How I found a job in the Netherlands in 8 months

Jenna Kamps, an executive assistant at Grendel Games, sat down with Make It in the North to share tips she thinks internationals seeking to work in the North of the Netherlands should know before their arrival: the structural realities of the Dutch labour market, the visa constraints that filter candidates before they even apply, and the low-tech, high-impact habits that ultimately got her hired.

I’m Jenna — originally from South Africa, studied psychology there, and my family’s ancestry is Irish. After university I married my husband (also from South Africa) and we decided to move to Europe. He’s a software engineer so we followed his opportunities; the Netherlands kept coming up as a great place to live because of the work–life balance, cycling culture and outdoor life. Neither of us spoke Dutch at the time, but almost everyone here speaks English, so that wasn’t a huge barrier. We were placed in Leeuwarden and, although moving wasn’t without challenges, we’ve settled well — we’ve been here almost three years and have even bought a house.

The unfiltered truth is it was the hardest part — I was employed and happy in South Africa, and moving here without a job made me doubt myself. I submitted a lot of applications and faced many rejections, which felt isolating. I started on LinkedIn, kept my profile up to date and painfully tailored my CV to each role. I was willing to do any job to get Dutch experience and it took about eight months before I landed my current position. Be realistic about the timeline and be prepared for it not to be easy.

I was fortunate because I hold an Irish passport and didn’t need a visa, but for many people visas are a real hurdle. Employers sometimes can’t hire strong candidates because of visa rules or salary minimums tied to the highly skilled migrant scheme — for example, someone relatively junior may be too expensive under that visa’s salary threshold. So visa logistics matter a lot for hiring decisions.

My job was advertised in English and the description stated “English required”, so I understood Dutch wasn’t necessary. In practice, English is fine in my role: when I speak with Dutch customers, I politely ask to switch to English and they’re usually fine with that. Dutch is a useful extra, but not always essential, depending on the position.

I started as an executive assistant with the role growing to that of HR and office manager. I handle recruiting, office administration, customer inquiries, contracts, and employee HR questions. The role is broad and dynamic — right now most of my day is focused on recruitment because we’re hiring heavily, but in future it could be onboarding, process development, or sales support. I like that every day is different.

HR has its own specifics — Dutch employment law is important — but I’d encourage internationals not to be afraid of taking a role below their previous level to gain local experience. I had a more senior role in South Africa but accepted an executive assistant role as a start. A good employer will train and allow you to grow into different positions. Use such roles to learn the system and then move toward your goal.

Communicate with your manager and ask for regular one-to-ones — I recommend at least monthly. If you see a department doing work you find interesting, offer to support them; start small so it isn’t a burden and you can build trust. If you do good work they’ll give you more responsibilities and you can transition gradually into that area.

Jenna presenting Grendel Games at Make it in the North's Digital & IT networking mixer - 📷 Julia Dumchenko

Both matter. Keep your CV and LinkedIn sharp because recruiters look at them, but never underestimate in-person networking. Don’t wait only for job fairs; those events can be full of other jobseekers. Go to mixed events — language cafés, open-mic nights, local meetups — and talk to people. I’ve met potential hires at varied events; if you impress someone in person, you’re much more memorable than another inbox applicant.

Be truthful and concise. Something I often see is candidates who overclaim experience — for example saying “four years” when they haven’t had four years of relevant professional work. Experience means professional work experience, not student or unrelated jobs. Make it easy for recruiters: clear contact details, current location, and job durations. We skim many CVs in seconds, so clarity matters.

Use the phone. It’s uncomfortable for many, but a polite follow-up call can make you stand out among hundreds of CVs. If you reach the right person and follow up courteously, you’ll be remembered. Some places don’t want calls, but when you can get through, it works.

Unemployment can really affect mental health, so stay busy and stay connected. Keep up social activities and meet people — loneliness drags you down faster than rejection does. You need internal motivation: remind yourself of your worth, keep applying, and maintain contact with people. Even when you get many rejections in a day, keep going.

Say yes to things — accept invites even when you don’t feel like it, because meeting people takes persistence and volume: many events won’t lead to much, but a few will connect you to the right people. Be realistic about timelines, prepare for visa constraints if applicable, tailor applications carefully, and use both online and face-to-face networking.

🎯 Tailor every single application — generic CVs risk going to the no pile
⏳ Give yourself a realistic timeline — eight months is normal, not failure
📞 Pick up the phone — one follow-up call may help you stand out
🤝 Network everywhere, not just job fairs — language cafés count too!
📉 Accept the step-down — a junior role in the Netherlands beats a senior title nowhere
🧠 Protect your mental health — staying social is part of the strategy
🌍 Your international background is an asset — find the employer who sees that

The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.