9 Steps To Finding Work In Italy
During the last thirty-plus years, I have worked with thousands of individuals who wanted to relocate to Italy and were looking to find work. While I can’t address every point here, I thought I would put together the following nine tips to help you as you look for work in Italy.
1. Make Sure You’re Legal: It may seem obvious, but finding any worthwhile job is practically impossible, if you are not legal. Some employers will sponsor a work permit, especially for highly qualified positions, but most won’t due to cost and the time it takes.
2. Learn the Language: Again, this may seem obvious, but without an upper-intermediate or advanced level of Italian, finding meaningful work will be a challenge. Before relocating, take an intensive course so you will have the basics on which to build.
3. Prepare a Résumé or Cover letter: Make sure that these are aimed at the Italian market. Enlist the assistance of an expert, if needed.
4. Headhunters: Connect with Italian headhunters and recruiters on LinkedIn who specialize in the sector in which you would like to work. Use the filter function along with keywords to find those that you need to connect with.
5. Make Looking for a Job a Job: If you are not dedicating at least four to five hours a day to finding a job, not much will happen. If you have time to binge-watch Netflix and Aperitivo, then you have time to look for a job!
6. Look into Self-Employment: A valid solution to finding work in Italy is to become self-employed. Make sure that you work with a savvy accountant to avoid serious fiscal issues.
7. Follow Up Without Fail with People You Meet: Don’t drop the ball with follow-up, especially if someone has shown interest in you professionally. Make sure you always have great-looking business cards on hand.
8. Build an Eye-Catching LinkedIn Profile: Make sure you have a great photo, an optimized headline, and an engaging summary. Link to this in your résumé. LinkedIn is becoming more and more of a go-to resource for HR and headhunters in Italy.
9. Focused Networking: While it’s nice to hang out with other expats, Italians are the ones who can ultimately help you find work; not many foreigners are in positions of power. Aim to attend high-end Italian events where you can do some serious networking!
