8 STRATEGIES FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS WHO WANT TO WORK IN EUROPE
There are a few different options. We think the first step is to look at what your current situation is… Are you living in New Zealand, Australia or Canada? If so, there's this narrative that people have when they want to live and work abroad. They want to make it happen – they can't just sit around dreaming about it. Maybe they even try to make it happen and fail at some point, but then after that, you get the mindset of "I can't do this."
There are different types of ob opportunities available to English speakers in Europe. You might also be interested in going to an English-speaking country and getting some work opportunities there. Or, finally, there is the option of living somewhere like Germany where all inhabitants speak your native language.
Full-Time Jobs For English speakers in Europe
The easiest way to get a job in Europe if you're an English speaker is probably to apply for a position. There are lots of work opportunities advertised online. One easy way to find these opportunities is by using them directly on the company website. Some vacancies are even aimed at people who don't speak the local language and offer a little more money for that reason, like incentives for learning the local language. So it's not hard finding full-time jobs in Europe – I think it's just about being brave enough to go ahead and apply. Many companies have websites where they post jobs and check newspapers and ask your friends or family – look around you! You'll see excellent opportunities out there, and it's just a case of going ahead and applying.
Full-time jobs are a great way to meet other English Speakers. If you have enough work experience or qualifications, it's relatively easy for you to get a job in Europe as an English speaker. There is no set rule here about what kind of job will make it easier for you to find friends at the workplace - any full-time job can do that.
Some knowledge of the local language is necessary. However, if this isn't something you're willing to learn, I'd still recommend using websites like Indeed and Monster and applying anywhere that looks interesting. If your current level of education isn't high enough, there might be different ways around that – such as looking into internships before applying for more senior positions.
Part-Time Jobs For English speakers in Europe
Part-time jobs are also an excellent way to meet people in the first few months abroad. Depending on your situation, you might want something that you can do after work or during weekends - maybe with friends and family. In any case, start looking at options for a part-time job pretty soon after you arrive! There are lots of opportunities out there, and they're relatively easy to find online as well. Another advantage is that it shouldn't take a lot of preparation to apply for these kinds of jobs – so even if you don't have much experience, that's not a problem here!
There are also part-time work opportunities in Europe for English speakers. We think it's vital to take this kind of job because they help you build some work experience and it also makes it easier to make friends with locals if you get a job aimed at people who don't speak the local language.
One example of a part-time opportunity would be teaching English as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). You can apply for positions like that online or maybe check the notice boards in your local university. Even going back to full-time roles, there might be a case where you'd meet other people who are interested in finding jobs abroad – so look around you! Try new things and see what works for you.
Internships For English speakers in Europe
An internship is also an excellent way to get to know people, and it's also a great way of getting some work experience. It can take an internship or maybe two years until you feel like "I'm ready for something." But it might be possible that you apply for an internship and do so well at the interview that they offer you a real job! That's one option – but if not, then internships are essential for gaining work experience. They're often unpaid because companies use them as a kind of training period. So that means internships are pretty hard to come by unless you have some connection to the company already - but many internships are advertised online.
You can also consider taking an internship abroad while you're studying, which means that your university will be picking up the cost of the experience – this way, it might be possible for you to get an intern position in Europe without any previous work experience. Do some research about this option before applying anywhere; don't just find something you like and then go straight ahead and use it! There is a lot of competition out there, so be sure to read up on how to write a good CV/resume and any other tips on making yourself stand out from the crowd!
Graduate Programs For English speakers in Europe
Graduate programs are an excellent way to get some experience and learn about the culture in your new country. Many companies offer this sort of opportunity to newly graduated students – there's also a chance that you might be able to apply for something while you're still studying! This is a better option because it gives you more time if there isn't an opening right after graduation, so it can be worth keeping this option open.
I mention graduate programs because they're often longer term than internships, which means that it might take longer before you find out whether or not people are interested in hiring you as full-time employees later on!
If you've finished school and now have some work experience behind you, then it's a good idea to think about graduate programs in Europe. These are usually aimed at people who want to start their careers or maybe even change careers! Graduate programs give you the chance to work for a European company for a year or two and also allows your employer to get more familiar with your work before making any long-term decisions. This is an excellent way of getting started in your life abroad. It shows that you're committed to improving yourself instead of just dreaming about living abroad without taking any action. It might be hard to look at available positions online, but if you have someone local who can help guide you through the process, it might be a lot easier and more productive to work directly with the employers themselves.
