The first day of a new job is usually a) busy, b) exciting, c) terrifying or d) all of the above. Here at Global Language Jobs, you can add another option - e) unusual.



I'm Kate, the newest member of the Global Language Jobs team. As an English girl in an English office in an English village you would not expect to be considered a minority, but there are so many other nationalities here that the number of native English colleagues by no way dominate the office (except for Swedish speaking Scouser Mike who is always heard before he is seen!). Because of this diversity it isn't like other workplaces where everybody speaks, thinks and works the same.



English is my first language, my comfort zone, despite having a colourful background of Latvian and Puerto Rican descent - no, I don't speak Latvian or Spanish, but Finnish...don't ask - so I see the perks of GLJ quite differently to some of my colleagues. A couple of years ago I planned to move to Finland, nowhere near fluent in the language then but desperate to learn. But English speaking jobs just weren't available, nor was there any online support for help in the area. I was left with the unfortunate impression that there just wasn't a need for English speaking workers in Finland. But, as Global Language Jobs has shown me, all countries in Europe require links to their neighbours and what better than to employ fluent speakers from all over the globe.



If GLJ had been around in the past, I'm sure my situation would be very different. But, for now, I'll stay in England. After leaving Liverpool for the rural charm of Saltaire, it's sometimes like living in a new country. Considering I find it easier to understand my new colleagues at GLJ than broad Yorkshire accents, I would say that this is definitely e) unusual.

A new week and lots of new things going on here at GLJ…. First of all I’d like to welcome Kate who is the newest arrival! Kate is English but can also speak fluent Finnish and is from the football-city Liverpool in the north of England. I’m sure Kate will be brilliant at finding you all great jobs in Finland and in the UK!

Second of all – we’re getting a makeover! Nope, unfortunately we’re not going on Extreme Makeover the television show. However, you will see some big changes on the site shortly in terms of functions and design which will make the job hunting not just easier but also more enjoyable. Also, we are expecting a few guestbloggers who found jobs through GLJ and look forward to read their stories here on the blog.. So keep reading ladies and gents…

The last few days we have had a lot of people e-mailing over their CVs to us. Instead of doing that, please go to "Candidate Registration"and fill in your details and upload your CV. That way employers all over the world will be able to find you and you don’t have to lift a finger…



It's Friday afternoon and nearly time for a well-deserved weekend. Some of you (depending where in the world you are!) have already left university or work and are probably out enjoying yourselves! I wish you all a great weekend and look forward to see you all online next week.



Au Revoir!







Anna

Anna, I’m not sure how cold you think it gets in England, but I was in Åre in Sweden last week for a last minute snowboarding holiday and it was -21 at times and even colder with the wind blowing in your face.



It has to be said though it was a fantastic holiday and everyone I met was extremely friendly and the general conception about Sweden being horrendously expensive was not true at all. Granted if you want to buy a pint you might need a new mortgage but all the food was fantastic and reasonably priced. When I compare it to snowboarding in the Alps it is certainly no more expensive and, because the mountain restaurants in Sweden are the same prices as those in resort and the presence of värmestuga, it may even be cheaper and is certainly easier to get into the warm without spending a fortune.



The comparison is a bit similar to doing business in different countries and looking for a job in different countries, you might expect to ski resorts in the EU to be very similar in price and attitude but they can be completely different. You might expect two customers or two jobs in different countries in the EU to expect the same service or skills but in reality there is a marked difference between countries in Europe, even those that are right next door to each other. GLJ can help you to overcome these differences and find your dream job because you won’t have a Brit like me trying to help you find work in Sweden based on a week’s snowboarding…that’s what Anna is for.



Anyway, happy job hunting



Steve

How cold can it get in England?? In the mornings I normally walk to the train station but today it was just so cold I decided to take the bus. The only problem is: when taking the bus you also have to stand at the bus stop, WAITING for the bus which is the most frustrating thing I know. Especially when it's freezing outside! Hey, I escaped Sweden and I get this?!



One of the main subjects here at the GLJ office has actually to do with this. There are literally two teams. Team 2 consists of the Nordics, Germans, and English that like to keep the windows open now and again to get some fresh air in. Team 2 consists of the more southern European nationalities and they like it to be hot hot hot and keep closing the window as soon as they get a chance. I guess this is what you get when you put all these different nationalites in one room. I can promise one thing though, to Italian Sara's delight...today this Swede won't be opening any windows! (as long as the heater is switched off...



Anna Ceder

Hello Everyone!

