The Belgian company reputation as employers has improved and numerous sectors are now very attractive: medical, electronics, chemical, transport. The bank, insurance and media sectors are also important.

Agencies that you can contact depend on the type of work that you are looking for. Jobs in Brussels are grouped around the chemical (pharmacy), IT and banking sectors (Bayer, IBM, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Siemens...), and the belgian administration (ministries and Belgian, French speaking and Dutch speaking national organisations…) and the European Union (head of the European Commission and of the Concile of the European Union, European parliament...).

Offical websites for employment are:

FOREM (http://www.leforem.be - French speaking office for professional training and employment) with a database of jobs in Belgium and abroad.

ORBEM, (http://www.orbem.be - Office Régional Bruxellois de l’Emploi), provides employment ads in Belgium and abroad. As for the Forem, it is possible to upload your CV and to register online. The VDAB is the Dutch equivalent of Orbem.

ONEM (http://www.onem.be - National office for employment) is more specifically in charge of unemployment benefits.

You will find online the ads of the Belgian newspapers:

• Le Soir, Vlan, Sud Presse group: http://www.references.be
• De Standaard, Het Nieuwsblad : http://www.jobat.be
• Vers L’Avenir : http://www.jobatregion.be
• Groupe Plus : http://www.plus.be

On Internet, visit:

• References : A lot of offers online. Possibility to upload your CV.
• Arbajob : Groups several websites specialized in employment in Belgium.
• Locanto : Career opportunities in Belgium.
• JobsCareer : A large section dedicated to job searching.
• Jobstoday : Job offers daily and opportunities everyday, filtered and sorted according to the criteria of the user.
• Job Challenge : Consulting and human ressources service for recruiting executives.
• Mezquita and Associates : recruitment and selection of candidates in finance, IT, human ressources, sales and marketing positions.
• Stepstone.be : database of job opportunities for candidates and possibility for employers to search for profiles.
• CPM : Recruitment bureau specialised in IT, finance and positions in engenieering.
• Monster : famous search engine for job opportunities, with also student jobs, temping, CV and recruitment support.
• Michael Page

You can also consult the temping agencies:

• Randstad : Temping agency in order to find a job online. Large offer in Belgium, student jobs and temping. CV examples available.
• Adecco : Temping.
• Accountemps : Temping opportunities in accounting, finance and banks.
• Gestionique : Temping for IT positions.
• T Service Interim : Temping agency focused on employment in Brussels.
• Trace : Public service of temping, job search and recruitment in French speaking Belgium.

And of course all the other websites to find in the DMOZ directory.

CV, covering letter and interview

For the Curriculum Vitae, one to two pages are enough. the covering letter should be no longer than 3 or 4 paragraphs. As in France, it is better to make it hand-writing, even if it is not mandatory: more and more letters are emailed and typed on computers nowadays.

During the interview, you will have to describe and explain your experience noted in your CV. Avoid talking about the salary at the first interviews and wait for the company to offer you the position before you raise the subject.