Netherlands

There are many different ways of finding work in the Netherlands. However, more than 60 % of all vacancies are filled informally. Having a good network therefore improves your chance of finding a job in the Netherlands. Channels commonly used to find work include:

EURES and UWV (public employment service of the Employee Insurance Agency) supports and assists jobseekers in their search for work. Online applications on companies’ websites and the use of CV databases, such as those of EURES and UWV, are the norm. Employers use CV databases to recruit candidates. If you cannot understand Dutch, you can use the website in English: werk.nl/werkzoekenden/eu/working-netherlands/.

Employment agencies, recruitment and selection agencies and secondment agencies.  It is common to start a job via a temp agency. There are many specialised employment agencies in the Netherlands. There are also recruitment and selection agencies, including headhunters. It is normal for these agencies to start by submitting candidates to a psychological test or having them take an assessment. As well as temping work, working on a secondment basis is also increasingly common. Among other things, employment agencies use this method to keep IT and other specialists in particular under contract.

There are various websites to find vacancies. LinkedIn is one of the most commonly used platform for recruitment.

Job fairs, particularly speed dates, are becoming increasingly popular. They are organised by, among others by UWV, employment agencies, colleges and universities, European Online Job Day (online EURES recruitment activities in Europe).