[thelist] Working in Europe

[mia at miaridge.com]

On Mon, 25 Feb 2002, Graham Bird wrote:

> I know this is off topic but...I work in the UK and I am looking for new
> work in mainland Europe (preferably Holland) - does anyone have any advice
> on making this sort of move (e.g. handy contacts, agencies, etc.).

I moved to Amsterdam from Australia last year, and found that most of the
agencies that handle English-speaking web work were based in London.  A
research trip to Amsterdam is a wise move, but you can also do a lot of
preliminary work in the UK.

It's definitely worth learning Dutch because you'll be able to relate to
your colleagues a lot better, and you'll be able to read local news and
those all-important company-wide emails.  You may also find that existing
documentation is in Dutch.

http://www.monster.co.uk/ and http://www.it.jobserve.com/ are good sources
for finding specific jobs and agencies with work in your profession and
location.

<tip type="Job searches" author="Mia">
While emailing agencies about their advertised jobs might seem the easiest
and most logical thing to do, it is often better to call and talk to the
listed contact first.  Follow up with an email that acts as a cover letter
tailored for that particular job, refers to your conversation and includes
your resume.  Agents get a lot of email and might miss yours unless
they're looking out for it.
</tip>

<tip type="Job searches" author="Mia">
Don't assume that job agents who don't have a technical background will
understand your resume.  If you use acronyms, spell them out or place them
in context.  If you list either Java or Javascript, check that they
understand that these are two different languages.
</tip>

Mia