Every summer, loads of young people swap home for a resort, work in bars and venues, and come back with a tan, a load of new friends and stories they'll be telling for years. If you've been thinking about it but don't know where to start, this is for you.
Here's a step-by-step guide to doing your first season abroad – from picking a resort and understanding how the jobs work, to budgeting, packing and getting through your first couple of weeks. We'll use our two destinations, Zante in Greece and Albufeira in Portugal, as examples, but most of it applies wherever you go.
What is "doing a season"?
Doing a season means living and working in a holiday resort for the summer, usually for one to three months. Most seasonal jobs are in nightlife and hospitality: bars, clubs, restaurants, beach venues and events. You work evenings or nights, and your days are mostly your own.
It's not a holiday, and it's not a gap year spent lying on a beach. It's a job in a new country, with all the responsibility that comes with that – but it's also one of the most sociable summers you'll ever have.
Step 1: Pick your resort
The resort shapes your whole summer, so take your time. Think about:
- The vibe – some resorts are all about nightlife, others mix it with beaches, day trips and quieter spots.
- How work and accommodation fit together – this varies a lot between companies and destinations.
- Paperwork – what documents you need to work there.
- Your budget – accommodation prices and how much you'll need to bring.
With us, the two options are Laganas in Zante, a Greek island famous for its party strip, and Albufeira on Portugal's Algarve coast, home to what we reckon is Portugal's biggest party strip. They work quite differently, so read our comparison of Zante vs Albufeira before you decide.
Step 2: Understand how the jobs work
This is where a lot of first-timers get caught out. Plenty of people fly out with no plan and spend their first week walking from bar to bar with a pile of CVs.
With Top Dog Abroad, it works like this: your job is offered to you before you arrive in resort, and you're guaranteed a trial – after that, it's down to you to keep it.
What jobs can you do?
The roles commonly available in our destinations include bar work, PR, club representative, ticket seller, shot seller, VIP hostess, DJ, waiting staff and security. Positions vary by resort and venue. Our jobs page has a short description of each.
Do you need experience?
Not necessarily. Venues look for confidence, reliability and good people skills. If you're outgoing, happy to work nights and good at chatting to strangers, you've already got the most important bits. Experience in a bar or restaurant at home helps, and so does any sales or customer-facing work – even a part-time job in a shop counts.
Zante and Albufeira are different
In Zante, your accommodation and your job are separate. Pay, hours, benefits and working conditions are agreed directly with the venue you work for.
In Albufeira, your worker accommodation is directly linked to your employment. If your job ends, your right to stay in the accommodation ends too, after a standard warning process (verbal warning, then written warning, then termination).
Step 3: Sort your paperwork
Paperwork sounds scary, but it's very manageable.
- For Zante: don't stress – venues in Zante help their staff sort out working documents, and our reps are on hand to help you with yours.
- For Albufeira: you'll need the legal right to work in Portugal. Our reps can help you with your documents.
For either resort, you'll also need a valid passport, travel insurance that covers your whole stay, and – if you're Irish or from the UK – your EHIC or GHIC card for state healthcare.
Step 4: Work out your budget
There isn't a magic number, because it depends on your flights and your spending habits. The best rule of thumb is to bring enough to cover your flight and your accommodation until your first wages come in.
Here's what our accommodation costs, per person:
| Stay | Zante | Albufeira |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | from £549 | from £450 |
| 2 months | £1,249 | £900 |
| 3 months (June–August) | £1,650 | £1,300 |
One-month prices depend on the month you pick: in Zante, June is £599, July is £699 and August is £549; in Albufeira, June and August are £450 and July is £550. There's a £50 deposit option on one-month stays and a £100 deposit option on two- and three-month stays, with balance-payment options shown on each product.
For a fuller breakdown of the other costs to plan for – flights, food, nights out and a safety buffer – see what a season in Laganas actually costs.
Step 5: Book your accommodation
Having your accommodation sorted before you fly takes a huge amount of stress out of the first week.
Our rooms are basic budget worker accommodation – shared with two other people of the same gender – with reps on hand in resort to help if anything goes wrong. A few things to know:
- Each booking is for one person. You're booking a space, not a private room.
- Rooms are allocated separately by our team.
- Travelling with friends? Add their names when you book. We'll do our best to keep groups together, but it isn't guaranteed.
- Going solo? Loads of people do. You'll be living with other workers from day one.
You can see the details on the Zante accommodation and Albufeira accommodation pages.
Step 6: Pack properly
You're packing for a few months, not a fortnight. The basics: plenty of light clothes and swimwear, a few going-out outfits, comfortable shoes for long shifts, a European plug adapter and an extension lead, high-factor sun cream, any prescription medication, and a backup bank card kept separately from your main one.
And take the advice of everyone who's done it before you: bring more clothes than you think you need.
Step 7: Your first two weeks
Nail your trial
Your trial is your chance to show the venue what you're like. Turn up on time, dressed how they've asked, and with your phone away. Learn names, ask questions, and get stuck in even when it's quiet. Venues remember the people who are reliable from the first night.
Look after yourself
Long nights, hot days and a new routine can catch up with you. Drink plenty of water, wear sun cream, eat proper meals and get some sleep between shifts. The season is a marathon, not a sprint.
Expect a wobble
Homesickness is completely normal, especially at the start. As Caoimhe, who spent a summer doing social media in Zante, put it: "At the start you miss your family and home. That's normal." It passes quickly when you're living with a group going through the same thing – in her words, "You go from strangers to best friends in about a week."
Use your reps
Our reps are in resort to help. If something's wrong with your room, your job or anything else, tell them early rather than letting it build up.
Ready to start?
If you've got questions about jobs, rooms or which resort suits you, email the team at bookings@topdogabroad.com or message us on Instagram at @topdogabroad. We're happy to talk it through before you book.
FAQ
How long is a season abroad?
With us, you can choose one, two or three months, with stays running between June and August.
Can I do a season on my own?
Yes. Many people travel solo. Rooms are shared and allocated by our team, so you'll be living with other workers from the start.
Is my job guaranteed?
Your job is offered to you before you arrive in resort, and you're guaranteed a trial – after that, it's down to you to keep it.
How much will I earn?
It depends on the role and the venue, so there isn't a fixed rate. In Zante, pay is agreed directly with the venue that employs you.
When should I book?
Earlier is better if you want your choice of months and more time to plan your budget, flights and paperwork.