Expat partner Vincent van Schagen has managed to restart his career in two different countries, although he now sees that a full-time job isn’t the be all and end all.
On a quest
“Before we left for Canada, some of my peers and colleagues thought I was crazy to give up my job. Looking back, I can see that I put a lot of pressure on myself to find a job in Toronto. Perhaps, as a male expat partner I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of not working,” says Vincent, a father of three who previously told us how ‘perseverance paid off’ when it came to finding work in Canada. “I was definitely more relaxed about my career after relocating to the Czech Republic. But I still wanted to see what was out there!”
When opportunity knocks
“Prague is a much less international city compared to Toronto (and other European capitals), so I knew that finding work would be difficult. Still, I reached out to recruiters and did a little networking. Nothing much was on the horizon until one day a recruiter told me a large domestic retail group (Billa) was seeking a CFO. Now, retail isn’t my background but I applied anyway and, after half a dozen interviews, I was offered the job.”
Time and space
“It’s been a fantastic experience but it’s also a very demanding role. It takes a while for the whole family to readjust to a new country, so I’m very glad that I didn’t find work too quickly. After a relocation, one parent needs to have that extra time and space for the first few months,” says Vincent. “My wife (also a CFO) and I both work long hours for major organisations. But I am aware that we’re here as expats so I am also trying to enjoy the experience of living in the Czech Republic. I’m very happy to have a job but I don’t need it to define me.”
Different perspective
“Over time, I guess my perspective has changed. Should we relocate again in a few years, I would weigh up my options once more but the priority would be finding a good school for my kids, not my career. If I can’t find a suitable job, I would be happy to explore other options, for example, volunteering. Work is not the holy grail for me anymore!”
Photo: Vincent and his family
All Global Connection’s corporate clients are leading multinationals. Due to some of their policies, we no longer use their name in public articles. However, expat partners signed in to our private Media & Network can see the multinational’s name.
