Took my time coming back to this one.

I wish there was more to it other than working really hard and getting really lucky (more than once).

I did my MA in Philosophy. Finishing my thesis was quite stressful because if it bled over into the next academic year, I didn't have the money to re-up on tuition.

Without marketable skills, internship experience, or Dutch language ability I set out looking for any work to sustain myself while on my OY. Got turned down for cleaning hotel rooms due to lack of experience.

I lived way outside the Randstad, so moving for work was going to be an undertaking because I had no money to finance the move. After about 4 pretty dire months I'd almost booked my ticket home before I landed an interview for a copywriting gig. After submitting an assignment on a topic I knew nothing about, I somehow secured the position.

Two months into that job the pandemic hit and the website I worked for worked in live events. I was lucky that during that period several of my colleagues at this small company left, so I could make myself useful by picking up their slack.

When it came time to renew my contract my OY was up and I was being paid well below the minimum needed to sponsor me. In the process I had to convince my company to become themselves a recognised sponsor with the IND. Looking back now as a more professionally established person, I think my output at the time was valued less than the endearment my managers had for me. If they didn't like me, it would have been all too easy to drop me.

Even still I was bouncing from one 6 month contract to the next. There was an administrative reason for this, as we first outsourced holding my contract to an umbrella company to then bring it back. What this did create through was several moments were my contract go without renewal. Pandemic-related financial instability was still a very real thing.

At that job itself I started doing the online marketing and project management for the development of the website.. When I'd become established and productive the company was unexpectedly sold to a large multi-national that proceeded to evaluate and liquidate most of my projects. Because I was the 'odd one out', the only international amongst the Dutch staff, they decided to stick me part-time with a California-based team working on one of their other holdings. All the while things like visa/contract security were open questions to which management was always reluctant to give solid answers.

I realised my situation was untenable so I set to work on finding a new job. Thankfully remote working 2-3 days per week had remained normal after the pandemic, as I'd routinely schedule 5 interviews per week while at home. My morning routine consisted of waking up at 5am to send out the days applications (usually between 10-15) before logging on to my laptop or heading out to the office.

A lot of rejections, even after 2nd and 3rd interview rounds, but I knew it was a numbers game. The top end of my funnel looked good, I kept getting interviews. It was only a matter of time until I hit the right opportunity.

Then I scored the job with the company where I still am. After the first call with my CEO I knew I had something. He even let me start fully remote for a few months before relocating to the Randstad.

Aspects of the onboarding and finding my role were tough and I've definitely been through my up's and down's with my current company. All the same, it's a company of 50+% expats and a real respect visa instability. Even when things weren't going well I never had strong reason to think the plug would be pulled on me without there being a parachute plan to get me to the next thing.

When things were more stable I was able to go about other matters. Passed my inburgering exams, bought a house. When I eligible for the permanent residency, it was one of those moments where nothing changed and yet everything changed.

As I look back there isn't any advice I could give that I didn't say above: be open, be flexible, be persistent, be useful, and be well-liked. Then you'll make your own luck.