Erfan’s job top hunting tip: Tailor your CV for every job

Make it in the North had a chat with Erfan Ghezelbash, a senior software developer at Youwe, to learn what his tips and tricks are for internationals looking for a job in the North of the Netherlands.

Erfan explained how integrating in the Netherlands took a bit of time, but luckily he could get started easily with English and people were very welcoming and helpful. Furthermore, the proximity of Groningen to other smaller villages and the Dutch countryside made his move from Iran to Europe worthwhile.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi! I'm Erfan Ghezelbash, I’m 33 and I'm from one of the hottest parts of Iran. So it’s quite a different climate. 

How did you end up in the Northern Netherlands? 

We decided to migrate from Iran to somewhere in Europe. The story started when we decided this and then I found a job at Youwe. It was in Groningen so here in the North. Then just we came in here. It was actually a smooth process.

How did you find your job and what attracted you to apply? 

I was checking LinkedIn for new job openings in line with my expertise: PHP and software development. I filtered the results by country, focusing on opportunities in the Netherlands since that was our first preference.

I found Youwe there and then I went to their website. There I read about their culture and their career page. The job that I applied for was a good fit for me because of my experience in PHP and also my prior experiences as a software developer. I applied and they accepted me. 

And what is your current role within Youwe? 

I'm a senior software developer in Magento, an open-source e-commerce platform written in PHP. But I also have some other roles in the company now. I’m also an expedition coach and a scrum master. 

How has your experience been integrating in the Northern Netherlands?

It was welcoming. From the first days, it felt like everyone wanted to help. So that was something nice. It was actually a bit strange because it wasn't something I was used to. But it was really good, I'm grateful for that.

What do you like the most about living and working in the Northern Netherlands?

The culture I’d say. The infinite peace that you have here in the Northern Netherlands, more than the South. It's a small city yet you can actually live here and do anything you want. It has all the facilities but also it's not really a big mega city or something. That’s really nice.

There’s plenty of nature to be enjoyed. You can just go and drive to the countryside and go to some villages and visit them.

Some people say it’s too quiet in the North, but it’s a nice kind of quiet.

What was the hardest challenge that you've had to overcome? 

Maybe the different climate because, as I told you, I'm from the hottest part of Iran. It gets really hot in the summer, around 55°C. Then in winter the temperature doesn’t dip below 10°C.

Integrating also took a little while. It was a new country, a new city, a new everything. I like to play volleyball and futsal, but it took a bit of time to find the right place to do these things.

Language-wise it wasn’t an issue as all the people can speak English. So I can’t say it was a challenge.

What is your favourite thing to do in your spare time? 

Mostly I spend time with my family, with my wife and 15-month-old son. Apart from the sports I enjoy exploring new cities and villages and I also play video games.

Do you have any tips for international people who are currently looking for a job here? 

Check for new openings, offers, and companies here every day. And align your resume with each job. Sometimes you can’t send the same resume for everything.

Don’t be afraid of applying for jobs. The more jobs you apply for, the more chances you have. That’s also one thing that I did.

The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Video by Julia Dumchenko.