Let me introduce myself, I'm Anna Ceder, the newest arrival here at the GLJ office! I'm originally from Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, but have lived here in Leeds in the north of England since one year back. Leeds is a fabulous place to live with all the friendly people, the nightlife, the shopping - and yet we have the beautiful countryside so close by!

Since I first visited London at the age of 16 I have wanted to move to England to live permanently. I have always found people from different countries and cultures extremely fascinating and the fact that I'm now working in an office full with English,French, Spanish, Italian, German......(I'm probably forgetting someone now.. sorry!! Well. You're getting the point. I'm very excited!

We at GLJ are committed to promoting the spread of language education and the possibility of using those languages in your work.
To that end we invited 2 sets of schoolchildren over from Dixons Academy over to our offices in Salts Mill so that they could sit with our German and Spanish teams which are the languages that the pupils are interested in.

The schoochildren were aged between 13 and 14 and all gained from seeing our European native language speakers selling GLJ over the phone. We also employ English speakers who have an excellent command of foreign languages and this shows the children that they can put their languages to use.

As we roll out the Occident International European Marketing Agency they will see that there are even more careers for them using the languages learnt at school and on exchanges.

We are committed to carrying on with this vocational education and we will shortly be taking on pupils who have just left school and are wanting a period of work experience.

Indeed it will shortly become a separate section in our website for Internships or Placements whichever terminology you prefer dependent on which side of the Atlantic you are on.

As GLJ shoots up the organic rankings and the number of clients increases we are now recruiting for the following language positions:

- French, German, Spanish and Italian Recruitment Executives to work on the GLJ website

- A crack PHP web designer: languages useful but not essential

If you are interested post your CV on the website and also contact us directly with details of your currently salary and an outline of your career plan for the next 5 years.

In addition to this we officially launch this week our European Marketing Agency under the brand name of Occident International. The Occident Group already employs 30 European language speakers from our offices just 15mins from Leeds City Centre in the beautiful Salts Mill. The plan is to reach 50 by the end of 2008 and to expand even further from there so if you are interested in Marketing and you are fluent in another language and you live or wish to live near Leeds you may land a dream job!

So keep in touch with us and we will keep you updated on progress.

The New Year has started extremely well for Global Language Jobs as we have crept up from Page 9 on Google organic search to Page 2 which will help all our recruiters find more candidates and our candidates find more jobs and more quickly.

We aim to push onto Page 1 as quickly as possible and to expand the number of search keywords.

We will be sending out an email to candidates and recruiters in the next few days and we would really appreciate if you could send us any feedback of what additional facilities and information you would like on the site. One area we are keen to develop is an international business community on-line.

We have also recently launched new sites in most Western European countries. These are in the early stages but reflect our very European approach with the large number of European native language speakers in-house.

Have a great 2008 and if we can be of any help finding you a job abroad or please get in touch with the GLJ Team and rest assured we can speak over 12 languages so communication should not be a problem.

More than 6,000 people took part in the 23rd Help the Aged Leeds Abbey Dash this past Sunday the 25th of November which is rumored to possibly be the last. Global Language Jobs team was there to partake and collect the t-shirts that might, if the rumour is true, become a collector’s item.

The 10km charity run along the A65 to Kirkstall Abbey and back was for people of all ages and abilities and plenty of big name Leeds companies were participating to race money to Help the Aged. The event was sponsored by Leeds Building Society and supported by the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Global Language Jobs language team consisted of David Hart, Jerome Beaugeois, Jim Hart, Laura Kekäläinen and Tess Bedard. They boys showing off with times a great deal below an hour, and all contestants managed to make it back in one piece for the celebration and required after-run-pint at the closest pub.

"The benefits of participating in the Abbey Dash included the enhancement of morale and teamwork, recognition of collective achievement and development of the ability to achieve set goals. Participation also prompted feelings of pride in a job well done and pleasure generated by helping others, as well as encouraging healthy lifestyles." said Jim Hart, MD.

Jim continued saying that he and his colleagues looked forward to working with others in the business community, so all could play a full part in bringing out the best of what the Yorkshire business region have to offer. Global Language Jobs was delighted to be supporting Help the Aged Abbey Dash and to be part of the teams of businesses in the area giving support to this important event.

For the next outing Global Language Jobs Rainer Krause is organising a 3 Peak Hike in the Yorkshire dales, the team can’t wait to see how a beer thirsty German will manage the lack of pubs for a ten hour walk in this rural area and of course, what will be the charity du jour.

From a personal perspective I am delighted that we have managed to launch Global Language Jobs and that we are now building a good base of candidates and a good number of high quality employers.

