Careers Consultants

Employing A Careers Consultant
Have you ever thought of using a career consultant or coach? NetExpat is a company that specialises in helping dual career partners find a career in their new location.

Take a look at some of their testimonials:

Testimonial 1:
It has been almost a year now since my husband and I have moved from the Netherlands to Brussels. It is unbelievable how much can change in such a short period.

In the summer of last year, my husband was asked whether he would be interested in being transferred to Brussels for a new job. The idea of leaving my job and moving to another country seriously appealed to me. If things didn't work out well we could always come back, since Brussels is not at the other end of the world. So it didn't take us long to reach the decision to do it. I finally decided to do post-graduate studies.

But it wasn't as easy as I thought.

It was after we arrived in Brussels and after I had started my studies that I was offered the services of Net Expat. To be honest, I was quite relieved that I had gotten some professional help in my searching. Even though I had enough time left, I felt relieved that I could slowly start finding a job, without any pressure.

I was already enthusiastic by the end of my first session (mainly because of all the positive pep talk from my mentor!). Every single step in the process was very well thought out and I got help and was prepared all the way.

From then on I had sessions on a regular basis, not too often since I also had my studies to think of, but often enough to proceed and stay enthusiastic and motivated. After every session I felt more reassured. However I would worry sometimes about what I would do if I had finished my studies and still hadn't found a job.

After I had spent a half-year studying, I actually found a job. It all went really fast. So there I was, still following my studies and already a job offer for a half-year later!

Now I have just started with my new job and, looking back on my life a year ago, I can definitely say that I made the right choice. A choice which has been made a lot easier because of the help I got from Net Expat.

Testimonial 2:
Net Expat: What was it like when you were confronted with the decision and when you were still working in Canada prior to your departure?

Rosanne: Making up our minds was the most difficult and the most stressful period of all. For my husband, who had been offered this new job, it was a challenge, a very exciting opportunity. As for me, I didn't know what to expect - except that I was going back to Square One in terms of a job, setting up home, and so on. There were days when I felt I was facing a huge wall of uncertainty! The fact is that the partners start out from entirely different situations.

The intervening period before the move was an entirely different matter because, by now, the decision had been taken. This was a very intense period of planning and preparations for the move, with a lot of problems to be sorted out. It was a very busy time!

What were the biggest challenges you faced in approaching the job market here?

I hadn't been in the job market for a very long time, so it seemed an enormous challenge to me. I didn't know where to start. What's more, this was a new country for me and that didn't help: I didn't have any contacts and I didn't really know the rules. However, the help I got from Net Expat was terrific. My coach there gave me all the tools and support I could have asked for. I really felt I had friends.

Did you have any moments of doubt?

Of course! I went through a very difficult time about two months after I arrived. I started getting rejection letters from potential employers. I also started to feel that I was no one. I had always had a job since the time I left school. So it was very difficult for me to stay at home on my own. I felt like someone who had been pensioned off suddenly. I was also very afraid that I would never find a job. I was losing confidence in myself and wondered whether I had it in me to work again.

Yet today you have your work permit and a good job. So what would you say to other accompanying expat partners who are also 'praying for salvation'?

I would encourage them to be optimistic and patient. People should realize that there are likely to be difficult moments, and this is only to be expected. It's also important to have other things going on during this period and not concentrate all your efforts on the job search on its own. And also to keep in touch with your Net Expat mentor! I'm very happy. I think the experience helped me see more clearly what I wanted and what I was looking for in a job.

Testimonial 3:
Before arriving in Belgium from the United States, I knew that Belgium was full of major companies from around the world. So I thought that it would be fairly easy to find a position as a recruiter for an IT group. I was in for a surprise.

I was introduced to Alain and his team at Net Expat and was immediately impressed by their expertise on what it was like to be an expat and what steps it would take for me to find that ideal position. Just as important, the "personality" of the group was very warm and genuine. This was extremely valuable, especially for moral support of which I would need a lot during the process of finding a job.

After getting my CV written and translated into French and Dutch, it was time to get ready for a "hopeful" interview. I was to do a mock interview. And that can only mean one thing…I am going into "The Torture Chamber"! Yes, Alain, preparing for a month, was ready to make me sweat. While facing a camera, he delivered question after question, while the camera was watching every nervous gesture as I squirmed around in my chair.

I did find the experience very beneficial, although horrific, especially after we watched the video and I saw the habits, both positive and negative, that I had never seen before. This gave me both confidence in some of my interview skills and helped me notice what I needed to correct for future live interviews.

Now, after many visits with my coach Sally, I was getting feedback from companies about my CV. I was told that I lacked the language skills or knowledge of the European market. It was true. But this was the surprise that I least suspected. I was at least hoping that US and British companies, who must surely use English, were interested in me. This was a difficult challenge.

This is where the moral support of Net Expat came in. They continued to push, told me to be patient and kept me focused. There were plenty of other companies out there.

I eventually did find that ideal position.

I am very grateful to my wife's employers who provided access to Net Expat. They realize that the support given to an expatriate partner is extremely important. If the partner is happy, the employee is happy and will be productive and therefore, in return, the employer will be happy. In the end…everyone is happy.

You can contact NetExpat at http://www.netexpat.com.