When I moved to the Netherlands and started applying for jobs, my CV was good. I had spent years in the UK market, I knew how to write a strong application, and I had been told by multiple UK recruiters that my CV worked well.
Within two weeks I had sent out twelve applications and heard back from one. I asked a Dutch recruiter friend to look at my CV. She came back with seven specific things to change. After changing them, my response rate roughly tripled over the following two weeks.
This guide covers what she told me — plus everything else I have learned since through coaching dozens of expats through the Dutch job market.
The Dutch CV in Context
The Netherlands is not the UK, and it is not the US. Dutch professional culture has specific conventions around CVs that differ meaningfully from other markets. The good news is that the differences are not complicated — once you know what they are, adapting is easy.
The most important underlying principle of a Dutch CV: concrete, factual, evidence-based. Dutch hiring managers are direct people. They are not looking for sophisticated personal branding language or the sort of soft-skill superlatives that might work in some other markets. They are looking for specific evidence of what you have done, what you know, and whether you are the right fit for the role.
The Standard Dutch CV Structure
1. Header
Name: Full name, large and clear at the top.
Contact details:
- City (you do not need your full address)
- Phone number (mobile, with international dialling code if applying internationally)
- Professional email address (firstname.lastname@domain or similar)
- LinkedIn profile URL (clean and professional)
Photo: A small professional headshot, typically top right. This is standard in the Netherlands — include it.
Do not include: Date of birth, nationality, marital status, or gender. These are not required and should not be on a modern Dutch CV.
2. Profile Summary (Profiel)
A four to six line professional summary at the top. This is not a generic “results-oriented professional with excellent communication skills” — those phrases are meaningless.
Write what you actually do, what you are good at, and what you are looking for:
“Finance professional with 8 years of experience in FP&A and management reporting in the tech sector. Skilled in SAP, Power BI, and cross-functional stakeholder communication. Currently seeking a senior financial controller or head of finance role in a scale-up or mid-size company in Amsterdam or Rotterdam.”
This is concrete, specific, and useful to a recruiter in under 30 seconds.
Tailor this section for every application. It is worth the extra 10 minutes.
3. Work Experience (Werkervaring)
Reverse chronological order — most recent first.
For each role, include:
Job title | Company name | Dates (month/year – month/year) | City
Then three to five bullet points covering:
- Your key responsibilities (one line)
- Your specific achievements (with numbers where possible)
Example (weak):
- Responsible for managing a team and ensuring project delivery
Example (strong):
- Led a team of 8 engineers delivering a EUR 1.2M API integration project for a major retail client, completed on time and 12% under budget
The Dutch market rewards concrete, numbered achievement. “Managed” means very little. “Managed a EUR X project / team of X / process covering X users” means something.
Dates: Use month and year (not just year). “Jan 2021 – Mar 2023” is clearer than “2021 – 2023” and shows no hidden gaps.
Part-time roles: If a role was part-time, note it briefly (e.g., “24 hours/week”). This is relevant context, not a weakness.
4. Education (Opleiding)
Reverse chronological, most recent first.
Include:
- Degree/qualification name
- Institution name
- Graduation year (or expected graduation year)
- Country if studying outside the Netherlands
You do not need to include your grade unless it is particularly strong (summa cum laude, distinction, 1st class). Include relevant honours, scholarships, or programmes if they add something.
For academic credentials from outside the Netherlands: you do not need to have your degree verified by Nuffic (the Dutch organisation for international credentials) unless specifically required by the employer — but for some regulated professions (medicine, law, education) credential recognition may be needed.
5. Skills (Vaardigheden / Competenties)
A brief, clear list of:
- Languages: List all languages with level (e.g., “Dutch: A2 (in progress)”, “English: native/C2”, “German: B2”)
- Technical skills: Software, tools, programming languages, certifications (relevant to the role)
- Other relevant skills: briefly and specifically
Do not use visual skill bars (the kind that show a half-filled bar rating your Excel as “4/5 stars”). These are not informative and look dated. Use text: “Advanced Excel (pivot tables, Power Query, VBA)”.