One of the drivers for me to set the site up was based on my background and personal experience in trying to find jobs abroad and jobs using my French and German.

When I was at school my main interests were languages in particular French and German and to a lesser degree Spanish. After finishing my A Levels I was keen to find a job for a couple of months using my French. We had a few family contacts but we didn't succeed in finding a position. Anyway to cut a long story short I ended up working in Venice as a tour guide and this was through a school connection. It was however abou the only job I could find working abroad.

So then off I went to University where I studied Joint Honours French and German and in my first summer holiday I wanted to get a job in Germany. It was impossible to land a job prior to going out so I packed my bags and headed for Stuttgart where I suspected there may be plenty of jobs. Eventually I landed one as a "Wagenschieber" in a supermarket i.e trolley collector and then moved onto be a meat packer. The next summer I went to university in Mainz and the year after that I worked as a French teacher in Belfort, France.

After graduating my main priority was to use my French and German and again jobs were few and far between but eventually after much searching I ended up in the Publishing / Direct Marketing Industry in London.

I will continue the rest in another blog but the point was it was not at all easy to use your languages in a career and equally find jobs abroad. Global Language Jobs aims to change that and make it easier of you all you language speakers and travellers find the job you really want with relatvie ease.

Our intrepid Business Development Manager Steve Potts has now returned from Sydney and fortunately he managed to fill that last Friday with meetings instead of being tempted by the beach in Manly.

As at least one of the contracts is close to sign off we can now commit to opening up the Global Language Jobs office in Sydney. Our goal is to open the offices in February 2008. This means that the really hard work begins now. Having had meetings with UK Trade and Investment we know roughly what we have to do but as ever the process will inevitably be more complicated than we at first imagined.

We have made contact with Invest Australia and have had initial discussions appointing Accountants and Lawyers.

But perhaps the most important part of the process is talking to other SME's who have set up subsidiaries down under; so on the advice of UKTI we are setting up a couple of meetings to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. The good thing is that Australian Company Law will not be radically different to UK Company Law and we are sure that setting up the Aussie office will be a good learning process for us when we move into other markets eg India and further down the line China.

We should know more about any pitfalls by the end of this week and we will be one step closer to being able to offer our candidates jobs in Australia and New Zealand and by extension more jobs abroad.

Many people want to experience New Zealand with everything the country has to offer and the best way with out a doubt is to get a Working Holiday Visa, you can then spend a year in NZ and also work to fund your traveling.

VISA
The first thing you have to do is to apply for the visa; you can easily do this on New Zealand’s immigration web site: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/ they have listed on this site which nationalities are eligible for this.
You have to be able to fulfill the following:

• hold a passport which will be valid throughout you time in the country as well as 3 months after leaving the country
• be at least 18 and not more than 30 years old (not having turned 31 yet)
• not bring children with you
• hold a return ticket, or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket
• have a minimum of NZ$4,200 available funds to meet your living costs while you’re here
• meet our health and character requirements
• hold medical and comprehensive hospitalization insurance for the length of your stay
• be coming to New Zealand to holiday, with work being a secondary intention for your visit
• not have been approved a visa or permit under a Working Holiday Scheme before.

You apply for the visa online and you can get a reply in a couple of days by email stating whether it has been approved. It’s a good idea to log in on their web site and print out the information regarding your WHV. You will not receive a stamp in your passport until you arrive in the country and it is advisable to have proof of having being granted a WHV. You will need this for job and bank applications.
When your visa has been approved you have one year to enter New Zealand and your WHV will not be activated prior to entering in to the country.

INSURANCE
Prior to setting off you need to get a good travel insurance. World Nomads Travel Insurance (www.worldnomads.com), has been recommended by many as well as Lonely Planet.

ACCOMONDATION
So, you just arrived and don’t know where to stay.
Hostels:
Check out Budget Backpacker Hostels NZ, www.bbh.co.nz/, they have over 300 hostels in New Zealand, with prices to suite everybody.
There are lots of other hostels too so finding a place to stay won’t be that difficult but if you arrive in the summer time you might want to book in advance at least if you are staying in Auckland.

It is fairly easy to find your own place to stay, Columbia Apartments, www.columbia.net.nz is a good start. It is slightly more expensive then to stay in a hostel but very central in Auckland.
Other good sites to use are: www.trademe.co.nz or http://classifieds.nzherald.co.nz/, where you can find both furnished and unfurnished apartments as well as finding shared accommodation. These sites are good for many other things as well.

