Recently, Arjan caught up with two former colleagues from Portugal who made the move in 2012 four months after each other to continue their working and living lives in the Netherlands. Out of sight, but certainly not out of heart. We looked back on coming over to the Netherlands and how things are going now.
First emigrations
In 2012, shortly after each other, two Portuguese engineers made the move to leave their working lives in Portugal behind and build a new life in the Netherlands through ProjectKwadraat, before TailorMinds was used as a trade name.
They were the first to actually emigrate and start building their lives in the Netherlands. After joining the client of the time, where they still enjoy working by the way, they were able to shape their professional careers from various successive positions.
Integration in the Netherlands including language skills in Dutch has not stood still either. From time to time, there is personal contact during which we notice that we pick up the thread very easily where we left it last time.
Catching up in broad terms
During the dinner, we also reflected on personal experiences. Living and working in the Netherlands with distant relatives in the country of origin is not always easy and sometimes requires substantial adjustments. However positive it is when you consciously choose to leave your country of origin to pursue your career elsewhere, there are always downsides. In recruitment procedures with future colleagues from outside the Netherlands, this the ‘greener grass’, which the Netherlands does not have, is always an item on the interview agenda.
Constant factor
A constant factor is the fall-back base that TailorMinds offers as an employer in the first phase. This provides a good start for many, after this period there is frequent contact with former colleagues around issues or new situations encountered in the Netherlands. Our maxim when a colleague joins a relationship is therefore: ‘Out of sight, but not out of heart’.
Client or applicant?
Are you also a client employer for knowledge migrants and would you like more insight into the guidance we as TailorMinds can offer by taking this off your hands? Are you an engineer working in food, chemical or pharmaceutical industry and considering emigration combined with work to the Netherlands? Feel free to contact us to discuss the possibilities together.
