Romania - why work abroad?

Country: Romania
Official languages: Romanian
Government: Parliamentary republic
Population: 19.1 million
Capital: Bucharest
Currency: Romanian leu (RON)
Member EU or EEA: EU
Phone code: +40
Internet code: .ro

Why this country?

Natural attractions are the Danube delta, the Black Sea coast and the Carpathian mountains. West of the mountains lies the historical region of Transylvania, home to medieval towns and fairy-tale castles, and a must for fans of vampire fiction.

Romania has attracted considerable foreign investment and seen a rapid growth of its private sector in recent years, partly thanks to it having one of the lowest tax rates in the European Union - a flat 16 %. While wages are among the lowest in Europe, unemployment is also low.It has a larger industrial and agricultural base, but these sectors are declining in favour of services - commerce and a fast- growing tourism sector. Job vacancies most often posted are in the textile industry, freight handling, parts assembly, packaging, construction and sales.


Looking for work?

The best way to look for low-skilled or unskilled work is in newspapers or via the local public agencies for employment. Highly qualified and highly educated jobseekers tend to look via the Internet.

Tips for job applications?

A candidate interested in a job vacancy can apply to the employer directly by sending an e-mail or making a phone call.

The recruiter will decide whether to interview you based on the extent to which your CV matches their requirements. A covering letter is important for highly skilled posts (doctors, engi­neers) and should be no more than two pages long. For jobs that require a low level of quali­fication/education, a letter is not so important.

Employers may organise more than one inter­view, in which case they commonly conduct the first interview by phone. In phone interviews, the recruiter verifies that the information on the CV is authentic and asks for more detailed information about the candidate's skills, abili­ties and professional experience. A phone inter­view lasts approximately 10-15 minutes.

Is it standard to include a photo on the CV?

Generally a photo is not necessary, unless the employer mentions it in the advertisement.

Is there a preference for handwritten applications?

No, the preference nowadays is for printed applications.

Is the Europass format CV widely used and accepted?

The Europass format CV is not widely used and accepted, although we do recommend it. People with a higher education tend to use it; those with a lower educational attainment prefer not to, as it is seen as quite long and complicated.

Making contact by phone

The aim of a phone call would generally be to fix an appointment for an interview. You can also call if you sent your CV a few weeks previously and have not had a reply. Prepare what you want to say in advance, and be brief and to the point. Introduce yourself remind the employer that you recently submitted a CV and mention which job you are interested in. The conversation should be short. Do not call several times.

Do I need to send diplomas with my application?

Only if you are asked to. Some employers ask for a copy of your diploma at the beginning of the procedure; some recruit applicants without seeing it.

Should I supply references, letters of recommendation or proof of good conduct?

Employers normally ask for references or letters of recommendation.

All employers require proof of good conduct (i.e. whether you have a criminal record). Normally you need to be able to prove this for every job.

Usual length of time between publication of the vacancy and start of the job

Two to four weeks in general, but it varies. Sometimes the employer wants to interview more candidates or asks for more documents about the candidate’s previous work or studies.

Preparing for the interview

Many companies propose a phone interview before deciding if they want to meet you face to face. In this case, it is important to prepare as you would for a proper interview, and express your personality clearly from the start. Do not interrupt when the person is speaking and be sure you understand the question before answering.

Make sure you know the field in which the company operates and the requirements of the position. The recruiter will expect a professional attitude and will want to have an honest and frank discussion with you. Focus on the details of your CV. Employers know that the skills and abilities section of a CV is usually somewhat exaggerated.

Dress-code tips

Be decently and respectably dressed.

Who will be there?

Commonly, a representative of the HR staff in charge of the recruitment process, the head of the department for which the company is recruiting and, in some cases, the general director/president of the company.

Do we shake hands?

Yes, it is polite to shake hands in Romania.

Is there a typical interview structure?

Once the recruiter has decided they want to meet you in person, the interview can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours. All aspects of verbal and non-verbal communication are important. The recruiter will observe your positive and negative communication skills and analyse them in order to form their assessment.

Most employers use semi-structured inter­views. The structure may be as follows at the first meeting:

small talk to put you at ease;

presentation by the recruiter and the applicant;

questions about your experience, skills and knowledge; verification of information in the CV;

the recruiter informs you about the require­ments and main duties of the job and about the company in general: which sectors it operates in, its achievements, etc.;

the recruiter checks that you have under­stood all the aspects discussed;

your questions, for example: What is the work schedule? What salary are you offering? Is there a lunch break?

You are advised to prepare questions before the meeting, but be flexible and try to think of oth­ers that may crop up during the interview.

The atmosphere should be open, relaxed and communicative. Make sure you adopt a profes­sional attitude and that you explain your moti­vation for the job.

When is a question out of bounds?

Romania has anti-discrimination legislation.

Negotiating your pay and benefits

You can negotiate the pay and the non-stat- utory and other benefits. Remuneration is expressed in monthly rates. Holiday pay and annual bonuses are negotiated separately. If they are offered, the most common non-stat- utory benefits are meal vouchers and holiday pay. Usually the HR department is responsible for the negotiation. They know the maximum salary the company can offer for a particular position. The final decision rests with the company management..

Is a trial period likely?

The Romanian labour code mentions the possibility to establish a trial period of up to 90 days for non-managerial posts and up to 120 days for managerial roles.

How long is the standard probationary period?

According to the labour code, every category of worker has a probationary period, from 5 days for low-skilled persons employed for a limited period, to 90 days for management positions.

Will the employer cover my costs for attending an interview?

No, the employer will not cover these costs in Romania.

When will I hear the result?

The recruiter will tell you at the interview whether or not you have been accepted or when you will be contacted again.

Getting feedback and further follow-up

If you do not hear anything shortly after the interview, you can assume that you have not been selected. Employers do not usually inform unsuccessful candidates of the outcome. However, it is acceptable to call the employer for feedback.

How early should I arrive for the interview?

Punctuality is very important; you must respect the interview schedule. However, if you are a few minutes late, the employer may under¬stand if you have a very good reason for this.

last modification: 2014-09-03 12:45:45
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