Stuck abroad!!.
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- leboor
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I applied for a senior AD position at an agency in Sweden earlier this year.Living in Seattle,we only had about 3 phone interviews and after I had my portfolio sent over I was pretty much promised this position. Start date was was August 31st, but I was supposed meet in person and introduce myself on August 20th.
This being in May, I immediately started looking for a place to live in Stockholm and recently found a small apartment in a nearby suburb. Yesterday I had my meeting scheduled for 9.30 AM. As I arrive, this person, Mats, I've dealt with all this time over the phone and through email conversations, was not there. I started to freak and told my story to an assistant there. This woman claimed Mats no longer worked there and that they were still interviewing for this position!!!!!
I was shaking at this point and told her how I moved from Seattle for this position and alredy arranged long-term accomodation and was depending on this job seeing as it was promised to me already.
I met the boss, who pretty much said the same thing. Mats no longer worked there and wasn't really authorized to vacate positions, but was terribly sorry how things have worked out for me but will be on "the lookout for other jobs" for me. Bullshit.
As of today, I am without job in a foreign country with a two year contract on a place I can't afford having no pay. I have contacted the embassy and have an appointment scheduled on Thursday, but I am not sure what they can do, over the phone they explained how they generally don't really have any influence over apartment contracts and things you sign still being a US citizen.
What should I do at this point?? Can I just leave the apartment and all? What would happen?
- blaw0
any chance of interviewing with the people you spoke to? surely there are other design opps. in the area?
wow, though... tough spot. good luck.
- RoyBoy0
hunt down Mats, have a nice chat with him (wink wink), then leave the country!
- Dancer0
send a letter to the owners of the property explain your position and then leave the country. No ones gonna chase to the otehr side of the world for a broken contract.
Or find someone else to replace you.
- leboor0
I am still a prospect for the position I was already promised, but supposedly they are still interviewing.....
to add insult to injury, i am getting about 12 bags of stuff from home later tonight.
- Bluejam0
do you have a work permit?
- lvl_130
it sounds crazy that you packed up all your stuff and moved there without anything in writing!
when was the last time you spoke with mats? what was the reason he left? does that have any weight on your current 'non' position there (ie. was he fired or did he just up and leave?) the reason why i ask is because it seems odd that the company you have been talking to for months didn't just offer you the position even if the guy that said you were basically hired isn't there anymore...i mean the position is 'still' available!
good luck and let us know if we can help in any way (probably can't but still...). there are a few members here that are in sweden (i think designerror is there...maybe not though, i can't remember :\
you should almost make another thread titled "sweden Stockholm help!!" you might get more help that way.
- ribit0
Usually you are stuck with paying rent until they find someone else, (or you find someone for them) but that averages just 1-3 months... if its anything like Germany the terms are in the contract and also covered by law..
- ribit0
btw its a really good idea to get temporary accommodation until you have a contract.. and gives you more time to work out where best to live long term... but you know that now...
- jox0
leboor,
call me. 704712750
I am local and I will help you.
- leboor0
I spoke to him last about 3 weeks ago, he assured me things were worked out and we were down to lamp shade on my desk level.
I agree that it was stupid of me to move over all my stuff, I guess he was just one of those people you trust after hours and hours on the phone.
- leboor0
jox, i do not have access to a phone right now. Any chance we can meet up?
- rafalski0
jox to the rescue!
still, you're gonna need this
http://www.ivansafrin.com/jox.ph…
- lvl_130
sorry, i think i made a mistake in saying that designerror is there. i think he is actually in iceland....i just remembered that 'vanilla sky' thread.
good ol' jox to the rescue though!
- leboor0
Now I got an email from the agency again, apologizing how things worked out and that I am "next in line should any new vacancies arise".
I am holding my breath......
- jox0
leboor,
I've sent you an email so we can co-ordinate. I am free in about an hour.
- e-pill0
hey this sucks but serious offense...now you have learned to never work without a contract...you travel across the world off a 'VERBAL' conversation and thought you actually had a footing to stand on.
verbal contracts are never valid and why would you travel across the globe to a new country a new job without speaking to that companies owner??
i dont understand how you can pack your life and do all those things without a contract??
did you even get a work visa?? dont these things need to be signed by the company you are trying to work with-in??
also never rely on someone's "VERBAL ASSURANCE"
what was the benefits of leaving america to go for a job in another country?? to which didnt even know you were arriving and didnt even care when you showed up!!!
- e-pill0
leboor,
call me. 704712750
I am local and I will help you.
jox
(Aug 21 07, 04:21)if you gonna leave your number jox you know whats going to happen!!
- TheBlueOne0
Well, in a few years you'll look back on this adventure and it'll be a hell of a story.
Best of luck at the moment, but hey, it won't kill you. Enjoy the chaos for what it's worth...
- leboor0
I fully agree epill, foolish of me to rely on a verbal contract but I had no reason to doubt it at the time. I did get a temporary work permit on my own, that would have to be renewed together with the agency after 6 months to become an actual work visa. i guess my best bet at this point is to find something else here because i do not want to leave.
The benefits as I saw them were a change of lifestyle, a new culture and decent pay.
Hopefully jox can help me work this mess out, i am meeting him in a short while.
- e-pill0
i wish you the best of luck it sucks to be in that position, but as you are in sweeden...why not get one of them masssages and a happy ending...
;)