Finding student jobs can be really tough for internationals. Some students that succeeded provide tips and introduce companies that are willing to hire internationals.
Daria, a fourth-year student of International Business worked at Domino’s pizza delivery throughout her first few years in Groningen.
The search
For Daria, the job came as a somewhat unexpected bonus to her studies.
I decided to apply because not that many places want to hire someone that young
‘I just happened to see a job ad on Instagram stating that they hire people from the age of 15. I was 17 back then, so I decided to apply because not that many places want to hire someone that young.’
To apply, Daria had to complete an online form. A few days later, she was invited for an interview, and voila! She was offered the job.
Daria was quite baffled. ‘This was all very random, and during an exam week too.’
The job
At Domino’s, Daria initially worked as a delivery person.
Sometimes I was stressing for no reason at all and making very silly mistakes
‘The job itself was not difficult at all. However, I am very clumsy, and at the age of 17 I used to be even clumsier. Sometimes I was stressing for no reason at all and making very silly mistakes.’
However, as she recalls, she ‘took a lot of shifts and eventually practice made perfect.’
Over time, Daria started working in the kitchen and taking orders in addition to her delivery tasks. Her favourite aspect of the job was the contact with people.
‘I enjoyed communicating with my co-workers. I can say that thanks to working at Domino’s, I was able to connect with the locals. We often had very good conversations and met outside of work. Also, I got a general impression of the working culture in the Netherlands and the relevant legislation.’
It is possible to work part-time and still get good grades at school, as long as you don’t wear yourself out
Combining studying and working was not always easy. In the end Daria wanted to ‘make all the money in the world’, and struggled to balance her schedule.
‘It is possible to work part-time and still get good grades at school, as long as you don’t wear yourself out. When I managed to keep the balance, no problems occurred.’
Tips
‘The advice I would give to students is to simply look into the opportunities. It is always possible to find a job. If you’re an international and don’t speak Dutch, a delivery job is perfect for you. They will always hire you.’
