Large Dutch companies are busy internationalising in double quick time. This also offers opportunities for those who want to work in the Netherlands, as these companies want their international character to be reflected in their workforce. High-flyers are, however, often recruited in the country where the company has a foreign branch and then come to the Netherlands for a shorter or longer period of time.

Vacancies arise not only when new jobs are created but also when people change jobs. About 170,000 vacancies arise every quarter, a large proportion of which are advertised in newspapers and weeklies. For highly-qualified job-seekers, the Saturday editions of de Volkskrant, het NRC Handelsblad, de Telegraaf and het Algemeen Dagblad are a rich source of vacancies, as well as the weekly Intermediair.

Companies do not only recruit via the newspapers. They also introduce themselves at universities and colleges at careers fairs. They make their initial contacts here and reinforce their reputation. A good image must lead to a sufficient stream of speculative applications. For recent graduates, such a speculative application is a very useful way to get a foot in the door. Foreign applicants can also use this route.

'Temping' work is much more common in the Netherlands than in most other countries. It is very often a stepping-stone to a permanent position within a company. This also applies more and more to highly-qualified job seekers. One in five college graduates make their initial contact with companies in this way.

Starting salaries for highly-qualified employees in the Netherlands are relatively low and have risen significantly more slowly than for other workers. Fifty percent of new university graduates starting at large companies earned between NLG 45,600 and NLG 59,500 guilders in 1997. A quarter earned less and a quarter earned more. Of college graduates, fifty percent earned between NLG 41,200 and NLG 51,000. 

As new graduates often have to prove their worth, they are often given a temporary contract to start off with, perhaps for one year. Employers see this as an extended probationary period.

INTERNET

There is a Dutch equivalent of Success and Career called � Intermediair Jaarboek � www.bpa.nl/intermediair

It is available at a cost of 25 CHF (plus extra for postage and packing) at Success and Career. [email protected]