Finding a Job

The Northern Netherlands is a growing region, and companies across Groningen, Drenthe and Friesland are looking for talent to help their companies grow. The vibrant student life in the North also gives plenty of opportunities for students who are looking for a (part-time) job in addition to their studies.

There are several ways for looking for vacancies:

• Via the internet
• Via job agencies that are specialized in jobs for non-Dutch speakers
• Via an open application
• Via networking

Take a look at our Service Providers page for recruitment agencies.

The internet

Many job openings are posted online. You can look at the websites of the companies and organizations where you would like to work to see if they have vacancies. A keyword to know for many job sites in the Netherlands, even if the site is in English, is vacatures, which means “job vacancies.”

Make it in the North platform

Make it in the North is a non-profit project and platform fully in English with everything you need to build your career in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe.

On the website you can:

Networking

The most successful way to find a new job is through networking and contacts. Networking can happen anywhere (e.g. sports clubs, your child’s school, joining clubs and interest groups etc.) Be ready for the question, “What do you do?” Spend time on perfecting your profile and practicing your ‘pitch’, but keep it simple and natural. Here are some tips to building your network. For meeting other internationals in the north here are some groups that you may want to consider joining:

• IWCN Connect
• Internations
• Meet-up
• Expat Facebook groups

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a popular recruitment medium in the Netherlands, so keep your profile updated and make sure to set your location to the Netherlands. Check that your profile and experience are consistent with your CV and use a (professional) photo. Recruiters and hiring managers in the Netherlands are constantly looking at profiles or placing job advertisements here. You can join groups, take part in discussions and use LinkedIn for job research. You can also sign-up for job alerts, which will notify you of jobs matching your requirements.

Jobs for Spouses

Many companies are increasingly aware that talented prospective international employees coming to the Netherlands often have equally talented spouses or partners who also wish to further their careers.

As a ‘trailing spouse’ in the Northern Netherlands, you may find that finding a job depends on building up a network of warm contacts and that getting a job is based upon knowing the Dutch language.

In the North especially, having some knowledge of Dutch business terminology is seen as a prerequisite when dealing with customers or suppliers. Not all (but many) jobs require this,  so a language course could be key in taking the next step.

Some of the large employers in the region offer career support for spouses, such as the University of Groningen’s Dual Career Support programme, which includes monthly meet-ups and group support.

Volunteering can also be a good way of meeting people and building a personal network, while groups like InterNations can also be very helpful when seeking new opportunities.