HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF LOOK ATTRACTIVE TO THE EUROPEAN EMPLOYERS
Europe is a fantastic destination for expats to work and explore. Due to the enormous opportunities that await there, as well as the high standard of living and excellent work culture, expats are always eager to move over there for some time to explore an environment that lets them discover their true potentials.
Europe is a popular destination for expats worldwide, especially among those who live in the Asia Pacific region. People who visit this destination are left with a great experience and unforgettable memories of their recent trip to Europe that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.
To get an exciting job opportunity, you would need extensive research and planning. Of course, being physically present in the country is only one part of the process. Getting a job offer from an employer is not sufficient enough to swing you into action. You need to make sure that you can apply for work visas, citizenship and residence permits so that your stay in Europe can be long lasting and hassle-free.
Here are some of the tips to stand out from the crowd and make an impression on European employers:
1) Present yourself as a ready-made combination of solutions employers need. As you know the employers are very busy people. They do not have time to evaluate the situation from scratch and figure out if they need your specific expertise. In most cases, they already know what they need (or at least think that they know). So it would help if you convinced them that you are exactly what they are looking for. Take into consideration their needs while crafting your presentation of yourself in the resume/CV or cover letter using one or more of these strategies:
2 a) Use words from the employer's job announcement - when designing your resume/CV or cover letter decide which employers' terms and vocabulary will be used to describe your problem. Then use the exact words or ones that mean the same thing in expressing yourself and your solution to this problem (your experience, knowledge and skills).
3) Save your money for the moving and living expenses - this is good advice from someone who moved to another country to find a job after losing his. This way, you will not spend all of your money before getting hired. You will have financial reserves that will be needed until you get settled into your new job. Also, you may need these funds if something goes wrong during the hiring process or while negotiating with an employer. So do not give away everything at once! Be wise!
4) Check out temporary agencies- many employers use them when they are looking for people with particular expertise (engineering, accounting etc.) because they offer short term work contracts which makes it easier for an employer to terminate employment in case the employee is not a good fit for his job. Temporary agencies also provide information about positions they have available to their customers, which other employers have published.
5) Make yourself unique- it will help you stand out from the crowd. You can do this by taking any necessary actions (educational and professional) to achieve some personal goals or milestones that would make you unique among people applying for similar jobs as yours. The key here is to be creative, do something unusual! Also, if you are asked during an interview what your goals and interests are, list them in such a way so that they could be used as examples of your achievements later on when related to tasks for which you are applying.
6) Go after smaller companies- they are easier to find and get the job from. Many of them do not have recruiters (companies usually do this themselves) or an advertising budget for recruitment. Some of them never even place ads, meaning that your resume/CV will be processed faster if you go directly after a company without going through the agencies first.
7) Get involved in your community- get involved with popular activities in your local area, join clubs, associations and other community organisations while living in Europe. Working on these things can open up opportunities that you would probably miss otherwise. You could meet people who could give you an excellent reference for jobs and make new friends who may help you when looking for employment, for example, by offering you a room in their apartment or help with everyday things that make the transition easier. It would be even more helpful if you will take these people along on your interviews so that they can tell potential employers about your good character and social skills!
8) Try to get an invitation from local professionals related to getting involved in your community. The idea here is to check out your local community calendar of events for activities that attract many established professionals, such as seminars, conferences, lectures etc. There should be many of them advertised online these days, so it won't be difficult for you to search them out. Then contact some inviting persons (professors, managers etc.) before the event takes place and offer yourself as translator/interpreter for the event. Of course, you will have to show your language skills to get hired, making sure that you do this part ahead of time.
9) Try looking offline - while the Internet is a great tool, it could not be used in every situation when searching for jobs. Some employers still want to meet their potential hires face-to-face before hiring them, especially if they hire someone who lives in another country from where they are based. Also, many small and medium-sized companies may only advertise job openings through their internal networks or via direct communication with individuals who fit specific requirements (having the proper education and experience). So try reaching people directly by sending emails that would contain your resume/ attached CV.
10) Don't forget about job fairs - these are organised by different institutions, agencies and organisations for people looking for jobs and those who need to hire new employees (including hiring temporary workers). The idea is that a company or organisation will send out invitations to potential candidates for the positions they have available to come to the events, which are usually set up in large halls and even big arenas. Candidates then submit their applications and resumes/CVs and then get interviews with employers onsite. These kinds of events draw many interested persons from all around Europe, not just from your country where you live, so make sure that you don't miss them when travelling in Europe.
11) Outside of Europe - this is related to the previous point concerning job fairs. There are also job and career fairs that take place in other countries than Europe. Check out what kind of events these are in your area, make sure you register on their websites and contact employers before they begin to establish whether they have positions open for foreigners or not.
