Beyond the job: Stories of Ambition, Relocation and Starting Over
Some people change jobs. Others change their lives.
As someone who recently started working as a Business Manager at Mobeco, I can safely say that the maritime industry is quite complex. I believe the best way to learn about it is by talking to the people who work in the sector and experience it every day.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking with several Mobeco employees at their workplace. From Exterior Designers and Project Engineers to Naval Architects: different roles, different backgrounds and, above all, different stories.
Of course, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the maritime sector, the organisation and the different roles within it. We talked about projects, responsibilities and opportunities within the industry. But of everything I heard that day, it wasn’t the roles or the projects that stayed with me the most.
It was the stories.
Stories about culture, ambition, family, perseverance and, above all, the struggles that can come with starting over.
Because life, as many of us know, isn’t always sunshine and roses. Behind a new job in the Netherlands, there is sometimes a much bigger story. People who spend years applying for jobs before finally getting that one opportunity. People who continue learning, working and making progress in the meantime. People who pursue their ambitions and, in doing so, leave a large part of their familiar lives behind.
Moving to a new country doesn’t just mean a new office.
It can mean a new home, a new language, new habits, new friends and an entirely different way of life.
“In the Netherlands, we do things differently”
Cultural differences came up regularly during our conversations.
I spoke with an Italian employee about his experience in the Dutch maritime sector. Naturally, I couldn’t resist making a joke about it. It was 9:30 in the morning, and I suggested that we should really be drinking cappuccinos instead. A good joke if you are familiar with Italian coffee culture, if I say so myself.
Because in the Netherlands, you can happily order a cappuccino after lunch without anyone thinking twice about it. While in Italy you receive the death penalty by judgement.
There was one thing we quickly agreed on: coffee in the Netherlands is different. According to him, it doesn’t quite compare to Italian coffee, although the coffee at the office was thankfully pretty good.
But behind the jokes about coffee was a much more interesting conversation.
What does it actually mean to move from Italy to the Netherlands?
If you ask me, it takes some balls.
For someone leaving behind their family, friends, familiar surroundings and culture, such a move is about much more than simply starting a new job. Family plays an important role in Italian culture for many people. So moving thousands of kilometres away and building a new life isn’t something you can simply take for granted.
And that is exactly why I found his story so interesting. You can find a new job. But creating a new home takes time.
A dream that had to wait four years
I also spoke with a Naval Architect who had already gained experience in the maritime sector in Greece.
He decided to pursue his dream and move to the Netherlands on his own.
It sounds like an exciting adventure.
And it was.
But not always in the way you might expect.
Once in the Netherlands, he faced something that many people moving to another country can experience: how do you rebuild a sense of security from scratch?
Finding a place to live. Finding work. Building a network. Finding your way around a new country.
His dream of working in the maritime sector in the Netherlands was ultimately delayed by four years.
Four years.
Four years of applying for jobs, dealing with rejection and continuing to move forward.
“Next year, I’ll try again, because next year I’ll be better than I am today.”
In the meantime, he worked as a chef.
And honestly, I think that was one of the most interesting parts of his story. Not because he had given up on his original ambition, but because he kept going while doing something completely different.
He even shared a simple recipe with me from that period. And I can tell you: he may be a good Naval Architect, but I think he could have had a pretty good career as a chef too.
Eventually, he got the opportunity he had been looking for all those years.
The maritime sector.
The role he had been working towards.
The dream that had brought him to the Netherlands in the first place.
So, why move to the Netherlands?
After hearing these stories, one question naturally comes to mind: Why would someone choose to move to the Netherlands in the first place?
There are plenty of reasons.
“In Italy we probably have the shittiest contracts of Europe.”
For some, it is about career opportunities. The Dutch maritime industry is internationally recognised, and the Netherlands offers a strong environment for people who want to develop their knowledge and experience within the sector.
For others, it is about salary and employment conditions. Depending on the position, experience and individual circumstances, salaries in the Netherlands can be attractive compared to those in other countries. There are also tax benefits that may apply to eligible international employees, such as the Dutch 30% ruling, which can make an international move financially more interesting.
But money is rarely the whole story.
Career development can be just as important. The opportunity to work on challenging projects, learn from experienced professionals and develop new skills can be a major reason to take the step abroad. For ambitious professionals, moving to another country can be a way to broaden their experience and gain knowledge that might not be available in the same way at home.
And then there is something you can’t put on a payslip: knowledge.
Working in an international environment means learning from people with different backgrounds, approaches and experiences. You encounter new technologies, different ways of working and new perspectives on your profession.
For some candidates, that is exactly what they are looking for.
They aren’t necessarily leaving because they are unhappy with where they are. They are leaving because they want to see what else is possible.
They want to grow.
They want to challenge themselves.
They want to see how far they can take their career.
And sometimes, they simply have a dream that is bigger than the place they currently live.
Of course, there are also the less professional reasons.
You might want to experience living abroad. You might be looking for a more international environment. Maybe you want to travel around Europe more easily, meet new people or simply experience a different culture.
And let’s be honest: if you’re considering moving to the Netherlands, don’t do it for the weather.
You may come here expecting sunshine and find yourself cycling through horizontal rain instead. Before you do so a Dutch person will tell you that you are not made of sugar.
But perhaps that is part of the charm.
Because ultimately, moving to the Netherlands isn’t about finding the perfect country, the perfect salary or the perfect job.
It is about finding the right opportunity for you.
The right environment to grow. The right challenge to take on. The right people to learn from. And perhaps, the right moment to take a chance on yourself.
And that is where ambition comes into the story.
Because a company can offer a position, a salary and an opportunity.
But the ambition to take that opportunity and turn it into something more has to come from the candidate.
Maybe that is the real reason people move.
Not because the Netherlands has everything.
But because, for them, it might have something they are looking for.
Behind every move, there is a story
What became especially clear to me during these conversations is that we sometimes look too easily at the end result.
Someone starts working for a Dutch company. Someone moves to the Netherlands. Someone has a new job.
Done.
But in reality, that is often where the story begins.
Behind that new colleague could be a story of years of applications. Of learning a new language. Of homesickness. Of starting over. Of missing family. Of working in a completely different sector while waiting for that one opportunity.
And perhaps a lot of coffee too.
That is exactly why I find it so interesting not only to look at what someone does, but especially at how they got there.
Every employee who moves to the Netherlands from another country brings something with them. Knowledge and experience, of course, but also their own culture, perspective and life story.
And that combination is exactly what makes international teams so interesting.
Taking the next step, together
At Mobeco, we support people who want to take this step.
Not only by helping them find a suitable position, but also by supporting the change that comes with it. Because a new job in the Netherlands can be the beginning of an entirely new chapter.
That chapter looks different for everyone.
One person moves alone. Another brings their family. One person finds their place within a few months, while someone else needs years. Some people know exactly where they want to go, while others discover it along the way.
But behind every move, there is ambition.
And sometimes, courage or balls as I said before.
In the coming period, we will be sharing more of the stories I heard during my conversations at Mobeco. Stories of people who made the move to the Netherlands, each for their own reasons and each facing their own challenges.
From Italy to Greece. From chef to Naval Architect. From searching for a first opportunity to eventually working on impressive maritime projects.
Because sometimes, someone is simply changing jobs.
And sometimes, someone is changing their entire life.
