Expat Life

Let's face it, dai, it's not always a bed of roses.

Being an expat can be though, just like life itself.

But when you are an expat you are standing over a border, you are neither here or there. Your certainties and your social codes are brought into question. You feel shaken. And everything you used to take for granted is questioned.

You may find yourself wondering "was it worth it?", you feel a bit lonely, you picture yourself as a romantic migrant who just disembarked the Titanic. And all the social media, Skype, Facebook, the online newspaper, are useless. You feel cut out. You are torn between the desire of clinging to your roots and that of diving head down in the new culture, which you love and hate at the same time, and that you will always be looking at from the outside. Like a cat left out of the house in wintertime (yeah, just THAT pathetic). Torn up as to wether you should go inside or pout in disappointment.

Is it worth it then? Just like anything in life, yes. Nothing that leaves you indifferent will leave a mark.

Oh, how many times during this first month I have looked back and forth, I have been brooding over my situation, I have felt confused. “Is this the same for everybody?”, I wondered.

I finally got the idea of asking other expats, who have been in this situation before me, what their feelings are. I wanted to collect their emotions, smiles and sighs. I prepared a little survey that I shared among my friends and acquaintances who went to seek luck abroad. These are the results. Please note this is not scientific, it is based on a small group of persons (22), mainly Italians, and cannot therefore represent the expat life at global level.

Who are the expats of this survey and where are they?

They have gone everywhere: to the north and the south, far away and close to home, to wealthy and not-so-wealthy countries. More than half of them moved towards a colder country, to rainy nations such as the Netherlands and the UK. On average they have been abroad for 4.5 years already, but there is someone who moved 14 years ago and someone who just left 3 months ago (the latter answers questions hesitantly, as if to say "but maybe things will change over time"). Almost 80% of them is still an expat, and is young: boys and girls in their thirthies, who - unlike the previous generation - are not married yet and still not thinking about having a baby. But you also have the brave one who left with his wife and two kids.

Why did they do it, so?

THE TRIGGER

Most of the interviewed expats left for hope of a better future. Some left for a PhD, some for a Master: today's migrants are different from those of the past, they are educated and highly skilled, ambitious and determined, they know they'll have to struggle to reach their goals, and they know that excellence and prestige in Italy are either an heritage or a utopia.

Curiosity is also strong: there is who, like N., left because they had “always wondered how living in New York was”. One or two left for love. Nobody left (or admits to have left) out of despair.

SOCIAL LIFE

Is it easy to start a new life in a different country, with different people and different habits?

No. Almost everybody agrees on the difficulty of making new local friends. Someone is still an optmist, others have given up. L. even says “I live like an old immigrant with my Italian community”. Many blame it on the closeness of the people, claim that making new friends among expats is easier, probably because they are in the same boat as us, and they also speak our same language of gestures, rituals, and social interaction.

(Not) surprisingly enough, those who moved south, like expats living in Italy or other mediterranean countries, had a completely different experience: “I never found it difficult making friends in Italy. Most people are nice and open minded”, “Italians are very friendly”, “there's no problem with making friends”. Hurray! At least we have one thing to be proud about! Let's pat pur shoulders - not for being a flourishing economy of course, but at least for being friendly.

We are regarded as friendly people also when we are abroad: when asked "was it easy to make friends?" two different Italian expats replied “everybody loves Italians!”. When we can be proud, us, the "jennies from the boot", we are super proud.

DIFFICULTIES

Personally, I had expected that practical stuff would be the most difficult thing about moving: finding a house, choosing a health insurance, opening a bank account with the website in Dutch. That I feared and for that I was prepared. then, as usual, life surprises you. What was most challenging, not just for me, was dealing with a subsident, uneasy and constant feeling, that of "not being home”.