12) Make sure that your resume/CV is up-to-date - when going on interviews, make sure that your application documents are updated because this will impress employers and recruiters. After all, it shows that you care about what you're doing. This will also give an impression to prospective employers that you know how to take responsibility for your personal affairs and that you are organised.
13) Practice online tests - many websites include sample tests where you can practice your skills and improve them before applying for jobs or going on interviews. These websites would usually give a detailed breakdown of who their target audience is (for example, those who need to pass the IELTS test or TEF examination ), so make sure that you look at their analyses before using their practice tests.
14) buy books - if you are serious about improving your language skills (and who isn't?) then go to good book stores and buy some guides, manuals etc. which will teach you how to write essays or prepare for different kinds of tests in the language that you want to improve. Of course, this requires a particular effort on your part, but it is worth learning this way because, after all, there is no one teaching you anything when buying these kinds of materials!
15) There are competitions meant for Europeans - if you live in Europe, consider participating in such events where applicants can win money prizes even before looking for a job! These typically include contests where candidates must create videos about specific topics to attract employers looking for potential hires. If you make a good video, you might get lucky and be offered a job before you even finish your studies!
16) Have an open mind - when searching for jobs in Europe, don't set limits regarding where (in which European country) you would like to work. Consider working abroad as an adventure! This is related to the idea of thinking globally because, after all, this will expand your horizon and increase your chances of success as it makes you adaptable to new situations. Also, check out some websites that offer services such as career counselling or job search assistance because they can help guide you through the process of getting hired for different kinds of jobs.
17) Don't neglect your CV/resume - aside from having a good resume/CV, you also have to know how to present yourself in the best way possible when you go to an interview. Make sure that your clothes are neat, clean and of high quality. This will show employers and recruiters that you are serious about getting employed and didn't just join the queue (or apply for a bunch of situations) simply because it's a nice opportunist move that can get you some sweet dough!
18) Join a society - there are many societies where foreigners can join, which might provide them with some exciting job opportunities. These include volunteer programs and paid work positions that require specific skill sets (and qualifications). Join these kinds of groups to meet other people who share similar interests and find out about various job openings!
19) Start creating a network of well-connected people - when you start looking for jobs in Europe, it is impossible to know who you can approach and how easy it will be to find work. The best thing that you can do at this point immediately starts building relationships with those people who might help you get a job once you've finished your studies. Of course, if they have connections, it doesn't matter what field they are involved in because anything goes (make sure not to ask them for any illegal work positions).
20) Create a list of places where they could see your resume/CV - prepare lists or databases containing the e-mail addresses of companies or organisations that offer jobs related to the one you have graduated from. If you do this correctly, you will be able to send your resume/CV to a wide variety of employers, and it wouldn't matter if they were asking for different job openings.
21) Look outside the box - don't just look at conventional job offers because many other possibilities could offer attractive positions. For example, the European Union makes funds available every year to help students from different countries find jobs (students working on employment projects!)
Also, look for international job fairs that could help you find new opportunities in Europe.
22) Don't be intimidated by employers - don't think that just because they are big companies or have a large number of employees working somewhere, then you couldn't possibly get hired there. Think outside the box and try to find ways to make yourself more marketable! For example, maybe you can create a list of reasons why their company would benefit from hiring someone with your qualifications (including specific skills such as knowledge about languages).
23) Plan - if you wait until the last minute to try and land a job, then you might miss out on some excellent opportunities, so plan instead! Try thinking about possible situations that might occur and how you will react to them (make sure you've also tried planning when it comes to skills like language).
24) Don't be afraid of moving! If you apply for a job in another country, don't be frightened because work opportunities exist throughout Europe. You'll have plenty of options, and there is most likely no reason why you shouldn't be able to find something that you would enjoy doing in the long term.
25) Find out where your seniors went! - if they can land jobs after graduation, then chances are good that you might also be able to depend on similar opportunities! Look at their CV/resume and see how they managed to find employment quickly after finishing their studies, or ask them directly about any tips and advice they might have!
26) Finally, be persistent - don't give up too quickly because there is a good chance that if you keep looking, then you will eventually find the proper position for your personality. Be creative and think outside the box, and before long, you should be ready to land a job in Europe!
We are young people who know how it feels to start job hunting abroad, and we want to help others by sharing our experiences with them. You can read more here: https://faruse.com.
This article has been written after numerous conversations with friends who were looking for work in different European cities or countries. If you're also interested in finding out all that I've gathered, then feel free to share this article with your friends as well!
Good luck and have fun with your job hunting in Europe!
Written by Rohan Singh. He co-founded Faruse and is a full-stack growth marketer based in Paris. You can contact him on LinkedIn.
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