Remote Jobs For English speakers in Europe
We are going, being honest: remote jobs are a lot harder to find. If you've figured out how to do this properly, then that's awesome - but most people cannot make it work as well as they want. Remote jobs mean working from home or maybe even from coffee shops or shared office spaces – so definitely watch some videos about all of these places and figure out which ones might be the best for your next step!
For many people, remote jobs are challenging because they have to deal with technology issues like lousy internet connections or long-distance charges if you need an internet phone line etc. But there are still companies who will offer remote job positions rather than actual office positions – and they can be an excellent option if you live somewhere where it's hard to find a job that allows you to work in your own home!
We've heard some incredible stories from people who have been able to find remote jobs overseas, and we know how much of an advantage they can be. But, unless you're already living in the country of your choice (making it easier for people to hire you), then this is one of those options that might take some time before everything works out! It doesn't hurt to get started, though – so definitely look online or ask around if anyone knows about companies interested in hiring English speakers abroad.
Remote Internships For English speakers in Europe
Remote internships are a good option for many people looking to live abroad – but they're not as common as other ways of finding work. Remote internships will often offer the same experience (if it's at least one day per week), but you'll be doing it remotely. This means that you won't necessarily get to learn about the culture of how things are done in your new country if you don't have a local host who is willing to help! The only problem with this type of job is that eventually, these companies might expect you to come into an office and start working alongside everyone else instead of doing everything from home. So if there's no way around that issue, then we suggest starting with a remote internship.
If you're looking for a job that offers the same things (if not more) than a regular office job with free food and other benefits, then we suggest applying to some of the companies in the list below. Many of these companies offer perks like flexible vacation days or even offering employees apartments! Some also have different departments or divisions that allow people to learn about new positions and opportunities inside the company.
This is one of our favourite ways of finding a job abroad because it really allows you to learn more about other options within your industry or maybe even opens up doors to discover entirely new careers. We've seen quite a few English speakers find jobs in Europe, thanks to Faruse.
Freelance Jobs For English speakers in Europe
Freelance jobs are prevalent in Europe – especially if your field is tech-related. The best part about freelance jobs is that employers will often allow you to work remotely, but the area you can choose from might be much smaller than some of the other options on this list. It's hard to find good information about online job boards for freelancers, but you can just to Faruse to learn about the companies that have been known to hire English speakers.
First of all, we'd like to point out that there aren't many sites where you can find these types of job opportunities - so it pays off to check options on Faruse out and see what's available!
This is another option that doesn't require obtaining a visa before moving abroad — freelance work should also be reasonably easy if speaking your native language isn't necessary and if you've already got some experience under your belt.
Start your own business as an English speaker in Europe
If you're already living in Europe or want to move here, starting your own business can seem like a pretty good option – especially if you've got some experience that other people might be looking for. So, this is something to consider if you've been doing freelance work or have worked as an employee but want to make more money or have more freedom when it comes time to travelling and taking vacations. It's also a good idea if one of the other options on this list isn't available to you due to visa restrictions or position requirements (like specific degrees).
The best part about starting your own business overseas is that there are pretty much no limitations towards what you can do! You'll still need a bit of startup capital, but if you know how to start a business and are already living in another country, then it's something you should consider.
You will also want to make sure that your idea is marketable. So if you're not sure whether people want or need your product or service, then maybe hold off on making any decisions until you know more about the preferences of local customers.
You can do this from anywhere – but if you want to start up somewhere in Europe where laws are favourable for new entrepreneurs, you must take some time to learn what is involved before quitting your job and moving abroad. Once again, many online resources can help guide people through this process - so use them! More information on entrepreneurship is available here. As always, the best way to learn is by doing! So try new things out and see what works for you.
Final Thoughts
Living and working in Europe can be a rewarding experience for people with a lot of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Suppose you're already living in Europe or are thinking about moving here. In that case, it's worth learning more about some of these options - especially since many aren't available for many other places around the world!
There are lots of hidden opportunities that can be found in Europe – if you're able to learn about them early, then it's likely that your career will take off pretty quickly!
Who knows? Maybe someday we'll see someone from Faruse featured on this list! (We've got high hopes for the future and intend to continue making this site a resource for people who want to find jobs or other exciting opportunities as English speakers.)
What do you think? What are some other options that people should know about when it comes time to finding work in Europe? Let us know in the comments section below. We'd love to hear what you have to say!
Disclaimer: The above statements have been made based on our personal experiences; we do not offer legal advice. They should not be relied upon as professional advice, and they do not consider your circumstances, financial status, goals or needs. Before making life-changing decisions like moving abroad, getting married overseas, or starting a new career anywhere in the world – we strongly recommend first speaking with a professional immigration lawyer, accountant or another type of financial advisor.
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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