“I never get used to be far away from my family”, “I don't feel fully at home”, “You remain a foreigner with a different cultural background also after several years", "After many years living abroad you see your friends from school having kids who grow up where you have been grown up, and you realize you will not be able to share this by having kids in a different place", "You might feel homesick and alone from time to time”, “Getting familiar with a new people (intended as "popolo") is difficult”, “I dread the overall hypocrisy”, “Sometimes I don't feel "at home"”, “it's hard to get used to the culture of the country”.

Those moving to Italy, instead, only complain about the ipercomplicated and exhausting bureaucracy. But also “all the types of coffee available” and "the polemica: (that, in my view, unhealthy habit of making a big fuss just about anythig)”.

JOYS

I asked everybody to tell me “what is the BEST thing about being an expat”. Many, many of them replied “to get to know new cultures”. We do have a heart: we don't just leave to make a career.

Some of the expats, though, are more relieved than happy: they are not enthusiastic about what they've found, they are happy about what they've left behind. “We screwed our country up”, “a few things I was used to live with are now absolutely unacceptable”.

What about expats living in Italy? This time they agree with the Italians. They, too, talk about discovery, enrichment, and “eye-opening experience”.

HOMESICKNESS

What do our adventurous Italians miss when they are abroad? I am sorry, this is gonna sound cliché. But it's true. Mama's boy Italians miss their famiglia, of course.

“My family”, “friends and family”, “family and friends”, “I miss my family”, “I'd like to watch a football match on the couch with my dad”. And so on. Everybody used the words “friends” and “family”. But I think it's normal, not just for us, the pansies. Being apart from your loved ones will make you feel eradicated and defenseless, and it's one of the toughest experience you might have in your life. All expats living in Italy also put family and friends in the first place.

What comes second in the list? We are Italians...of course it's foooood! Someone wrote down his shopping list: “prosciutto crudo, mozzarella, tortellini, parmigiano”. The saying is true, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

Answers that I liked the most, however, talked about cheap happiness, simple everyday pleasures: having breakfast at the bar (with the iconic cappuccino and croissant), weekend trips to some of the homeland beauties, a special place that you used to love. Someone is nostalgic about the colour of the sky.

As for me, I still don't feel homesick about family or food. I do miss my boyfriend of course, but I would miss him even if I was on holidays in paradise. What I miss is being able to relate with people in a spontaneous way. I am not trained or educated for what I found here. The total lack of ceremony and pleasantries that we are so used to in Italy. I know I hated it when I was still there. But I had become good at it. And now I have to learn a totally new way of interacting, negotiating, having fun. "Going Dutch", to me, also means becoming straightforward. And it is as difficult as closing the bike's lock with frozen hands.

TO GO BACK OR NOT TO GO BACK?

The last question of the survey was the typical one-million-dollar question: will you ever go back?

Yes, no, maybe. Most of the expats want to go back at some point, but they don't know when or how, and they are not sure they will be able to adjust to what they left behind. “I like to think I will be back at some point, but the more I see happening the more I am not sure about that. Especially if I compare what I would not have there with what I have abroad: chance to grow and hope that I can make it”.

They are not afraid to speak of “roots”: either it's for "reconnecting" or "affection", they all feel they have an indissoluble bond with Italy, and they hope to be able to create their family there. No matter how long they have been away, how cosmopolitan they may have become, almost everybody mentions the wish to see their children grow in the same land that they were born, hear them speak with the same accent, watch them play in the same streets and under the same sun.

Foreigners in Italy do not have this kind of thoughts: here we feel good, they say.

Then maybe it's us, the Italians, who don't know how to enjoy our land? Maybe it's not so bad as we think? Maybe we just like to complain? Or maybe you need to be far to appreciate the beauty of this country as a whole? Italy is like a gorgeous but petulant woman, who got under your skind and you don't know how to get out of your head. You know you can't stand her, but she still gives you shiver when you think of her.

A few random updates and oh I bought a bike

Let's see, where shall I start from. Not that my life here is sooo more exciting than yours. But I like to share my quirk thought and Dutch findings here.

Well, first things first. Autumn has arrived. Rain and cold had preceded it, but leaves have just started to fall, and it's beautiful. Splashes of yellow and orange brightening up the streets.