6. Optional Sections
Certifications and training: Include relevant professional certifications (CPA, CIMA, PMP, AWS, CFA, etc.) with issuing body and date.
Volunteer work / side projects: Include if relevant and real. A tech professional who contributes to open-source projects, or a marketing manager who runs a small community initiative, gains credibility from specific mentions.
Interests / hobbies: Most Dutch CV experts say: include only if they genuinely add something. A sports professional listing marathon running is relevant. An office administrator listing “reading” adds nothing. If you have a genuinely interesting or achievement-oriented hobby (competitive sport, amateur musician who has performed, multilingual reading), a brief note can make you memorable. Keep it to one or two lines maximum.
What Dutch Recruiters Specifically Look For
I spoke with several Dutch recruitment professionals for this guide. Here are the things they mentioned most consistently.
Concreteness beats soft skills. “Strong communicator” without an example means nothing. “Presented monthly financial results to a board of 12, including non-financial stakeholders, for 3 years” means something.
Numbers wherever possible. Revenue, team size, cost savings, project budgets, client numbers, timelines. Numbers make achievements credible and specific.
Honest dates. Gaps are noticed and not automatically negative — but gaps without explanation invite speculation. A one-line note is better than hoping nobody notices.
Relevant tailoring. A CV sent to 50 companies without tailoring is obvious. Dutch recruiters read many CVs; a generic profile summary and work history that does not connect to the specific role will lose to a well-tailored application from a slightly less qualified candidate.
Language evidence. If you list Dutch: A2 or Dutch: B1, this signals cultural investment and is noticed positively, even at early stages. If you are studying Dutch, include it. If you have completed a specific Dutch language course (Taalthuis, Language Academy, NT2), name it.
Length and Formatting: The Practical Details
Length
- Under 5 years’ experience: one page
- 5–15 years’ experience: one to two pages
- 15+ years’ experience: two pages maximum
Three pages is almost never the right choice.
Font and readability
- Calibri, Garamond, Helvetica, or Georgia at 10–12pt body text
- Headings at 13–14pt
- Consistent spacing and margins (at least 1.5cm on each side)
- PDF format unless otherwise requested
Layout
A clean, single-column layout is safest for ATS compatibility. If you are applying to creative industries (design, marketing, agency), a more visually distinctive layout can work — but even then, functionality should come first.
Avoid: tables that break formatting when parsed by ATS; text boxes; headers/footers with contact info (ATS often misses these); inline images embedded mid-text.
Checking your CV
Run it through a free ATS scanner (Jobscan or similar) if you are targeting larger companies. This shows which keywords your CV is missing compared to the job description. A small investment of 15 minutes can substantially improve response rates.
Cover Letters in the Dutch Market
Are they still relevant?
Yes, but they have become shorter and more focused. Most Dutch job applications that request a cover letter expect a professional but brief communication — one page or less.
The purpose is different from a CV. The CV shows what you have done. The cover letter shows why this specific role at this specific company, and two or three concrete reasons you are the right match.
Structure
Opening (2–3 sentences): Why this company. Not “I am very excited to apply to your organisation” — something specific: “I have followed Adyen’s product evolution for three years and was particularly interested in the recent expansion into embedded finance for SMEs.” This shows genuine research.
Middle (2–3 short paragraphs or 3–4 bullet points): Specific, concrete examples from your background that directly match the role requirements. Reference the job specification explicitly: “The role requires experience in cross-border payment reconciliation — in my current position I led a team of 5 managing EUR 80M in monthly transaction reconciliation across 12 currencies.”
Close (2–3 sentences): Confident expression of interest, mention of your availability for an interview, contact information.
Language
If the job posting is in English, write in English. If in Dutch, write in Dutch (even if imperfect — Dutch hiring managers appreciate the effort). If you are applying to an international company where you are uncertain, a bilingual note (“I am happy to communicate in either English or Dutch, as your preference”) is professional.
Length
Half a page is often enough. A full page is fine. Never more than one page.
