Job Search Overview

Finding a job in The Netherlands is similar to seeking employment in other industrial countries. An important way to secure employment is through referrals and leads from acquaintances. An estimated 50 percent of Dutch workers find their jobs through networking, which is the process of seeking employment recommendations through friends, current and former colleagues, professional associates and industry contacts. Other networking sources include family members, neighbors or schoolmates.

Online Job Sites

The following websites post job announcements from employers and recruiters. Most employment websites permit jobseekers to add their résumé/CV to an online database for perusal by potential employers. Users can also set up a Job Alert search agent to email them job postings that match specified criteria, such as job title, occupation and geographic location. It is also worthwhile to visit the websites of Dutch companies that increasingly post internal job vacancies on their corporate websites.

Intermediair.nl
http://www.nationalevacaturebank.nl/ (Dutch)
With job postings from more than 32,000 Dutch businesses, De Nationale Vacature Bank is one of the larger job sites in the Netherlands. As part of its services, users can upload their résumé/CV and have them cross-referenced against all available posted jobs. This website also offers an email Job Alert service. Jobs can be searched by region or industry sector.

De Nationale Vacature Bank
http://www.intermediair.nl (Dutch)
Intermediair.nl’s job site lists positions for professionals who hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree. This website also offers an email Job Alert service and a résumé/CV database. Intermediair.nl also publishes a print magazine with job postings.