Content-rich CV

I stumbled upon a very creative and slightly creepy (especially, if you’re watching the video on mute) interactive CV. Take a look at how this student integrates technology, design, artistic skills and innovation into his CV. I am not quite sure whether this guy was able to find an internship. I am certain though that he will find a job.
To be honest I hate the photo mostly because I imagine how many hours I will spend Photoshopping my flaws for such a high-resolution pic. But the QR codes are definitely a very fresh idea that will impress any potential employers. Moreover, if you're applying for a communications or marketing related position then you can definitely benefit from such a content-rich CV. You can link it to a blog, LinkedIn profile, twitter account or special webpage with your CV. Choices are unlimited. Still, I have to warn you: be careful with that Summer 2011 Facebook album ;)
So the message is: job hunters respect the basics & add value by experimenting!

QR CODE - Content-rich Resume from Victor petit on Vimeo.

What makes Brussels so special?

Most people referred to this blog page through Google or any other search engine are fully aware of the benefits that Brussels has to offer to young graduates. EU institutions are among the most attractive employers all over Europe. Along with them, though, EU Council, Parliament & NATO headquarters had formed fruitful ground for various lobby organisations, NGOs & think-thanks. If you are advocating for human, women's, animal's rights, or even the rights of photovoltaic solar panels, Brussels is the place to be. With its wealth of job opportunities for (the extremely popular, but rarely useful) social and political scientists (like me), the Belgian capital has turned into a synonym of high class income and little work. And since demand outweighs supply, it is not unusual that for one position there are more than 400 applicants. Yes, you've got this right. Paid internships or general positions in administration, where no specific skills are required (or at least this is what the majority thinks), tend to attract hundreds of applications from wanna-be Eurocrats.

The ones that are already here seem to like letting off the steam every now and then. Young expats, paid and unpaid interns, MEPs assistants and various other groups have lately boosted the popularity of the night-life in Brussels. A drink after work, some networking (we are job hunting after all) or casual sex. The EU district has it all.

What makes Brussels unique to me though is the multi-culti environment. I love speaking English at work, French on the metro, Dutch on the train. The variety of nationalities, looks, ideas, languages, cultures, so unusual for Belgium, is mostly concentrated in Brussels. And that's what makes it the place I want to be!

Bilingual

I was planning to introduce myself in the second blog post and tell something more about me and my education and experience, interests and future aspirations, but due to some unexpected developments I would have to postpone this. Today I got a call from an organisation where I applied for a 6-months paid internship as a communications assistant. Sounded nice, interview went more than fine, my profile is a perfect match for the requirements. I had a good CV, they said, good references and they were obviously satisfied with my answers at the interview. Despite this the organisation called to let me know that this is obviously not enough and the internship has been (surprise, surprise) offered to someone else.

Besides the bitter disappointment, as I was counting on this opportunity, I couldn't help but wonder what my application was lacking. "You are not a native English speaker. And we need someone to correct us as none of the people in the office is", said the voice. Great! Nowadays it is not enough to be smart, educated, outgoing, friendly, innovative, creative, motivated and experienced. Job hunters also need to be native English speakers in order to edit and/or translate the organisation's communication. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't there a whole science about this, and a profession (in which other young graduates are hoping to specialize)? To make it even worse - this is Brussels. Here being a native English speaker is also not enough. If you are bilingual French-English speaker, even without a diploma, or qualifications, you are most likely going to find a job. And to illustrate the mood I am in (bitterly disappointed --> cynical) a song  for all young university graduates, who are wondering how they can become bilingual