Adapting Your Existing CV for the Dutch Market
If you have a CV from the UK, US, Germany, or another market, here is a quick checklist:
| Change needed | Action |
|---|---|
| Remove “Curriculum Vitae” header | Dutch CVs do not use this title |
| Add a professional photo | Top right or left corner |
| Remove date of birth if included | Not appropriate |
| Remove street address | City only is standard |
| Convert any salary information | Remove salary history from CV |
| Add Dutch language level | Even if it’s A1 (“currently studying”) |
| Check date format | DD-MM-YYYY is standard in the Netherlands |
| Remove references paragraph | “References available on request” is unnecessary — it is assumed |
| Translate skill levels | Convert “fluent” to C1/C2, “conversational” to B1/B2 using CEFR scale |
A Note on Discrimination and Diversity
Dutch employment law prohibits discrimination on grounds of age, gender, race, nationality, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. However, unconscious bias exists in every market.
A well-constructed CV that avoids unnecessary personal information protects you. Do not feel obliged to include information beyond what is relevant for the role. Your name, professional experience, skills, and education are what matters.
If you have experienced what you believe is discriminatory behaviour in a Dutch hiring process, you can report it to the College voor de Rechten van de Mens (Netherlands Institute for Human Rights).
Quick Summary: The Dutch CV Checklist
- Two pages maximum (one page if under five years’ experience)
- Professional photo included (top corner)
- Name, city, phone, email, LinkedIn — no date of birth or nationality
- Strong profile summary (four to six lines, specific to the role)
- Work experience: reverse chronological, achievements with numbers
- Dates: month and year for all roles
- Education: degrees, institutions, years
- Languages listed with CEFR levels (include Dutch even at A1)
- Technical skills listed specifically (not skill bars)
- PDF format, clean layout, ATS-compatible
- Cover letter: specific, half to one page, tailored
Further Reading on ExpatNetherlandsHub
- How to find a job in the Netherlands as an expat
- Best job boards in the Netherlands for expats
- Short-stay furnished housing for your first months
- Best Dutch health insurance for expats
- Side hustles and passive income in the Netherlands
- Dutch utilities explained
- Retiring in the Netherlands: financial planning
- Single expat in the Netherlands: social guide
FAQ
Should I include a photo on my Dutch CV?
Yes, including a professional photo is standard practice in the Netherlands and expected by most Dutch employers. Unlike the UK, where photos on CVs are actively discouraged to prevent discrimination, the Dutch market generally expects a small professional headshot in the top right or left corner of your CV. The photo should be recent, show your face clearly, and look professional — a plain or neutral background, business or smart casual attire. Do not use a holiday photo or a cropped social media image. If you have a professional LinkedIn headshot, that works well.
How long should a Dutch CV be?
One to two pages. For most professionals with under 10 years of experience, one page is ideal. Two pages is acceptable for senior professionals with a substantive career history. Three pages is almost always too long and suggests you cannot prioritise. Dutch recruiters are efficient readers — they scan CVs quickly. A long CV does not signal more experience; it signals that you have not been selective about what matters. Edit ruthlessly.
Do I need to write my Dutch CV in Dutch?
It depends on the job and the company. For international companies, multinationals, and roles explicitly advertised in English, send an English CV. For Dutch SME employers, government roles, or positions where the job advertisement is in Dutch, writing your CV in Dutch shows cultural commitment and will be noticed positively. If your Dutch is limited (A1–A2), writing a poor Dutch CV can work against you — in that case, an English CV with a note about your Dutch learning progress is better than Dutch riddled with errors. Many expat candidates submit one CV in English and one in Dutch and use whichever is most appropriate.
What format should a Dutch CV be in?
PDF format is standard and preferred. It ensures your formatting is preserved regardless of what software the recruiter uses. Microsoft Word format is sometimes requested by larger ATS systems — if so, save your CV as a .docx. Avoid heavily designed, graphic-heavy CV templates: columns, infographic-style skill bars, and elaborate layouts often fail ATS (applicant tracking system) parsing and can look unprofessional in conservative sectors like finance or law. A clean, well-formatted Word or InDesign-style PDF in black and white or minimal colour is always safe.
Should I include personal details like date of birth or nationality on my Dutch CV?