You might also have heard that a couple of days ago a storm hit us..  It did not have a fancy girl's name as its US sisters, but was nicknamed "St. Jude," after the patron saint of lost causes. Ahah - how ironic. St Jude brought winds up to 160km/h and 20 to 40mm of rain in just 9 hours.
In Amsterdam, 2 people died, hit by a falling tree. It's so sad and tragic, because it's such a surreal and improbable death.
All trains to and from Amsterdam's central station were blocked and many flights in Schiphol were cancelled. 

Me, I did not even realize how bad it was. Except from a little difficulty cycling to the station in the morning, I spent the day at the pc and was safe inside.

Photo credits Tamara Bok

The weekend was nice. Lots of nice people, places and things do see and do.

On Sunday afternoon I decided to inaugurate my new Dutch grammarbook and I went to study to Utrecht University's Central Library.
It's such a beautiful place!
Back in my university days, I was studying in a small city of Italy, and the university buildings were all small, old and sad. I am not used to fancy classrooms and libraries. Imagine my surprise when I saw THIS!
Free wi-fi, a cool bar, couches, a beautiful view...the small-town girl that it's in me could not believe her eyes.

Here is another Utrecht highlight that I photographed on my way to the library: Nijntje zebra crossing! You cannot really tell from the picture, but the shape of the traffic light it's hers!

But here we come to the highlight of my incredibly adventurous life: ik heb een fiets!!! I have a bike!
I really needed to buy one after using J's bike for almost a month. I was looking for a classic "omafiets", one of those vintage bikes - the name literally means "grandma's bike" - that you were almost run over by while wandering one of Amsterdam's narrow streets.

I could not find the bike I wanted in one of the many second-hand shops in Utrecht, so my colleagues suggested that I check Marktplaats.nl - the Dutch ebay. It's all in Dutch, but thanks to my friend Google Translator and J I was able to locate a few that I really like. The price is cheap, I paid 70 € for a bike in perfect conditions, and I was willing to pay more because I am a silly Italian fashion-victim who really wanted a pretty bike over a bargain ahah. Dutch people usually pay 30 or 40 € for a used bike, so I know I was naive, but I don't care! I love my bike!

BSN

(please note this post is a late translation of the BSN Italian post from 21st October)

It's here...finally!

My BSN has finally arrived!

This means that I finally EXIST. BSN ergo sum.

I can open a bank account, subscribe to a mobile service plan, get a Health Insurance, go to the doctor...

I know this kind of "bureaucratic" posts is not very popular, but I am posting it for someone who, in the future, might need to go through this process.

If you move to the Netherlands from another country, you have to register within 5 days after your arrival. You need to register if you are staying in the Netherlands for at least four months within a period of six months.

You have to register personally. Your partner and children also have to attend, if they are moving with you.
 
Documents needed for a BSN application:

• valid identification (ID or passport)
• a lease or deed of your house. If you do not have one of these documents, you must have written and signed permission from the owner of the property, together with a copy of his or her ID.
• a recent birth certificate (when born abroad)
• a wedding certificate (if and when married abroad)

If you do not have EU/EER nationality, you need to apply for a residence permit at the Naturalisation and Immigration office (IND).

If your stay is shorter than four months, you can apply for a ‘Sofi-nummer' (Tax and Social Security number).

To find out where you should go to apply for the BSN, google the website of the municipality where you are going to live, or check this link.

It's a good idea to call and schedule an appointment in advance, so that you won't have to wait. On the agreed date, just show up with all the documents and in 15 minutes you will be out again!

From the day you apply for the BSN, a countdown is started: for example you have 4 months to get a health insurance or apply for the 30% ruling.

The BSN is issued within a few weeks, but waiting times change a lot between cities: while Amsterdam is super fast (many acquaintances reported they got it on the very same day of the application!), in Utrecht I had to wait for 15 days. Keep that in mind when planning your relocation, as without the BSN you won't be able to get paid, and many companies have tight deadlines for your data to be inserted in their payroll.

