Job hunting in a new country is its own special kind of rollercoaster. You apply, you wait, you refresh your inbox way too many times, and somewhere in between you start questioning your own CV like it personally betrayed you. I’ve been wanting to write about my experience for a while, and now that I’m actually employed (yes, hired!), I figured it’s the perfect time to look back at how it all went down.
Round One: Going International
My first move was to focus on international companies – places where English is the working language. It made sense to me: I’m still building my Dutch and I didn’t want my job search to be limited by a language barrier I’m actively working on. So I sent out resumes, tailored cover letters, the whole deal, you know.
In total, I sent around 10 applications to English-speaking, international companies. The responses were… quiet. A few automated “thank you for your application” emails and a lot of silence. Job hunting in general is tough, but job hunting as a newcomer adds an extra layer of “do they even know what my degree/experience translates to here?”
Round Two: Trying My Luck with Dutch Companies
At some point I figured, why not also try Dutch-speaking companies? Maybe my CV would stand out, maybe they’d appreciate the effort of someone learning the language. So I sent a handful of applications to Dutch companies too.
Result? Basically nothing. No interviews, no callbacks, not even a rejection email in most cases. It stung a little, not gonna lie. But I also understood that without fluent Dutch, it’s a tough sell for a fully Dutch-speaking workplace, and that’s a completely fair business decision on their end.
The Almost: Last 2 Candidates, Then… Rejected
Then came the interview that I thought might actually go somewhere. A Dutch company in Amsterdam, but with an international team. The vibe felt right, the role felt right, and the interview itself went well. I made it down to the final two candidates.
And then I got rejected. The reason? I lived too far from their office. My commute would’ve been about an hour, versus 15 minutes for the other candidate. Fair enough, I guess. But wait, my address was already on my CV from the start! So why call me in for two rounds of interviews if location was going to be the deciding factor anyway? Like, excuse me??
Of all the reasons to lose out on a job, “you live too far away” felt like such an oddly practical (and slightly deflating) one. I get that commute logistics matter to employers, especially if they expect regular in-office days, but after getting that close and after two rounds of interviews, it was a tough pill to swallow. Lesson learned though: location really can make or break things here, especially for roles based outside of fully remote setups.
The Win: An Intense Interview, and Then… Hired
After that rejection, I won’t pretend I wasn’t a little discouraged. But then came an opportunity with an IT company. The interview process was intense! Multiple rounds, real depth to the questions, the kind of interview where you walk out mentally replaying every answer you gave.
What made the difference, I think, was that they actually took my internship experience here in the Netherlands into account. It wasn’t just about my CV on paper; they asked real questions about what I had worked on during my internship, the tools I’d used and how I’d handled actual tasks and challenges on the job. That mattered. And in the end I got the job.
I’m now mostly working from home, which honestly feels like a nice plot twist after months of uncertainty. No long commute or NS-vertraging drama, just getting to do the work.
What I Took Away from This
If there’s anything I’d share with anyone else navigating the Dutch job market as a newcomer:
- Don’t only chase international companies. It’s worth trying, but don’t be afraid to cast a slightly wider net.
- Silence doesn’t always mean you did something wrong. Sometimes it really is just logistics, timing or fit. Not a reflection of your worth or skills.
- Local experience counts. Internships, freelance gigs, volunteer work – anything you’ve done here can genuinely tip the scale in your favor.
- Rejection for weird reasons happens. Living “too far” stung, but it wasn’t personal. Take what you can learn and keep moving.
Job hunting abroad is a mix of patience, persistence and the occasional excuse-me (or excuse-you) moment. But it does work out, sometimes when you least expect it.
If you’re in the middle of your own job search here in the Netherlands, hang in there. And if you’ve had your own “wait, that’s the reason?” rejection story, I’d love to hear it in the comments!
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