Dutch CV guide

CV tips for international job seekers in the Netherlands

The Netherlands hires many people from abroad, and Dutch employers are used to international CVs. A few additions make yours much easier to read: your right to work, how your qualifications compare, and your languages.

Say whether you can work here

Add one line near the top so recruiters don’t have to guess:

“EU citizen, free to work in the Netherlands”
“Orientation year (zoekjaar) residence permit, valid until 2027”
“Eligible for the highly skilled migrant scheme; sponsorship required”

Non-EU workers usually need an employer who is a recognised sponsor with the IND (the Dutch immigration service) for the highly skilled migrant scheme, or another route such as the EU Blue Card. Being clear about this helps employers who can sponsor you to move quickly.

Explain your foreign diploma

Give the degree, the institution and the country, and add the Dutch equivalent if you know it. Nuffic’s International Credential Evaluation (IDW) compares foreign qualifications with the Dutch system, and an evaluation can help for jobs that ask for a particular level. Dutch employers also refer to education levels such as HBO (universities of applied sciences) and WO (research universities), so it helps to know which yours matches.

Describe your international employers

A Dutch recruiter may not know your previous employers. Add a short line under each to say what the organisation does and how big it is, then focus on your own results.

Example

Solano Software, Madrid, Spain. SaaS company with 350 staff serving retailers in 12 countries. Backend developer in the payments team.

Be honest about your Dutch

Plenty of jobs need only English, especially in tech, research and international companies, but Dutch helps in many sectors and in day-to-day life. Give your level on the European scale (A1 to C2) and mention any course you are taking. Learning Dutch shows commitment to staying.

Show you will fit in

Dutch workplaces tend to be flat, direct and consensus-driven. Examples of working independently, giving and receiving honest feedback, and collaborating across teams all go down well. Keep your CV factual and modest in tone.