Applying for jobs in Spain: CV, cover letter and interview

A job application in Spain normally means two documents: a CV (currículum vitae) and a cover letter (carta de presentación). That is how the EU's EURES portal describes it, even though some employers use their own application form. The Spanish public employment service, SEPE, publishes guidance on what both should contain; this guide follows it and adds what Spanish law allows and forbids during recruitment.

The CV

• Short: one page, two at most if you already have a lot of experience.
• Reverse chronological: your most recent job and qualification first.
• No mistakes: according to SEPE, spelling or grammar errors can get an application rejected straight away, whatever language it is in.
• Tailored: a separate version for each job, showing what you bring to that particular role.
• Languages with levels: ideally using the European framework from A1 to C2, so the employer knows exactly what to expect.

If you want a standard European format, use the Europass CV. The European Commission offers the editor free of charge, with templates in 29 languages, and you do not need an account to use it. For a hotel, bar or shop job a simpler layout is fine – what matters is that your experience, languages and availability can be found at a glance.

Photo, age, marital status: what you can leave out

SEPE says a photo may be included, usually in the top right-hand corner. Nothing obliges you to add one, nor your date of birth, marital status or children. Spanish law forbids treating applicants less favourably on such grounds: the Workers' Statute lists sex, marital status, age, origin, religion, sexual orientation and language among others (articles 4.2.c and 17.1), and the Equal Treatment Act, Ley 15/2022, adds illness and health condition, disability and socio-economic situation.

The cover letter

SEPE's guidance is clear that in Spain a CV should always come with a cover letter. Keep it to one page, write it fresh for each application and make the job you are applying for obvious at first glance. A simple structure works: why this job, what you bring to it, and from when and for how long you are available. If you are applying from abroad, say when you will be in Spain – it answers the employer's first question before it is asked.

Evidence: qualifications, references, work history

Have copies of your main qualifications and employment certificates ready, translated if they are not in Spanish or English. It also helps to name two or three former managers as referees who are happy to take a phone call – ask them first. If you have already worked in Spain, your employment history report (informe de vida laboral) lists every social security registration; you can download it from the Import@ss portal.

Recognition of qualifications – only when you need it

Whether your qualification needs recognising depends on the profession. If it is not regulated in Spain, you do not need recognition and can work on the same terms as Spanish nationals, according to the European Commission; the EU's regulated professions database tells you which category yours falls into.

• Regulated professions, such as many in health care: with a qualification from another EU country, recognition follows Royal Decree 581/2017, which implements the EU directive on professional qualifications.
• University degrees: a regulated profession requires homologation to the equivalent Spanish Grado or Máster. Otherwise a declaration of equivalence (declaración de equivalencia) is enough – it has academic effect only, for public-sector selection processes or so an employer can place your degree. The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities handles both (Royal Decree 889/2022), whatever country your degree is from.
• Vocational qualifications below university level can be recognised by the Ministry of Education as equivalent to a Spanish Formación Profesional title, or credited module by module; residents of Galicia, Catalonia and the Basque Country apply to their region.

Proving your Spanish

The DELE is the official way to certify your Spanish. The Instituto Cervantes awards these diplomas on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, at levels A1 to C2, and they never expire. The level an employer expects should be in the job listing; if it is not, ask before you pay for an exam.

Working with children: a mandatory certificate

Jobs involving regular contact with minors – kids' clubs in hotels, childcare, teaching, coaching – require a certificate showing you have no convictions for sexual offences (certificado de delitos de naturaleza sexual, article 13.5 of Organic Law 1/1996). The Ministry of Justice issues it free of charge, online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate, in person or by post. For nationals of other EU countries it also checks with the home country, which can take up to 30 days, so request it as soon as you start applying for such roles.

The interview

Prepare three things: what you actually did in your recent jobs, why you want to work in this region and for this employer, and when and for how long you are available. Ask about everything that will have to be in the contract: the type of contract, the hours, gross pay and whether it is quoted in 12 or 14 payments, which collective agreement applies and, for seasonal jobs, whether accommodation is included.

Applying through Vokaro

On Vokaro you apply with your Talent Card, which holds your occupation, experience, languages and availability once for every application. You then pick a CV – uploaded or made with the résumé builder – and write a cover letter, followed by the employer's questions, your availability and any documents. Employers first see an anonymous preview without your name, photo or contact details; they see your full profile only once you apply or agree to it.