The BSN is nothing more than a number. Weirdly enough, it will be sent via standard mail, not e-mail. It's sad that they are waisting such a useless amount of paper in a civilized country like the Netherlands...but in this respect the country is not as advanced as I would have thought...for example they do not separate their rubbish! And, they always ask you if you want a receipt in shops, but they'll print it anyway, and throw it away if you say "no"...what is this???

Lol, enough for today, see you soon!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Netherlands!

It's amazing how many things happened since the last time I posted.

Over the last 5 days I moved to Utrech, I got settled into the new house, I tried the thrill of being an immigrant queuing outside the town hall, I cycled like a real Dutch girl in a new city which was also (incredibly) full of sun, I made friends, I started to work in a new company, read signed and approved tons of paperwork.

But let's go in order.

On Sunday I found my housemate H. and some of her friends waiting for me at the airport. We had a beer, then H. and I got on the train to Utrecht, to fin J. at the station waiting for us with her car (and saving us a long walk home with the luggages...yay!). Janne also prepared a fusion dinner with pizza, kroketten and frikandel. What lovely housemates!!!

If you are following me on Instargram you'll have seen that my place is absolutely LOVELY: my room is small but cozy, and there are a big living room and a dining room decorated with great taste.

I took some pics which I wanted to post, but I've had some problems with my laptop, and I haven't been able to download them. As soon as I fix the computer, I will post them!

On Monday morning at 9 I had scheduled an appointment at the Gemeente Huis of Utrecht for my BSN.

I already had all the paperwork done (including the much logned for address statement) and at 8.48 I was already outside the building, waiting. The door opened exactly at 9 o'clock, and by 9.15 I was outside again. The Netherlands is no game for Italy and its wearingly slow bureaucracy...but not so much, as I will only receive my BSN within 2 weeks from the application :(

Sooo, without a BSN, unable to subscribe to a mobile provider, opening a bank account, or doing anything else, I just cycled around and had a slow breakfast in a beautiful café overlooking a canal. Then I went for groceries, unpacked, took some pictures of the house, and STUDIED DUTCH (ghghgh) until my homies came home and we had dinner together.

The next day I was up to a bigger challenge...my first day of work at the new office!

The fateful day started with me snoozing the alarm (set at 6.30) and opening my eyes half an hour later. My resolutions of straightening my hair calmly, having breakfast calmly, packing my lunch calmly and leaving home calmly were blewn off. But I still managed to do all od that, and at 7.55 I met with my Italian colleague to cycle together to the station, from where the company shuttle leaves.

My first great cultural shock was parking the bike at the station. The picture below shows my bike (actually J.'s bike, who very kindly lent it to me) while it's being loaded onto the upper level (UPPER LEVEL) of the bikes rack.

Yes, it was about to fall on my head

You cannot compare the size of these bike racks to those of Amsterdam's station, but it's still quite an impressive view.

They're all bikes!

The bus was full of young people from different nationalities, and this had a nice feeling to it. The sun was shining outside and the view outside the window was all green and tidy...could you ask for more?!

Once we go to the office I met some of the new hires and together we waited for the HR to pick us up from the lobby, where we were entertained by a Britney Spears video.

A good beginning makes a good ending

We spent the first hour with the HR team, handing in some documents (I was the only one not having done them yet :( ...), briefly going through company policies, and soon enough off we go to our team! I was greeted by smiles and handshakes, then my boss introduced me to the company, the organizational chart, the team, etc etc... He gave me a bi-weekly planning of my training, with names, topics, times and rooms...I was surprised by how accurate it was. He had even prepared an organizational chart of our team, the e-Commerce team, with pictures of my colleagues! Mine as well! "This wasy it should be easier to remember their names" he said. Love it!

It was soon lunch time (12.30). Together with my team we went to the company canteen, where (for just 3 €) I bought a tartare hamburger, an apple and a bottle of water. You can also pack your lunch and eat it there, use the microwave and condiments, buy the ingredients for a sandwich, or just buy a hot meal. Awesome.

