Lessons from a long job hunt

With perseverance and the right support, expat partners can often achieve job search success abroad. We talk to Snežana Boldocký, a Serbian native who moved to the Netherlands in 2016 without much job-hunting experience or knowledge of the local language.

Support

Snežana recounts her story: “I studied chemistry in Serbia and then joined a multinational company straight out of university. I worked there for eleven years. The job was often stressful, but I still found it hard to quit when we moved abroad. Luckily, the partner support programme of my husband’s employer offered me help to look for a new job, via a career coach from Global Connection. That was very important to me. Being in a foreign country, I don’t know how I would have coped without coaching support.

Focus and believe

The coach kept me motivated throughout my job search. She told me to focus on international companies that are used to working with foreigners who don’t speak the local language, and really believed that I would find a job. She kept saying: ‘Take your time, be patient, and it will happen.’ That was the biggest lesson I learned from her; you must believe that when one door closes another one will open. There is a job for everyone, you just need time, patience, and to stay motivated.

Valuing yourself

I must have sent out around 30 applications and only got a handful of job interviews. Initially, I found the process stressful, but I got more relaxed and confident as time went on. My coach kept telling me: ‘Be as you are. Tell employers about your experience, and let them know what you want. Focus on your skills and don’t think you are less valuable than other candidates because you don’t speak the local language. A language can be learned in a classroom, experience can’t.’

Success

All in all, my job search took about a year, but I believe it would have taken much longer if I hadn’t been coached. I found work through my professional network with a medium-sized Belgian company. It is just over the border from where I live and has a plant near my hometown in Serbia. They were really interested in my skills, and willing to create a position for me. This job is a great opportunity. It is close to home, I’m learning a lot, I have supportive colleagues who understand that Flemish isn’t easy for me and, what’s more, I get to visit Serbia once every five or six weeks!”

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