She followed her mom and left Poland to work in Belgium. After ten years as a staffing consultant, Joanna chose to try something different as a reception clerk in a hospital. But soon the calling for the recruitment profession rang loud again: since 2019 she has been working as an IDM Recruiter at IMPACT, seeking foreign specialists in construction and engineering for local vacancies in Belgium.

It was around 2005 that Joanna left behind the borders of her homeland of Poland to plunge fully into a Belgian adventure. “My mom had been living in Belgium for a while. I came regularly on vacation and eventually decided to follow her and live and work in Belgium as well. But so it was not completely new to me.” Joanna took an intensive Dutch language course, found a job as a counselor at a temp agency and did so for 10 years.

Like many temps, at some point Joanna felt the time was right to take a totally different direction. “I had never done anything but a job as a recruiter. I wanted to try something different and started in 2019 as a reception clerk in a hospital: a quieter job, without specific targets to meet … It sounded good, but I soon found out that I just need that challenge, action and a certain pressure to perform. Consequently, my side hustle outside the hr sector lasted only four months. As an IDM Recruiter at IMPACT, I found my niche again.”

Today, Joanna is part of IMPACT’s international team that searches and employs foreign profiles in Belgium. “From our offices, we receive vacancies from companies in need of specific specialists. We look for suitable candidates, carry out a thorough screening and then introduce them to the client. They get a good specialist they would never find without IMPACT, especially not in Belgium. And as a foreigner, you get a unique opportunity to show your talent in exchange for a challenging job with a correct salary and fringe benefits.”

For foreign temporary workers, IMPACT has a lot to offer. “We are a company with a lot of expertise and a good reputation: in short, temporary workers can trust us blindly and count on us at any time. Our guidance is also not limited to finding a job: we try to take someone’s wishes into account as much as possible, help temporary workers with any question, make sure they get housing – and if necessary transportation – near their workplace and so on.”

Joanna experiences that temporary workers appreciate that added value. “We are very honest and clear from the very first interview: about the pluses and minuses of the vacancy, about life and the system in Belgium … This way, no one gets any surprises and every temporary worker is well informed before coming to Belgium. This often makes them feel at home quickly, but they also know they can come to us for any question or when they are not feeling well. As a newcomer and temporary worker in Belgium, you sleep on both ears when you choose IMPACT that takes care of everything for you.”

“By being perfectionist and demanding, both for myself and others. A resume can be the perfect match to a job opening, but if the candidate’s personality or mindset doesn’t fit the company, then you have to be honest too. And vice versa, of course, too. We are people to people, not products. IMPACT’s goal is to find a suitable job and a great workplace for every starter, so that he or she can enjoy building a long career there. That way, the temporary worker, the client and also ourselves are happy: as an IDM recruiter, that continues to give us the most satisfaction.”