From B2 language classes to professional work environment: Some steps I'm taking to sure-up my target language for the job market.

So I've posted quite a bit in this group but a brief summary for people who don't follow me: I'm an immigrant in the Netherlands and I've been here for about 13 months. In early July I completed a year of coursework, got my B2 certificate, and am now studying for the state Dutch exam for immigrants.

It's also time to finally start looking for a damn job. When we moved here my husband and I planned on me being out of work for 18-24 months, but I'm hoping for the low-end of that range or maybe even sooner.

What I realized coming out of those courses was that B2 is not really advanced enough for a professional workplace that relies heavily on language. I'm a social worker (I specialize in forensics) so language is at the core of everything I do. So, coming out of these lessons I started feeling very stuck. I need to find a way to bridge from classroom-level B2 Dutch to living life in Dutch. I figured I'd do a post about how I'm trying to cross that bridge. I'm not 100% sure it's going to be successful, but all I can do is commit all my effort. Any additional tips would also be nice.

• Goal of reading 2000 pages of native-level Dutch by the end of 2019. I get books at the local thrift shop.
• I've started volunteering 6-8 hours a week at a halfway house for people coming out of prison. They basically have me doing every little task they have. So I make coffee, answer phones, help move furniture and clean, I've accompanied residents to doctor's visits, worked in the garden, handed out flyers, etc. Sometimes I just spend an hour or so kicking it with the residents in the living room. I also hang out a lot with the social workers there and they drop tips on how the system works. This is basically my field (I've been more on the mental health side in the past, but I'm not picky), so I'm learning a lot of (hopefully) important stuff as well as language that I'll need to use in the field.
• I also volunteer 2-9 hours a week as an advocate in my city's refugee processing center. I work in the office that takes refugee statements, basically their official description of why they're refugees and need to stay. My job there is mostly dictation. I sit in a room with the refugee, interpreter, and government worker and write down everything that is said. This is entirely in Dutch. Then, during the breaks I hang out with the refugee and make sure they are ok. That's usually in English as many foreigners do not speak Dutch.
• I've increased the time spent with my in-laws. I'm here on a partner Visa and my in-laws are not comfortable in English at all. This weekend I hung out at 2 BBQ's which lasted all day. So I was there 9+ hours over the weekend. I only broke into English when another person showed up who didn't speak Dutch. I actually like hanging out with my in-laws. My husband has like the best family ever so it never feels like a chore. I'm just lucky that way.
• I've had the goal of sending out 1 job application every other day. I have gotten so many rejections, guys. It's soul-crushing. I think part of the reason is because my cover letter says that I haven't passed the state exam yet. It's shameful and really hard, but I also think it helps. By looking at job ads I'm getting to know the language necessary to the job, what kinds of options are out there for me, and how to market myself.
• I've been trying to find Dutch media that interests me. I really have yet to find a serial drama I like, but I watch sketch comedy, game shows, and reality TV for at least an hour a day. I also find good podcasts once in awhile, but honestly the English stuff I like is so much better. If you guys know of any media that's good, let me know.
• I'm still doing flashcards. I'm gathering words from my thrift store novels, job ads, and any literature that the social workers at my volunteer work send me.
• My husband and I have made an effort to speak more Dutch at home. His English is C2+ level. I think it's actually better than mine, tbh. Sometimes I feel like he's more comfortable in English (even though he's a native Dutch speaker) so it's been a bit of a challenge for us to consistently speak in Dutch. I also have a Dutch-speaking friend and I asked her to just speak Dutch to me. I've been over her house a few times since then.
• I signed up for the career open day at the local prison. This is absolutely my dream job. Hopefully just by walking around I'll get a feel for the level of language and vocabulary used there.

I've been doing all of this for the past 6 weeks and I'm not sure if my Dutch has gotten any better. Honestly, throughout this entire process it's been difficult to feel any progress at all. I think it might be a personal cognitive issue, but I can't feel my own language level changing.

Some things I've been thinking about doing in the future:

• My hobby is collecting tropical plants. In 2 weeks there's a plant fair where you can sign up for "plant clubs". Dutch people love participating in hobby clubs, so you can pretty much find a club for anything you're interested in. I'm considering joining a plant club and maybe the national breed club for the dog I have (he's an endangered traditional Dutch breed, so they're very active here).
• If I pass the state exam and keep striking out on the job market, I'm considering going back to university for a second masters degree. I have an ivy league bachelors degree and a masters already so I think I could get into a decent related program. Most masters level degree programs here are in English, but I've found a few in Dutch that I think are interesting. My state exam certificate will be sufficient to meet the language requirements for these programs. Then I'll have 2 semesters to shore-up my Dutch. I'll have to find an income stream while I study though, and that means maybe sending out applications for jobs I won't find very interesting.

Let me know if you guys have any other tips!

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