Personal contacts should be used primarily for augmenting one's job search; that is, they are useful for identifying vacancies, obtaining background information on companies and understanding a company's work culture.

Trade councils may provide background information, especially if the jobseeker is already a member of a sister organization within his or her home country. Such associations often provide career services to an immigrating worker and it is therefore worthwhile to check whether any partnerships between professional organizations exist.

In certain professions, it is next to impossible to get work in a field without specific accreditation from a professional body. This is true, for instance, in the fields of psychology or medicine. It is essential to check whether obligatory registration exists; for this type of inquiry, embassies and ministries should be able to provide helpful information.

FNV – Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging
http://www.fnv.nl
FNV, the Dutch Trade Union Federation (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging), is a confederation of 18 unions formed in 1976. It is the largest trade union confederation in The Netherlands with more than a million members. The FNV negotiates at the industry level and sometimes at the enterprise level.

Visiting address:
FNV Vakcentrale
Naritaweg 10
1043 BX Amsterdam
Tel: 020 - 5816300
Fax: 020 - 684 45 41

Postal address:
Vakcentrale FNV
Postbus 8456
1005 AL Amsterdam

American Netherlands Club of Rotterdam
http://www.fawco.org (English)
The American Netherlands Club of Rotterdam, founded in 1955, is a non-profit organization that promotes friendship and understanding between women of various nationalities who reside in The Netherlands.

American Netherlands Club of Rotterdam
Brievenbus 34025
3005 GA Rotterdam