When it comes to embarking on a tech job search, you’ll find that the opportunities and cultural norms are quite different from country to country—even for those situated within the European Union. From diverse work visa requirements to contrasting work-life balances, each country has its unique standards.
With that said, it’s a smart move to first research and then select the country to which you’d like to move your tech career. Once you’ve narrowed this down and begun your job search, you’ll want to implement these best practices to get a leg up on the competition and move forward in consideration.
Large online job boards make it easy for a wide swath of employers to post listings for plenty of applicants to see. However, this means that perusing them without specificity will make actually finding an appealing tech position that much harder.
By using specialized platforms where tech companies are searching for international candidates, you’re bound to come across more relevant and fruitful results. For example, Relocate.me narrows in on listing IT jobs that require relocation.
Here are a few more employment search sites that allow filtering for tech jobs with visa sponsorship and/or relocation assistance:
Networking is an valuable tool that can not only bring you closer to a hiring company, but can also grant you a major advantage when seeking a particular position. Of course, your connections can first inform you of relevant openings and proceed to vouch for your skills and experience once you’ve applied.
Ultimately, companies want to hire great candidates who they also like and trust; and therefore, the contacts with whom you’ve cultivated relationships have the opportunity to speak to your strengths as a developer.
While networking with other software engineers is always a useful job search strategy, be sure to scope out industry events and communities that align closely to your skill set.
If you’re not quite sold on the efficacy of networking, the success found with referrals will change that. Again, job boards are a wonderful way to identify all of the IT jobs out there, but there are so many more intricacies to actually securing a position than simply submitting a resume and cover letter.
Put the word out that you’re beginning your tech job search to your friends and family, and ask to be connected with anyone who might have insight and the time to speak with you.
Better yet, get specific about the companies that you want to work for and connect with their employees on LinkedIn. If they’re receptive, be sure to ask questions about the organization, their role and duties, and the position you plan on applying for. Not only can you effectively expand your network this way, but you can create the opportunity for a direct referral and a considerable advantage as a candidate.
IT recruiters are there to help you match with potential employers and tech jobs that are best suited to your skills, interests, and values. It’s their job to know which companies are hiring and then use their network to pair strong candidates with these employers. In fact, tech companies are often keen on utilizing recruitment agencies in order to reach international talent for their hiring pools.
Recruiters are even able to fill you in on all of the relevant information of a company, including their interview process, relocation policy, and benefits.
If you already have a handful of potential employers in mind, go that extra step by connecting with their hiring teams and/or recruiters on LinkedIn. If you’re unable to identify these specific employees, reach out to a team member, state which position has caught your attention, and ask to be connected with the appropriate person.
In order to really stand out, write a code sample for your target company and send it along with your resume, cover letter, and any other materials (e.g. GitHub profile, personal website, tech blog) to the relevant person.
Beginning your search for developer jobs abroad might seem like entering the lottery, but the success to getting hired actually isn’t a gamble after all. In addition to having a strong, up-to-date resume and LinkedIn profile, there are countless strategies that will present you as a company’s ideal candidate.
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