PHONE
You have to have a local phone number (mobil/cell), if you don’t it will prove to be very hard to open a bank account or apply for a job. The most common service providers are: Vodafone and Telecom and they both have Pre-Pay/Pay as you go numbers.
If there are a few of you going and you will be calling each other I would recommend Vodafone. They have a BestMate deal where you pay $6 a month and can call, text and make video call with no limitations.

BANK
A bank account is a must. The most common ones are:
ASB - www.asbbank.co.nz
Westpac - www.westpac.co.nz
ANZ National Bank - www.nz.anz.com
Bank of New Zealand - www.bnz.co.nz
Citibank - www.citibank.co.nz
Kiwibank - www.kiwibank.co.nz
HSBC - www.hsbc.co.nz
ANZ will give you a card straight away (it is possible that the others do too, not sure). When you go to open the account with the bank you have to say that you will be in the country for a year otherwise they won’t let you open one.
If you don’t have your own credit card it might prove difficult to acquire one under WHV. There is a similar service you can use though. New Zealand have a card which they call Prezzy Card, it’s a pre-paid card than can be used online or over phone for payments just like a credit card. The card cost $5 and you can choose the amount between $25 - $500. Find more information here: http://www.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/Personal/PrezzyCard/

IRD
Next step to get what you need to work is a IRD number. You apply for one from Internal Revenue Department by visiting their web site: www.ird.govt.nz.
Download their Tax Number Application Form (IR596), print out and fill in, you need an address in New Zealand and include a copy of your passport and sent it by post or fax to:
Fax: 033536691 or 033536649
Post:
North:
Inland Revenue
Northern Processing Centre
PO Box 1454
Hamilton
South:
Inland Revenue
Southern Processing Centre
PO Box 3752
Christchurch
Your will receive your IRD number in 8 - 10 working days.
If you need the IRD number quicker you can call them on the 0800 227 774 and tell them why and they can sort it in a day or two.

TAX
Yes, you have to pay tax in New Zealand and it will most likely be drawn automatically based on the following table:
Up to $38,000 you will pay 19.5%
Between $38,000-$60,000 you will pay 33%
Over $60,001 you will pay 39%

After the 31st of March or when you are leaving the country you can apply for a tax return.
Call 0800 227 774 and tell them you are a non-resident having worked in NZ and are now leaving the country. They will send you a form that you can fill in and send back after you have ended your employment but before you are leaving the country.

TRAVELING IN NEW ZEALAND
There are a few coach companies to use:
www.intercitycoach.co.nz/
www.magicbus.co.nz
www.straytravel.com
www.kiwiexperience.com

RENT A CAR
To rent a car in New Zealand is easy and a must if you can. Ezy Rentals - www.ezy.co.nz and Bargain Rentals - www.bargainrentals.co.nz are good ones. But there are many more, just make suere they are local companies, much cheaper then the big ones.

Our man in Sydney, Steve Potts, is getting positive feedback from Down Under regarding the opportunities for establishing a physical for Global Language Jobs by the beach in Manly!

The plan is to open the office in Jan or Feb 2008 and this could open up a number of exciting opportunities for Europeans for example who want to go out to work with languages in Australia or a and work either short term or long term. We will add in a new section on our website when the offices are opened.

In preparation we have had meetings with UK Trade and Investment and they have kindly put us in touch with several UK companies who have successfully set up Australian subsidiaries. So as soon as Steve comes back we will be moving full steam ahead.

Next stop India, China and the US and perhaps Jose Luis Masso, our Sales Executive from Saltillo, Coahuila in Mexico can help develop the South American market.

Potential candidates that come here to have a look for language jobs will most likely fit in with either of these two categories. Of course we welcome all the other age groups too but from a language recruitment perspective these people are easier to pin down. Yet impossible to group.

I had to think long and hard when trying to decide which group I belong to. Being born in 1977, I’m clearly border line and that’s what makes it so difficult.

Let me ask this: are you unique or sarcastic? That’s how I managed to define myself as a member of the Xers. That line in Reality Bites when Ethan Hawke defines the later word to Winona Ryder is, well, special. I remember a time just a few years ago when all adults where older and the way to communicate between us younger people were through sarcasm.

I’m not the baby anymore. There’s a distinct new kid in town and it’s unique. These Millenials seem to have grown up under the impression that they are special. Having done recruitment, I think I'm not alone when saying from a recruiting point of view this sure makes things a bit more interesting. And although these people as a group are hard to manage, they'll sure give you their new ideas from a completely different and unique angle.

See, that’s what you get when your parents insist on displaying Baby On Board signs on every possible vehicle.