“Hi, do you hire internationals?” — How a career fair launched Clarisse’s career in the Netherlands

For many internationals, the move to the Northern Netherlands begins after getting accepted to one of the universities in the region. The journey later turns into something much more permanent.

Clarisse Paquatte started her journey in Paris and moved to Latvia for an Erasmus exchange. She eventually landed in Groningen where a pre-master programme opened the door to a full master’s degree at the University of Groningen and, ultimately, to her career. Seven years later, she’s working as an ERP consultant at Enshore and has built both a professional path and a life in the North.

In this Q&A with Make it in the North, Clarisse shares how speaking French unexpectedly helped her land her first job, why attending a career fair changed everything, and what it’s really like to work in a Dutch company compared to France. She warns people interested in living in Groningen about the housing crisis, the realities of integrating as a student, and the importance of learning Dutch if you plan on working in the Netherlands.

I’m French and I come from Paris. I did the French equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in Paris which lasts two years. We could either complete a third year and get an official bachelor’s degree or pursue an Erasmus exchange abroad. I chose the latter because I felt my English was rather poor due to the French education system. So I thought an immersion in the English language would help!

I went to Latvia and that experience taught me that I loved living abroad. So I started looking for a master’s in any country in Europe. However, since my degree wasn’t recognised, it was hard to find a suitable programme that would admit me.

The Netherlands was the only country I could find that would accept my qualifications since you can do a pre-master. In France a master’s takes two years so I wouldn’t have graduated any sooner anyway had I remained home. So for me, it was perfect: complete a pre-master in the Netherlands and then move on to the one-year master’s.

Also, in the Netherlands the level of English is very good and several study pogrammes were offered in English. The UK wasn’t an option post-Brexit so the Netherlands was my only choice. I moved here seven years ago and went on to complete that master’s. That was the starting point, that’s why I’m here!

My master’s was in change management. I ended up at the University of Groningen also because of its entry requirements since it was the only one that would accept my English-language qualifications.

I'm French, and that was the key to finding a job. It was very easy for me. Technically, the company approached me. I was looking for an internship to complete as part of my master’s. It was just a thesis internship, pure research, so I uploaded my CV on an agency’s website in the hopes that I would find a company to intern at.

A company contacted me after spotting my CV because they were looking for a French speaker to work on the French market. That’s when I realised that French speakers are in demand because several companies do business with Belgium or France. You really need to speak French to work with these countries. Germans might also have an advantage for similar reasons.

And so the company came to me and I started working as an intern there, but mostly it ended up being sales. It soon turned into a real job and I worked there for two and a half years.

That followed the more typical route internationals follow. I had my master’s in change management and my sales job wasn’t really related to it. After two and a half years I felt I had seen all that I needed to see. So it was time to look for something new.

The RUG was organising a career fair for IT companies at its Zernike campus and I decided to attend. There were around 15 companies present. 

I visited each stand going:
Hi, do you hire internationals?
No? 

Bye.

I had 14 such conversations. Until I reached the 15th and last one, which was with Enshore.
And they said: Yes, we hire internationals!

I was like: Nice!

So that’s how I landed my second job. Which didn’t involve French anymore, only English. It has gotten a bit harder to find companies that do hire English speakers though, so I think people who speak other languages like French or German may actually have an advantage.

Yeah, my master’s was about change management and part of that involves the digital transition. That’s a super important part for when you want to implement a change. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now. 

It involves learning how to manage systems, how to solve issues and think through ways processes can change. It also involves reacting to changes that arise in the best way possible.

I didn't work in France, but I know from what I hear from my friends and family there are clearly a lot of cultural differences. Especially because I worked with the French market in sales (from Groningen) for two and a half years. 

A positive part of working in France is that it’s way more chill. You’ve got a two-hour lunch break. We have a lot of bank holidays. It's way slower. Basically, you take your time at work.

I think the Netherlands is way more efficient, which is now what I'm used to. I prefer eating in 30 minutes rather than two hours, because then I’m home earlier. So to me, it just makes sense.