I noticed what they say it's true: Ducth people think of food as a source of energy, they don't give it the same important we do as Italians. Two slices of bread with some cheese is a proper meal, so the lunch break is quite short (half an hour). At 1pm we were back to our desks, not before we all had free coffee (and chocolate, and tea)!

The afternoon was heavier, as my boss showed me some complex reports, but it was pretty interesting and you could tell that he was putting a lot of passion in it. Passion and dedication, but never excessive: at 5pm everybody goes home, and that's just normal.

The bad thing was that at the end of the day I was feeling sick, either it was the cold or a virus, I started to feel nausea, headache and a burning in my throat and eyes. After work I went straight to a sort or supermarket/drugstore - but of course I could not understand a shit of what was written on the boxes, so I made the mistake of trusting a shop assistant/pharmacist, who gave me some expensive homeopathic pills who didn't have any effect apart sweetening my mouth...

 

At the shop, still full of hope

Luckily J., who's a nurse, gave me something that made me feel good at once!

Then some cake and a tea before going to bed set me on foot again.

The rest of the week passed by quite quickly, things at work are still slow, but I feel I am gradually adjusting to the new environment.

My goal for the weekend is going out, doing something pleasant, and studying Dutch. Let's see if I can get it all done!

Linda

Negotiating a Contract

After a strenuous selection process (see earlier post!) you finally got an offer?

Congratulations!

Let's see what you can expect from a work contract in the Netherlands and what benefits you can negotiate. These information will help you to understand if what they are offering is good and what else you could ask for.

Standard Benefits

A basic contract, on top of the salary, includes the following benefits:

• Holidays: a minimum of 20 days of paid holiday p/y
• Commuting allowance: up to 100% public transport reimbursement or a certain refund per km if you drive your car to work (up to 60 km per day)
• Pension plan (to which you contribute in a small percentage, around 4%)
• Discount on the health insurance package if you choose the one suggested by your company (there is no public health assistance as in Italy, you have to pay for your own insurance - around 110 € per month for a basic insurance)

Differences with the Italian work contract

There are a few differences with the Italian contract that are worth knowing:

• There is no TFR (the amount paid by Italian companies when you leave the job, either because you quit or retire)
• There are very few bank holidays in the Netherlands! New Year’s Day (1 January), Easter Monday, Queen’s Day (30 April), Ascension Day (40 days after Easter), Whit Monday or Pentecost (7 weeks after Easter), Christmas and Boxing Day (25 and 26 December).
• There are no fixed hourly leaves: you cannot just say "On Friday I am gonna take two hours off". You need to have a personal / familiar / health committment and you have to explain what it is. But in many companies you can ask your boss to stay longer every day and take a short Friday or a few hours off.
• Maternity leave: 16 weeks at 100% of the salary (4 to 6 weeks before the delivery and 10 weeks after the delivery)*. Before the delivery you are also entitled to paid leaves to receive antenatal care (analysis, medical appointments and stuff).

*in Italy you have 22 weeks at 80%

Other special leaves:

• Marriage (including obtaining licenses): 2 days 

• Your 25th and 40th wedding anniversary: 1 and 2 days respectively

• Marriage of your own children, parent or siblings: 1 day

• Birth of your own child (for the father): 2 days

• Death of a family member (partner, parents, children, siblings, parents-in- law): from date of death until funeral

• Death of a relative (grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, brother- and sister-in-law): 1 day

• Taking an exam: travel time and the duration of the exam

• House moving: up to a maximum of 2 days per year, if required

Salary

Let's now discuss the thing that you are most interested in...the salary!

I was very uncertain about what would be a fair salary, and it's difficult to get a clear idea as it really depends on a lot of different factors.

For example, the cost of living can change dramatically between cities, with Amsterdam being the most expensive and Utrecht the second most expensive. It also depends on your field of expertise and your years of experience.

