Starting your career in the Netherlands is all about finding the right job — but how do you know where to look?
Whether you’re considering making the move to the country or have already made it your home, you likely know one thing: it’s an expensive place.
That means you’ll certainly need a job — and preferably one with great pay, top benefits, and that will set you on an excellent career path. Here’s where to start your hunt!
1. Check out online job boards (here are the best)
It’s not surprising that the most popular job boards in the Netherlands could also be the same as the ones you use in your home country. Indeed.nl and LinkedIn are kings of the castle (or koningen van het kasteel in Dutch 😉).
Indeed.nl has the lion’s share of job postings, with 54% of job-hunters using the platform. It has a good mix of blue-collar and white-collar postings, but — even handier — you can filter out results from languages you don’t speak, so if your Dutch isn’t yet up to scratch, you can easily skip all those listings.
READ MORE | Do I need to speak Dutch to work in the Netherlands?
Check out these job boards, which have the most jobs for internationals in the Netherlands — who knows; you might find your droombaan (dream job)!
2. Sign up with a recruitment agency
The hardest thing about a job board is that it’s you and your resume against the world — or in this case, a competitive job agency. That’s where a recruiter can really shine. A recruitment company is tasked with finding great candidates (like you!) for companies.
If you sign up with a recruitment agency, they can do the hard work of finding a fantastic job vacancy that suits you — then help you put your best foot forward to sign on the dotted line. The Dutch job market is competitive, so having someone in your corner can be a huge help!
Not sure where to start? Undutchables are the experts at finding internationals in the Netherlands. Check out their vacancies — you never know when your perfect job will pop up!
3. Go direct to companies that already hire internationals
Did you know the Netherlands is a hub for international company headquarters? It’s one of the drawcards of moving to the lowlands (along with that amazing work-life balance). That means that sometimes to find an English-speaking job in the Netherlands, you’re best off going straight to the source!
Look for companies that hire internationals in the Netherlands and go direct to their job boards. It’s not the Dutch directness we all know and love — but it could get you earning some serious moolah to spend on all that cheese you’ll be eating. 🧀
4. Find employers to target via the Dutch Immigration Department
Now it’s time to pull out the magnifying glass and fake moustache — get snooping, detective! Impress your future employer with your research skills by taking the previous tip a step further and combing through the IND Recognised Sponsor list.
The list is full of employers the IND has approved to sponsor internationals for residence permits — a.k.a, a list full of companies that have hired internationals and may still do.
And, you know, if they feel like sponsoring your resident permit (or even helping you qualify for the 30% ruling), that’s just a bonus!
5. See what’s on offer at EURES
If you feel like you’ve turned over all the stones in the Netherlands, it could be worth broadening your job search to the entire European Union. EURES is the European Job Mobility Portal and has thousands of jobs all over the EU.
You can try searching for jobs in the Netherlands whilst here or from other countries in the EU. You never know which company might be open to a bit of working from home or occasional travel!
6. View the Dutch government’s job board, Werk.nl
If the above options haven’t fulfilled your career aspirations yet, it might be time to turn to the government. The Dutch government hosts their own job board, Werk.nl. It doesn’t have the same breadth as some other options, but you may just strike gold!
A quick search from us showed some handy jobs there, including some government jobs that hadn’t popped up elsewhere, so it could be worth a look. 👍
7. Attend a job fair
Prefer a ‘boots-on-the-ground approach’? It’s time to suit up, put your confident face on, and show up at a job fair. A job fair is full of recruiters and human resources personnel who are all looking for the next great talent — hey, that’s you! 💁♀️
You also don’t need to go to a mega job fair — sometimes events tailored to your industry or even a single company can be more fruitful. Naturally, the downside of this option is you need to wait around for a job fair to be held before you can get to work.
Tip: Search for upcoming job fairs on websites like Eventbrite, Facebook Events, or with a quick Google search of “Job fair [city]”.
8. Ask around your network
You’ve had the benefits of networking rammed down your throat since you were old enough to have a job, and while it can seem intimidating, here’s the tea: networking works.
In fact, research shows a whopping 85% of jobs are filled by networking — and most of them are never even advertised!
That means finding a job in the Netherlands could be as simple as asking your network. Jump onto LinkedIn and show people you are #OpenToWork or start connecting with people in your industry. Ask, and ye shall receive, right?
9. Consider becoming self-employed instead
Not having any luck finding a job in the Netherlands? Perhaps it’s time to consider becoming self-employed — hear us out. Over 12% of the Dutch labour force is self-employed, the sixth-highest amount in the EU.
If you feel skilled in your career, perhaps it’s time to consider reaping the profits — now, all you need to do is find some clients. 😉
Now that you’re armed with all of the places you can find your brand new Dutch job, what the hell are you still reading for? Get out there and start your hunt — we believe in you! 🏆
Still not sure where to start your job search? Perhaps it’s time to turn to the experts at getting internationals hired in the Netherlands: Undutchables. Check out their current vacancies to find your new Dutch job!
Feature Image: HayDmitriy/Depositphotos
Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺https://gallivantations.com
Sam has over six years experience writing about life in the Netherlands and leads the content team at DutchReview. She originally came to the Netherlands to study in 2016 and now holds a BA (Hons.) in Arts, a BA (Hons) in Journalism, and (almost) a Masters in Teaching. She loves to write about settling into life in the Netherlands, her city of Utrecht, learning Dutch, and jobs in the Netherlands — and she still can’t jump on the back of a moving bike (she's learning!).
