New Job and Moving Abroad | Dillon Parfitt | Beyond Coding Podcast #4

Remote Interviews

Navigating remote job interviews presents unique challenges, especially when cultural differences come into play. Patrick Akil shares his experience with remote interviews, highlighting the difficulty of gauging a candidate's character and technical skills through virtual platforms 1. He notes that cultural nuances, such as the Dutch directness compared to South African indirectness, can significantly impact the interview process 2.

It's difficult to gauge the caliber of a person, not just their technical skills, but also their character through Zoom or through any sort of platform.

--- Patrick Akil

Despite these challenges, Patrick found the job search process in the Netherlands to be quite similar to South Africa, with tech jobs in high demand 3.

   

Company Choice

Choosing the right company in a foreign country involves aligning personal values with those of the organization. Patrick Akil was drawn to Xebia due to its core values that resonated with his passion for growth and learning 4. He emphasizes the importance of working for a company that offers mentorship and experience sharing, especially when moving to a new country.

To work for a company that has a lot of experience and can convey that experience to you is something I was definitely looking for.

--- Patrick Akil

Patrick's long-term plan is to fully integrate into Dutch society, including learning the language and embracing the culture, which he sees as essential for a fulfilling life abroad 5.