gets tough: leave the country. So says Dr Peter Slowe (Gin) Founder and Director of Projects Abroad, who have seen a 50% increase in the numbers of volunteers that have signed up to their projects – all looking for something half decent on their CV no doubt: a bit of volunteering can be as impressive as some work experience. Their little press release states that current projects include “advising on human rights in China.â€� Good luck with that! If you are a first or second year student and that all sounds too much like hard work, don’t forget you’ve got Prince Harry from CCUSA, and the lead singer of Travis at Bunac. Good times, good CVs.

Tags: career advice by working abroad, Graduates improving their CV, Projects Abroad

Tourism officials in Australia want someone to work on a tropical island off the Queensland coast in what they are calling “the best job in the world.â€� For a six-month salary of £70k candidates need no formal qualifications and will be required to swim, snorkel, dive and sail while living rent-free in a three-bedroom villa, complete with pool. Oh, and you’ll be required to work for just 12 hours a month feeding some of the hundreds of species of fish and collecting the island’s mail. It is a marketing post; the lucky bastard will be required to write a blog, keep a photo diary and record video updates to attract tourists to the area. The job is being advertised around the world. Candidates have until 22 February to submit an online video application. In May, 10 shortlisted candidates and one wildcard, voted for by visitors to the Tourism Queensland website, will be invited to the islands for a four-day final interview process. The successful candidate will start the new job on 1 July. Were it not for the fact you’re dealing with Australians, this really would be the best job in the world. Never mind. Oh, and 200,000 people have visited the site in the opening 24hours!!

Tags: Australia, Leisure and Tourism, see the world, tourism jobs for graduates, travel

If you’re a pervert and lucky enough to have a job, make sure it includes a bit of business travel. A survey from The Business Travel Show claims more than a third of business travellers cheat on their partners while they are on work trips – 8% even admit to joining the mile high club but not with their regular partner. The majority also steal their hotels complimentary toiletries and 23% have ‘accidentally’ packed guest towels or dressing gowns. Sex and free shampoo aside, the good news is that 20% have no intention on cutting down on work trips in the recession, so don’t be afreaid to keep plugging a desire to work abroad in your applications.

Tags: Graduate job interview talking point, travel and overseas opportunities