You do not need to include date of birth, nationality, or marital status on a Dutch CV. Dutch anti-discrimination law (WGBH/CZ) prohibits using these characteristics in hiring decisions, and responsible employers do not want to be seen collecting this information unnecessarily. Some older Dutch CV templates still include date of birth — this is an outdated convention. Include your full name, current city (not full address), phone number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile URL. That is sufficient.
How should I explain a gap in my CV when applying for Dutch jobs?
Be brief and honest. Dutch culture values direct, factual communication — a short explanation is better than omission (which invites speculation) or an elaborate justification (which sounds defensive). For a gap due to caring responsibilities, job searching, health, travel, or relocation: a one-line note in your work history such as ‘Career break: family relocation and settling in the Netherlands (2023–2024)’ is perfectly acceptable. Dutch employers are generally understanding of relocation periods. Gaps due to mental health, burnout (overspanning or burn-out is well understood and destigmatised in the Netherlands), or other personal reasons can be addressed briefly and honestly. You do not owe a detailed explanation on the CV itself; save the fuller context for the interview if relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include a photo on my Dutch CV?
Yes, including a professional photo is standard practice in the Netherlands and expected by most Dutch employers. Unlike the UK, where photos on CVs are actively discouraged to prevent discrimination, the Dutch market generally expects a small professional headshot in the top right or left corner of your CV. The photo should be recent, show your face clearly, and look professional — a plain or neutral background, business or smart casual attire. Do not use a holiday photo or a cropped social media image. If you have a professional LinkedIn headshot, that works well.
How long should a Dutch CV be?
One to two pages. For most professionals with under 10 years of experience, one page is ideal. Two pages is acceptable for senior professionals with a substantive career history. Three pages is almost always too long and suggests you cannot prioritise. Dutch recruiters are efficient readers — they scan CVs quickly. A long CV does not signal more experience; it signals that you have not been selective about what matters. Edit ruthlessly.
Do I need to write my Dutch CV in Dutch?
It depends on the job and the company. For international companies, multinationals, and roles explicitly advertised in English, send an English CV. For Dutch SME employers, government roles, or positions where the job advertisement is in Dutch, writing your CV in Dutch shows cultural commitment and will be noticed positively. If your Dutch is limited (A1–A2), writing a poor Dutch CV can work against you — in that case, an English CV with a note about your Dutch learning progress is better than Dutch riddled with errors. Many expat candidates submit one CV in English and one in Dutch and use whichever is most appropriate.
What format should a Dutch CV be in?
PDF format is standard and preferred. It ensures your formatting is preserved regardless of what software the recruiter uses. Microsoft Word format is sometimes requested by larger ATS systems — if so, save your CV as a .docx. Avoid heavily designed, graphic-heavy CV templates: columns, infographic-style skill bars, and elaborate layouts often fail ATS (applicant tracking system) parsing and can look unprofessional in conservative sectors like finance or law. A clean, well-formatted Word or InDesign-style PDF in black and white or minimal colour is always safe.
Should I include personal details like date of birth or nationality on my Dutch CV?
You do not need to include date of birth, nationality, or marital status on a Dutch CV. Dutch anti-discrimination law (WGBH/CZ) prohibits using these characteristics in hiring decisions, and responsible employers do not want to be seen collecting this information unnecessarily. Some older Dutch CV templates still include date of birth — this is an outdated convention. Include your full name, current city (not full address), phone number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile URL. That is sufficient.
How should I explain a gap in my CV when applying for Dutch jobs?
Be brief and honest. Dutch culture values direct, factual communication — a short explanation is better than omission (which invites speculation) or an elaborate justification (which sounds defensive). For a gap due to caring responsibilities, job searching, health, travel, or relocation: a one-line note in your work history such as 'Career break: family relocation and settling in the Netherlands (2023–2024)' is perfectly acceptable. Dutch employers are generally understanding of relocation periods. Gaps due to mental health, burnout (overspanning or burn-out is well understood and destigmatised in the Netherlands), or other personal reasons can be addressed briefly and honestly. You do not owe a detailed explanation on the CV itself; save the fuller context for the interview if relevant.