These are the average salaries in the Netherlands for the year 2013 (source):

women: €29,221 - €51,534

men: €34,858 - €65,512

As you can see, 30K is the minimum you should ask, even if you are very junior!

A Software Engineer starts at 35K, if it's senior 45 - 50k. A Project Manager earns around 50k. Managers start at 60-70k.

Taxes & Net Income

How much will you actually pay in taxes?

› 33% on the first 18.628 euros (1,85% taxes & 31,15% social security contributions)

› 41,95% on the next 14.808 euros (10,8% taxes & 31,15% social security contributions)

› 42% on the next 22.258 euros (tax only)

When calculating your net monthly income, bear in mind that:

• There are 12 monthly pays + 1 "Vacation Pay" in June (8% of gross salary)
• If you want to calculate your monthly net income, you should therefore do it WITHOUT including the vacation pay (i.e. 40K > (40K - 3,2K) = 36,8K)

So, for our 40K example, you would be getting a monthly net income of 1919 € (plus the Vacation Pay, which is also taxed). Remember that this does not include the health insurance.

You can find more information about the Dutch tax system here.

The biggest expense you'll have is the accommodation: rent prices for a (decent) studio start at a monthly 700 € in Utrecht and even 900 - 1000 € in Amsterdam. A room in a shared apartment can cost 400 - 600 € or more in Utrecht, and 600 - 800 € or more in Amsterdam. The price usually includes all bills.

30% Ruling

If you will be getting a gross salary of 50K or more, you can apply for the 30% ruling, which is a sort of tax "discount" that is allowed to skilled immigrants, to make up for the expenses that they need to cope with when living in a foreign country. Basically, only 70% of your gross salary gets taxed and the remaining 30% is tax free!

You can find many information about the 30% ruling here.

If you are eligible for the ruling, remember to ask the employer to sponsor you before signing the contract: the application must be signed jointly by you and the employer, and the employer must specify in the employment contract that they are going to apply for the 30% ruling for you.

If you apply within 4 months since the day you start working in the Netherlands, when you are granted the ruling this will be retrospective and they will refund the extra taxes you paid from the beginning. If you apply later than 4 months, the ruling will become effective as of the first day of the month following the month of application.

The ruling is granted by the government, therefore even if the company accepts to apply for you, this does not guarantee that you will be getting the discount.

Hope this was helpful! If you need more information or there is anything missing in this article that you would like to know about, please write in the posts :)

Linda

Application & Selection Process

This post is for those who wish to apply for a job in the Netherlands while living in a different country. How should you apply? What should you expect?

The process really isn't different from Italy or any other country in Europe, but I thought that it's always helpful to be prepared and know what's going to happen. This is my personal experience, and has all been live-tested for you by me :)

1. Looking for a job

Being part of the European Union, applying for a job in the Netherlands from one of the member countries is now very easy and common.

You will find a lot of job postings on major websites like linkedin.com or monster.com, and applying online is a standard procedure. Don't be scared by job descriptions written in Dutch: unless specified, recruiters are very likely to consider international candidates as well.

You can also apply on the corporate website of a specific company, although it is preferable to apply for an available posting: open applications are generally lost in cyberspace.

Your CV should be in English of course, unless you master Dutch!

Don't forget to include a cover letter explaining why you are applying for a job abroad, and specifically why you would like to work in the Netherlands. It's never a good idea to talk about personal matters at this stage, and bear in mind that Dutch people are generally quite reserved with strangers, so even if the reason for your relocation is joining a family member, don't say it! Tell why you appreciate their country (and hopefully you do, as you are willing to work there... :)).

2. Selection Process.

Dutch recruiters are very accurate and reliable: if they are not interested, they will always tell you. It's definitely remarkable, so you're not left in agony...

The selection process is usually divided in 2 to 3 steps: phone call, interview and test.

For some jobs, there may be more than 1 phone call, test or interview, but it depends on the seniority and nature of the role.

