Tips
How to Find a Job in Serbia Without Knowing Serbian?
When you don’t speak Serbian, job hunting in Serbia doesn’t become “impossible” it becomes “you need to choose your playing field smarter and act more precisely.” The language really does open a ton of doors, but until you learn it, you can still get in through other entrances.
Table of Contents
Our quick snapshot: where you can realistically get hired without Serbian, and where you almost can’t
Where your chances are high
- International companies and teams in Serbia where English is the working language (often IT, product, analytics, design, finance, ops).
- Your language-speaking businesses in Serbia: services, retail, B2B, healthcare, education, logistics, “diaspora” projects.
- Roles that are “process-based,” not “conversation-based”: where skills and results matter more than constant communication with local clients.
Where it’s usually hard without Serbian
- B2C service roles for a Serbian-speaking audience (cafés, stores, admin roles, reception, local-market call centers).
- Government/semi-government roles and positions involving paperwork in Serbian (more bureaucracy, more communication).
- Roles where you need to “sell” in Serbian (local sales, customer success for Serbian clients).
To understand the context: according to SORS, in Q3 2025 Serbia’s unemployment rate was 8.2%, with 2,876,600 employed and 256,500 unemployed. So the market is active, but competition is real and “winging it” doesn’t work.
The main strategy for finding a job abroad without the local language: “two speeds”
Your goal for the next few months is to choose the right tactic as quickly as possible.
Speed 1: get a job now
Go where language isn’t a gatekeeper: English/your language, international processes, remote work, diaspora businesses.
Speed 2: start learning Serbian in parallel
Not for a “perfect level,” but to widen your funnel. Even A2–B1 noticeably increases the number of roles available to you and builds trust in interviews.
For learning Serbian, we especially recommend our friends at Naučimo Srpski, a school where you’ll start speaking and understand grammar and rules not because “that’s how history turned out,” but because the teachers explain things in a way that makes sense specifically to you.
What really works: 9 practices that get results
1. Sell a concrete outcome, not “yourself”
Of course it matters that you’re “responsible and communicative,” but what matters more is that you:
- increased sales by X,
- shortened timelines by Y,
- built a process that runs without you.
In your CV and LinkedIn, write 3 impact bullets for each key role: short, numbers-driven, straight to the point.
2. Make two versions of your CV: English and Your Language
- EN for international teams and most white-collar roles.
- Your language for your-language-speaking businesses where decisions are often made faster.
Even if your English isn’t strong yet, still make an EN version: keep it simple, but clean and easy to understand.
3. State your documents/work status in one sentence
In Serbia, the eternal question is “can you actually work here?” Answer it right away in your CV.
Example wording:
- “Based in Serbia, available for local employment; documents in progress / ready to start”
(Important: don’t promise what you don’t have. But don’t hide the topic either.)
4. Narrow your funnel to 2–3 “buckets” of roles
So you don’t spread yourself thin, choose your buckets:
- Bucket A: international/English-speaking roles in Serbia
- Bucket B: your-language-speaking companies in Serbia
- Bucket C: remote roles (but with realistic expectations about competition)
Why: remote work is still in demand globally, but there are fewer openings now, and competition is tougher. LinkedIn notes that the supply of remote roles is falling more noticeably than candidate demand.
5. Don’t send an “application” send a short message to a person
A human message works better than 100 identical applications. Here’s a simple structure to keep it clear:
- 1 line: who you are and what you’re applying for
- 1 line: relevant experience/result
- 1 line: why this role/company
- 1 question: about the process/next step
It looks mature and saves everyone time.
6. Focus on “fast” roles: easier entry, shorter hiring cycles
Examples of roles that are more accessible without Serbian:
- customer support in your language/EN,
- B2B sales for international markets,
- content, design, performance, analytics (with a strong portfolio),
- ops/coordinator roles in your-language-speaking teams,
- language teaching or working with a your-language-speaking audience.
7. In Serbia, it really matters that “you’re already here”
If you’re physically in Serbia, it’s a plus: easier calls, test tasks, starting “on Monday.” Make sure you list your city and availability.
And yes, English isn’t rare in Serbia: EF EPI ranks Serbia relatively high (including strong results for Belgrade and Novi Sad). This doesn’t replace Serbian, but it helps explain why English can sometimes be enough.
8. Build a profile that can be “found,” not just “read”
If you’re waiting for an employer to figure out who you are, they won’t.
What you need:
- a clear headline (role + domain),
- 5–10 key skills,
- a portfolio/cases (even 2–3),
- languages with an honest level.
On Ovde Jobs, you can add your CV to the database so companies already hiring in Serbia can find you.
9. Learn Serbian “for the job,” not “in a vacuum”
Don’t try to become “a local” right away. Your early goal is:
- introduce yourself,
- explain your experience,
- handle small talk,
- understand basic questions about terms and conditions.
A couple of hours a week consistently is better than getting inspired for a weekend and then dropping it.
Conclusion
It will be harder in Serbia without Serbian, and that’s normal. The language really expands your market and speeds up growth. But until you learn it, you still have working routes: English, international teams, your-language-speaking companies, remote work, and roles where results matter most. The key is not to build illusions and not to give up, just act more precisely.
Want to start faster and send your first applications today? Browse current vacancies and add your CV so employers can find you.
Open vacancies on Ovde Jobs
What you can do right now:
- Open the vacancies section and look for roles with English / Russian, remote, and relocation.
- In parallel, add your CV to the database: this increases the chances that employers will message you first.
- Keep in mind: the vacancies page currently shows a list, and filters may be temporarily unavailable, so search by keywords and role titles.