# Belgian Job Discovery: VDAB and Beyond

Session context: August 3, 2026. User asked to find PHP/Laravel + AI developer jobs in Limburg/Hasselt area.

## Primary Source: VDAB

VDAB is the most reliable Belgian job board for browser-based extraction.
- Loads cleanly via browser_navigate without bot detection
- Provides full vacancy details: company, location, contract type, requirements, descriptions
- Individual vacancy URLs can be extracted via browser console when the listing page doesn't provide direct hrefs in the snapshot

### URL Extraction Technique
When viewing a VDAB listing page and you need the direct link to a specific vacancy, the snapshot ref IDs are clickable links. Use browser_click to navigate to the vacancy detail page, then extract the URL from the browser console:
```javascript
Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('a')).filter(a => a.textContent.toLowerCase().includes('COMPANYNAME')).map(a => a.href)
```

### Hasselt-Specific Search Strategy
VDAB's location+keyword combo search often fails to filter properly. Better approach:
1. Navigate to `https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/software-developer-3500-hasselt` for software dev roles specifically in Hasselt
2. Or search `https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/hasselt?trefwoord=php` but note results may not filter by keyword
3. Use the province filter on broader searches: `?f=provincie:limburg-provincie`

### Useful VDAB Search URLs
- General PHP: https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/php-developer
- Laravel: https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/laravel-developer
- Software dev in Limburg: https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/software-ontwikkelaar?f=provincie:limburg-provincie
- AI jobs: https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/ai
- All jobs in Hasselt: https://www.vdab.be/vindeenjob/jobs/hasselt

### Keyword Search Strategy
- Search query: `site:vdab.be "PHP" OR "Laravel" Limburg Hasselt`
- Location filter on listing pages: click province/municipality filters in the sidebar

## Secondary Sources (Bot-Prone)

These sites have aggressive Cloudflare protection. Attempt once, then move on if blocked.

### Accent Jobs (accentjobs.be) -- NOT a developer source
- Loads successfully but has zero PHP/Laravel/software developer roles in Hasselt/Genk
- Strong focus on: logistics, production, construction, retail, hospitality, administrative
- Their "IT" listings are mostly: IT support, IT consultants (not developers), business analysts, CNC programmers
- Recommendation: register for general IT placements but do not rely on it for dev roles

### Konvert (konvert.be) -- NOT a developer source
- ~4,885 active vacancies but overwhelmingly logistics, warehouse, production, retail, transport
- Zero developer matches in Hasselt or Genk
- Same recommendation as Accent: worth a profile but not a primary dev job source

### Jobat.be
- Blocked immediately on browser access ("Attention Required! | Cloudflare")
- Search summaries via web_search are the only reliable extraction method
- Good for cross-referencing VDAB listings

### ICTJob.be
- Also Cloudflare-protected
- Has dedicated IT roles but same extraction limitations

### Indeed.be / Indeed.com
- Consistently blocked ("Blocked - Indeed.com")
- Only useful via web_search snippets, not deep extraction

### LinkedIn (be.linkedin.com)
- Less aggressive bot detection but still restricted
- Good for quantity of listings, poor for province-level filtering
- https://be.linkedin.com/jobs/laravel-jobs
- https://be.linkedin.com/jobs/php-developer-jobs

### WeAreDevelopers
- Accessible, tech-focused European job board
- https://www.wearedevelopers.com/en/jobs/ls/belgium/php
- https://www.wearedevelopers.com/en/jobs/ls/belgium/laravel

## Presentation Strategy

When presenting findings to the user:
1. Group by commute-friendliness (Hasselt/Kuringen/Genk first, then broader Limburg, then other provinces)
2. Include direct URL for every vacancy
3. Flag "knelpuntberoep" (shortage profession) - these are worth applying even if slightly underqualified
4. Note contract type, start date, and key requirements
5. Call out any role that explicitly mentions AI/ML as a differentiator for this user

## Pitfall: Contradictory Postings

VDAB sometimes labels a role as "no experience required" while the employer's detailed profile demands senior skills. Always open the full vacancy description before making recommendations.