But if you bring in a French person and tell them: You have to eat in 30 minutes, with no prior warning, they will be very frustrated.

Here in the North things are a bit more ‘new school’. Both companies I worked for here were quite hierarchically flat and very flexible. I didn’t experience any micro management and you’re given more responsibility. You’re trusted to come in at your preferred time and then simply make up the required hours.

My relationship with my colleagues is also very good. There’s a very healthy work environment. It’s way more human here. In France I think it’s more old school and very hierarchical. Every decision needs the approval of your manager and then from your manager’s manager. If you arrive two minutes late, someone is sure to make a comment.

The working culture in the Netherlands is way more advanced, way more in line with our century, I would say.

So based on hearing both sides, I prefer working in the Netherlands.

I feel that in the Netherlands if you do need a longer lunch it’s still possible. I’m still a bit French and do usually need an hour. Your boss should be fine with that. No one is overly concerned with how long I spend. I could probably even take the full two hours because everyone trusts me. They know I will make up for the hours later and get the job done.

Let’s say I have a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the day. I can probably still go to it. You’re a bit freer to structure your own time in the Netherlands.

So it also depends on the kind of person you are. If you need more structure or you can responsibly manage your own time.

I think the learning. I find it very rewarding when six months go by and you see that you’re able to do something you weren’t able to do before, and now you’re totally independent.

You also learn how to learn, how to search for things by yourself, and how to think without necessarily relying on others.

In my experience, Dutch and international students don’t mix at all. I only had very few friends who were Dutch and it’s only because I tried really hard. Then at some point they accept you.

But it's really not that easy. I feel like the culture of the student associations, fraternities and sororities is very strong. It’s something very specific to the North. So I would say that as a student, integrating into the Dutch student culture is not that easy. Many associations operate fully in Dutch and don’t accept many internationals.

However, the internationally-oriented organisations are very welcoming. You’ve got the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) for instance which isn’t Dutch at all. It’s like two different worlds.

So the international students stick together and the Dutch students stick together. No one really crosses to the other side.

When you’re working full-time, I think it’s the opposite. Because I really clicked with my Dutch colleagues and befriended them.

So now most of my friends are work-related. So people do mix a bit more after their studies, when they’re no longer in the association mindset. I find they are then a bit more open.

Another thing internationals who stay in Groningen for a long time experience is that you’re likely to see that all your international friends have gone. Most of my international friends went back to their home countries, so very few of my foreign friends ended up staying in the Netherlands.

I really like that I have the possibility to bike everywhere. Even when it’s raining, because as the Dutch like to remind you: you’re not made of sugar. I really learned that if you put on your rain jacket, rain pants, and boots it will be fine. You can do it.

You realise that it's only water. The bike is just amazing. You can independently take yourself anywhere and the bike lines are very safe. 

I’ve never experienced this in France. Everything relies on cars. If you don’t have a car you’re stuck using public transport.

I might complain here that it takes me 25 minutes to get somewhere, but if I were living in Paris, it might take me an hour and a half.

So for me it’s great – it’s healthy and makes my life way easier.

I also really like the town itself. It’s very pretty and alive. There’s always something happening, something going on. And it’s a young town with plenty of students of course.

But there are also many people in their thirties. So I think also having a family here is nice. I can see kids everywhere with plenty of playgrounds. I think it’s very healthy to live in Groningen.

I think the hardest for everyone is finding housing. Universities were accepting way too many students than the town can handle.

Whenever I advertised a room was free in the house I was living it, I’d get 200 messages in 15 minutes. It made me very sad because I know these students got accepted to study here and maybe didn’t apply for any other universities, believing they can come here, but realistically many will probably have to leave because they aren’t able to find a room to live in.

So I think housing is the hardest challenge and to make matters worse, it’s often the first barrier people encounter.

You can go shopping, go to a nice cafe or event. In terms of museums and exhibitions admittedly there’s not a lot, but for the size of the town I think they really do try. There’s the Forum, the local library and cultural centre, and that’s amazing. There are almost always things going on there but also many of the events are in Dutch. 

There's also plenty of small festivals, fairs, and markets.

The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.