Many international companies have offices in the Netherlands and some of them are even headquartered here. Some prime examples of international Dutch companies include Royal Dutch Shell, Philips, DSM, the FMCG giant Unilever and ABN AMRO.

Still, if you do not speak Dutch and are not familiar with the Dutch labour market it might be difficult to find a job in the Netherlands. One of the best ways to find a job in the Netherlands is to go to a recruitment agency. Almost 20% of Dutch employees have (at one time) worked via a recruitment agency as a temp, and since many agencies can also find you permanent contracts with a company, even more employees find work via a recruitment agency. And here's the good news. Recruitment agencies are free of charge to candidates registering.

Below are some resources that will help you in your job hunt for the Netherlands.

• http://www.algemeendagblad.nl : national Dutch newspaper with classified ads
• http://www.werk.nl : a government website. Users may submit their CVs and an automatic job-search agent will send an e-mail when new matching vacancies have been announced.
• http://www.monsterboard.nl : a job site that offers an interactive platform that brings together employers and employees
• http://www.undutchables.nl : a website that offers job postings as wells as advise on settling in into the Netherlands
• http://www.xpatjobs.com/home.asp : Xpat job; mainly focuses on English and foreign language jobs
• http://www.justlanded.com/: a listing of jobs for foreigners along with advice on salaries, terms and conditions etc
• http://www.englishlanguagejobs.com : a listing of English speaking jobs in the Netherlands
• http://www.bluelynx.com: specializing in English language jobs in the Netherlands
• http://www.learn4good.com : listing of professional jobs in the Netherlands
• http://www.jobinamsterdam.com/ : listing of hot jobs in the Amsterdam area
• http://www.escapeartist.com/netherlands/jobs.htm : a listing of miscellaneous job sites for foreigners interested in working in the Netherlands
• http://www.4icj.com : an overview of head hunters, salaries and jobs across various sectors

You can also consult the temping agencies:

• Randstad Netherlands: Temping agency in order to find a job online. Large offer in Belgium, student jobs and temping. CV examples available.
• Adecco Netherlands: Temping.
• Manpower Netherlands : Specialising in permanent, temporary and contract positions.
• Kelly Services Netherlands: staffing solutions that include temporary staffing, outsourcing, staff leasing and full time positions.

CV, cover letter and interview

Write a Dutch CV in the third person singular. Tape it in chronological order on one, maximum two pages in a direct factual style, which only gives the facts and figures.

Your Dutch CV should aim to persuade recruiters to call you for a job interview. Therefore, keep it brief yet give the reader a hook, a reason to call you for that interview. Your covering letter should not be more than 3-4 paragraphs. Online job applications are quite common in the Netherlands. However, you should be aware that an electronic CV does not look the same as a standard one. CVs are often scanned by employers, so make your CV is scannable by avoiding lines or italic fonts etc.

During the interview, you will have to describe and explain your experience noted in your CV. Avoid talking about the salary at the first interviews and wait for the company to offer you the position before you raise the subject.