Eighteen years ago, Ania moved from Poland to Belgium for love. It’s safe to say, she knows what it's like to live and work in a foreign country. Ania's experience and talent for languages makes her the ideal IDM coach for international temporary workers interested in following the same path. She guides candidates through the entire process, from selection to hiring, and answers any questions they may have.
Ania met her Belgian husband in Poland. With butterflies in her stomach, Ania chose to move to Belgium for love. After working several jobs at different companies, she signed a permanent contract with IMPACT twelve years ago. She now works as a confidential advisor for international temporary workers in Belgium. Having been through the same experience, there’s no one more qualified to help and give advice.
IDM team
Despite not speaking Dutch fluently, Ania found a job fairly quickly after arriving in Belgium. ‘I worked at a call centre for the first few years, where I could speak English. In the meantime, I took Dutch lessons for four years. I then worked as a dispatcher for a while before applying for an internal job at IMPACT in 2019. I was given a warm welcome and I immediately felt at home because IMPACT is such an international company.’
IMPACT launched a new concept shortly before Ania was hired: International Distance Matching or IDM, which recruits international construction and engineering experts. ‘We started off with just two people: my colleague did the recruiting and I handled the administration. Our department has grown considerably in the meantime, as have my tasks. In 2020 our team was divided into recruitment, administration and coaching. I work as a coach, which means I’m in continuous contact with the temporary employees.’
All-in-one coach
In sports, a coach is someone who gives you personal guidance and support. This is exactly what Ania does in her role. ‘My job starts when an international candidate is selected by one of our recruiters for a vacancy. I contact them and closely oversee the entire process. I’m their primary contact before, during and after they arrive; the one they can call if they have problems or need help arranging something.’
IMPACT looks beyond the job. ‘I arrange everything for our international candidates. I make sure they have a hotel room on their first night and I meet them the next day to discuss important issues such a taking out an insurance policy, registering with the municipality, and understanding their rights and responsibilities. I basically give them all of the information they need and reassure them. Then I show them to their apartment, which IMPACT arranges for all international temporary workers.’
Belgium: to go or not to go?
Choosing the leave your home country to work abroad is a big decision. Ania, who made the move to Belgium, knows what it's like and wholeheartedly recommends that other candidates choose the same. ‘Belgium has countless opportunities for international employees. You have the chance to grow and build a career without your background playing a role. Belgium also has a diverse range of jobs and vacancies.’
What about the cultural differences? ‘Those are pretty easy to overcome. Of course, every country has its own traditions and customs, but in the end we're all pretty much the same. IMPACT is committed to making people feel comfortable and helping them integrate as quickly as possible. We listen carefully and take into account the personality and skills of our candidates. They often end up at companies with other IDMs and a strong community. This helps fast-track their integration, which they are very grateful for.’
IMPACT helps you
Choosing Belgium is one thing, but why choose IMPACT? ‘It’s easy, really: we can find you a suitable job and take care of all other responsibilities on your behalf, such as housing, administration, etc. IMPACT has built extensive knowledge and expertise over the years and developed a strong trajectory to help international temporary workers feel comfortable in their new roles.’
That expertise is combined with a personal approach. ‘We literally speak the languages of our candidates: Dutch, English, French, Polish and Romanian. You should never underestimate the impact of a language barrier. Our in-house language skills allow us to reassure all of our candidates. Of course, we want everyone to feel free to explore their new country by themselves, but they know they can always come to us if they have questions or concerns. We are often complimented for our helpfulness, which is great to hear.’
We asked Ania one final question: How do you make an impact?
‘By always being there for our international temporary workers. They realise they have someone who speaks their language if they need information or if they feel alone; they know they can trust me and count on my support. I've gained a lot of knowledge and experience over the past twelve years, which I can use to help job candidates in various ways. They really appreciate this.
I also love getting to know candidates as people, instead of just as employees. That aspect is crucial. I've heard so many beautiful and sad stories that never fail to move me. Starting a new job can be life-changing in and of itself; doing it in a foreign country adds an entirely new aspect to it. I do everything I can to make a difference for our temporary employees.’