Finding a job in Belgium: Here's where to look

EU INSTITUTIONS

Start by perusing the listings on the European Personnel Selection Office website; this is the official agency set up to recruit for the institutions and is the only way of securing a long-term position at the European Commission or Council. Candidates must pass a competition or concours, which comprises a series of tests and interviews over several months.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS & EMBASSIES

Many international companies seek people with strong English, but desire proficiency in other EU languages. Euractiv and EuroBrussels are good resources for those specialising in European, public and international affairs and Brussels Jobs publishes jobs in the secretarial, ICT, HR and management domains. Don’t forget The Bulletin’s own job ads.

• acodev.be
• jobs.euractiv.com
• eurobrussels.com
• brusselsjobs.com
• thebulletin.be/jobs

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

Temp agencies are often used by larger companies who prefer grooming employees through a long recruitment process before committing long-term. Browse and apply for a specific post office with your CV. Major agencies include Adecco, Manpower and Tempo Team. There is also the option to work as a secretary or administrative assistant on a shortterm basis at the Commission. Every few years, a different recruitment agency is selected to fill this role.

• adecco.be
• daoust.be
• equip-interim.be
• exaris.be
• manpower.be
• startpeople.be
• tempo-team.be

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

International schools may be interesting for teachers who don’t speak French or Dutch and are unable to teach at Belgian schools. Although mainly recruited through government secondments of teachers from around the EU, positions are sometimes advertised on The Bulletin, Euro-Brussels or on the sites of the respective schools. Language teachers in general are always in demand.

• alliancefr.be
• berlitz.be
• britishschool.be
• bruselas.cervantes.es
• eursc.eu
• goethe.de
• isb.be

BELGIAN JOB SITES & EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

Many Belgian companies recruit expats, though they may prefer you to be able to speak Dutch or French. Vacature and Stepstone have the most offers across Belgium. Actiris is the employment office run by the Brussels Capital Region, alongside Forem for Wallonia and VDAB for Flanders. These not only publish job offers but can also help you apply for unemployment benefits. They propose a variety of free vocational training.

• actiris.be
• alterjob.be
• leforem.be
• randstad.be
• stepstone.be
• vacature.com
• vdab.be

VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

Update your LinkedIn profile and begin networking with potential employers. Go to LinkedIn’s careers section and you’ll find hundreds of job announcements. Employers also like to post job announcements on Facebook and Twitter. Begin your search by using hashtags like #job and #Brussels, followed by a hashtag of the domain you want to work in.