My goal is to find and match the right international talent with the needs of tech companies.

I started at Yes a year and a half ago, initially focusing on the Dutch market, particularly in the eastern Netherlands. Over time, my focus shifted to international tech professionals, which led to my current role as an International Recruitment Advisor. When recruiting international talent for tech companies, I focus on finding tech professionals who meet the specific requirements of a company and align well with its culture. I avoid stereotypes and focus solely on the skills and experience of our tech professionals.

As an International Recruitment Advisor, my work begins with identifying suitable tech professionals, primarily targeting the international market, currently with a focus on South Africa. Once we’ve found a tech professional, we schedule an introductory interview and prepare a detailed profile. I then present these professionals to our Business Managers, who introduce them to the client.

Some tech companies request that tech professionals be flown in, while others prefer online introductory interviews. This varies from case to case. In the meantime, as an International Recruitment Advisor, I remain the main point of contact for tech professionals, answering questions and scheduling new introductory interviews. If tech professionals need to be flown in, I arrange all necessary logistics, such as applying for a Schengen visa, booking flights, hotels, and taxis.

If flying them in is not required, we move directly to the IND process (Immigration and Naturalization Service), which is often the most time-consuming step. This includes registering tech professionals with our partner and applying for the necessary permits, such as residence and work permits. Meanwhile, I ensure that all other documents they will need in the Netherlands are prepared.
Once they are employed, I continue as their point of contact, answering questions and assisting with both practical and personal matters. For example, finding housing, scheduling appointments with the municipality, purchasing a SIM card, and navigating the city. If needed, I accompany tech professionals to appointments, such as at the town hall. When our tech professionals arrive in the Netherlands, I ensure they are picked up from Schiphol, brought to their accommodation, and supported in settling in.

In my approach, I strive for diversity and inclusion by looking broadly at candidates, regardless of gender, age, background, or nationality. I also build a personal connection with tech professionals to give them the confidence to move to the Netherlands and to support them throughout the entire process.

To stay updated on the latest developments in the industry, I follow tech companies and professionals on LinkedIn and collaborate with my colleagues to identify trends and needs. My goal is to find the right talent and match it with our clients’ requirements. Our approach to relieving client concerns primarily focuses on introducing South African expats. We see this as the first step in our process. South Africans generally face a lower threshold compared to, for example, Europeans, due to cultural similarities. Language plays a crucial role in this, as Afrikaans closely resembles Dutch.

This allows them to integrate more quickly at a Dutch level, often alleviating concerns for our clients. The primary point of hesitation we hear from clients is the potential language barrier. So, we work to convince them that this is less of an issue than it might seem. While this can sometimes be a challenge, we strive to address these doubts in advance.

When I think of a true “Yes moment,” it was successfully placing a tech professional who applied through our website and was ultimately hired by one of our clients. This moment reassured me that my efforts are gradually paying off and that I can truly make a difference in the lives of tech professionals.