Graduating
Graduating
Help! What now?
Graduated? Congratulations! You’ve worked long and hard to get your diploma and now it’s time to enter the real “grown up” world. You’ve probably asked yourself: what do I do now? Don’t panic! STAN doesn’t forget the soon to be ex-students. We’ve gathered some interesting links and articles to help you tide over the period between graduation and your first job.
Where will I live?
Will you stay in Antwerp after you’ve studied here? Then you have to find a job… and a place to live! Because you probably won’t be allowed to stay in your beloved “kot”. The easiest way to search for a new home, is by going through the huge offer on sites like Immoweb or by becoming a member of Facebook groups offering apartments in the city that you’re interested in. Last but not least, it’s also possible to call in a real estate agency that will help you look for the perfect place to stay that suits your budget.
Can I get a job?
Before you can start looking for a job, you first have to investigate what documents and formalities you need in order to be legally safe as an employee in Belgium.
- Are you a European citizen? Visit Eures, the European employment services network for everything you need to know about the Belgian labour market, the living and working conditions and the rules about free movement in Europe.
- Are you a non-European citizen? Contact the Belgian embassy in your home country to find out if you are allowed to work in Belgium.
Made sure you can legally work here? Let’s find your perfect dream job! The website of VDAB offers you loads of information about jobs in Belgium. They also have a limited English portal, but applications are mostly in Dutch. In the job database of the VDAB you’ll find thousands of jobs for which you can apply. The VDAB also has an English site for foreigners called Work in Flanders, where it’s also possible to search for job offers especially interesting for internationals.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Off course you’re not the only foreigner working in Flanders and most problems you’ll face will probably have been tackled by other internationals before you. So if you have any questions it might be a good idea to try and ask them in a facebook group like Expats in Antwerp and Expats in Belgium. Another great source of information is Flanders Today, an online English-language newspaper about everything that’s happening in Brussels and Flanders.
The official website of Flanders also gathered all the information you need to know when you’re moving to Flanders, looking for a job and when you’re working in Flanders as a foreigner.
The team's tip!
Make sure you have a fresh breath during your job interview, so take a gum before you go in. Or even safer: a mint!
Katina