A) The Phone Call

If your profile is interesting to the recruiter, you can expect a first contact by email or - more likely - phone call.

WARNING: The phone call will be very long and detailed, and they will ask you a lot of things about your past and current jobs, your skills and expectations: so be prepared! It's always a good idea to study your career's strong points and set your professional goals, so that you are able to comfortably discuss all of this in English without notice.

The person calling will be an HR person, so they won't get too technical, but they will also ask you stuff like "what's your notice period" or "what's your salary expectation". Be sure you know the answer!*

The phone call is so important because it will give the recruiter a lot of information and will help form the first impression of you. If this is negative, then it's very hard to get an interview (shit). But if it's positive, then you will be on top of the applicants list! So be confident, and also try to build your PR skills (they never hurt).

*see next post for useful info ;)

B) The Interview

As you are living abroad, the first interview will probably be held via Skype, WebEx or or join.me to write off travel expenses in case you are not THE ONE.

First of all: install the tool they wish to use in advance, test it and know how to use it :)

Second: connect a little earlier than the agreed time (like, 15 minutes).

Third: make sure that you are in a quiet place where you can relax and talk freely for as long as it's needed (so definitely not the office!). Take a few hours off work if needed, as these interviews can get quite long. Also, look for a nice background: a white wall is always better than a pile of dirty clothes or a nude poster, but if you are looking for a work in the design / art / fashion field, a good looking and tastefully decorated room is desirable.

The interview will be usually divided in 2 parts: the first one is with the HR, the second one with your future boss and possibly someone else from the team. There may be a third part with the boss of your boss (Good sign! Means they already like you!).

C) The Test

Either because you are a foreigner, or because they are less trustful than Italian companies, Dutch employers are generally very likely to ask you to undergo a test. If you are a software developer, they will ask you to write some code; if you are a copywriter, you will have to write some sort of text; and so on.

You HAVE TO accept and take the test, unless you have a very serious reason not to do so (and I can't think of one, if you really want the job), or you will be automatically out of the games. If you have some urgent or unexpected commitment to attend, tell them as soon as possible and ask for the test to be postponed. The test is usually a written assignment to be taken at home.

If you have ANY doubts about the test and how you should do it, ask the HR guy as soon as possible. Do not try to contact your future manager or team unless you've been told so: the HR will contact them for you if needed.

Want to make a big impression? Search the web and their corporate website to find out what the style of the company is, and use it in your assignment: you can generally discover a lot just by reading the "About Us" section. Don't be informal if they are formal, don't be long if they are short, and try to reflect their brand identity.

Not sure if this applies to web developers as well though :)

Respect the deadline (of course) and possibly send the test back 1 to half a day before it. However do not be too early, it shows that you have taken your time to review your test and that you are a meticulous employee.

Always watch out for typos (run a spell-checker just in case) and ask someone you trust to read it and suggest possible improvements (it's not cheating, you would do that at work, too!). Make sure the layout is neat and clear.

When you send your test back, include some notes and explain your choices - we all think in a different ways and others may not be able to understand why you chose an option instead of another. Also, if you motivate your choices in a logical way, the company will be able to tell how you think and - very importantly - a mistake may be forgiven.

D) The On-site Interview

If your company is in a hurry, they may make you an offer even if they haven't met you in person (this happened to me). Generally, however, they will want to meet you before they take a final decision.

If they invite you for an interview, it is legitimate to ask them to pay for any travel expense. Of course if you are very junior, they might not be willing to pay, at least not for everything. Be confident and just ask them to take arrange your visit: there is nothing wrong in this. But don't be too strict - unless yours is a very rare profile, they are likely to find someone else in the Netherlands, so you may need to come to terms.

For example they can pay for the flight and you can pay for the accommodation or (if you are spending the weekend over) you can pay for the extra nights other than the interview's night. These costs may be refundable later, so don't worry about them too much.

Hope you find this useful! The next post will be about the negotiations and what you can expect from a Dutch contract in case you're hired ;)

Linda