When the opportunity came up to spend a week secondment working from our Madrid office, I didn't hesitate to apply. As a placement student, and fluent Spanish speaker, the chance to work alongside the Madrid team, was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I especially wanted to bolster my customer service skills and experience working in an international market. Secondments like this aren't offered everywhere and honestly, reflecting on the week, it turned out to be one of the most valuable, enjoyable, and rewarding experiences of my placement so far.
Why Madrid and what I was there to do
Madrid is one of SilverDoor’s key offices with a vital influence in our Hispanic success all over the world. Working with the Madrid team was an excellent opportunity I am truly grateful for. I continued to work within my team based in Lancaster, but alongside my role, I had the opportunity to meet our valued property providers, the client services Cibeles team, and gaining hands-on experience viewing fantastic serviced apartments out in Madrid!
Finding the right base makes all the difference
I stayed in Calle de Fuencarrales with UKIO, a SilverDoor property in Central Madrid, and it set my week up perfectly. It was a gorgeous property just a few minutes’ walk from our stunning office, overlooking the famous Gran Via Street. This went above and beyond my previous experiences in nice hotels as the spacious 2-bedroom apartment really felt like a temporary home, rather than a paid for place to stay, which helped me relax after work, feel comfortable in a new city and have more flexibility in the evenings.
What five days with a different team taught me
Working in Madrid was a brilliant eye opener into a deeper understanding of global commercial awareness. Getting to understand the Spanish working day and the business culture was a brilliant opportunity to improve my professional skillset working with Spanish clients, which is quite a common occurrence working with lots of European accounts.
I loved the atmosphere working in Madrid, a very positive team with flowing conversation whilst also working hard, getting the best out of everyone together and a high level of morale (I think it helps having the sun on our beautiful rooftop terrace at lunchtime too!)
Making the most of the city
Madrid is undeniably beautiful with every street shining with careful architecture and happy people. During my trip I went to lots of local markets, green gardens and plenty of bars and restaurants with the team!
The daytime in Madrid is excellent, but the evening is wonderful too! We visited lots of local tapas bars, had meals out in Plaza Mayor and enjoyed authentic Spanish bars filled with fun culture, music and dancing.
If you're heading to Madrid for work
Adjust your rhythm – The late lunch and dinner take a very long time to get used to coming from 7pm dinners in the UK, but the food more than makes up for it!
Location matters – Madrid is a well-connected city and almost everything is walkable! Central Madrid is stunning to walk through, wherever you stay it is unlikely you are going to be too far to get there by foot. The Metro is simple and easy to use, and runs across the whole city.
A little Spanish helps – Having lived in Spain and having a lot of language experience from my childhood, I was able to really take in the Spanish experience. However, almost everybody speaks great English, and the friendly culture means they appreciate your efforts in Spanish, so give it a go!
Was it worth it?
Yes. Absolutely. To any future SilverDoorians that have the opportunity to apply for secondment, there really is no harm in giving it a go! Madrid is my favourite city in the world, and there’s truly something there for everyone.
Planning a work trip to Madrid? SilverDoor has a range of serviced apartments across Madrid to suit every stay.
