How recruiters in the Netherlands scan your CV
For expats applying in the Netherlands, recruiters prioritize clarity, relevance, and evidence. They want to see role fit quickly, not long personal storytelling.
Your first half page should already show target role, strongest achievements, and relevant skills.
If your CV is too generic, callback rates usually drop even when your experience is solid.
Recommended CV layout and section order
Use this order: contact details, summary, work experience, education, skills, and optional certifications/languages.
One page is ideal for early-career candidates; two pages are acceptable for strong, role-relevant experience.
- Keep section headings clear and dates consistent.
- Place highest-impact bullets in your most recent role.
- Use clean typography and spacing for ATS and recruiter readability.
Write stronger summary and achievement bullets
Avoid generic claims like "hard-working team player." Replace them with action and outcome statements.
For experienced candidates, focus on business outcomes, process improvements, and ownership scope.
- Led a cross-functional process update that reduced turnaround time by 24% across operations and support.
- Owned enterprise client onboarding and improved first-90-day retention through clearer handover standards.
- Built weekly KPI reporting used by management to reprioritize backlog and reduce escalations.
Example bullet structure
- Role fit: what function you target in the Netherlands market.
- Local relevance: how your international experience maps to Dutch vacancy expectations.
- Proof: measurable outcomes in your most recent roles.
Keyword and ATS strategy
Mirror the vacancy language in your summary, experience, and skills. This improves ATS pass-through and human scan relevance.
Do not keyword-stuff. Use each keyword where it naturally describes your actual experience.
- Useful keyword examples: stakeholder management, process improvement, customer retention, delivery ownership, quality assurance.
- Use exact job-title wording when it matches your role.
- Export as PDF and avoid complex design elements in core text sections.
Final pre-apply quality check
Before submitting, verify that your CV is tailored to this specific vacancy, not a generic copy.
Small edits in title wording, top bullets, and keywords can materially improve interview conversion.
- Role fit is obvious in first two lines.
- Each recent role includes outcome-focused bullets.
- Language, terminology, and file naming are fully professional.
Quick checklist
- ✓Summary is concise and role-specific.
- ✓Experience bullets show actions and outcomes.
- ✓Section order follows Dutch recruiter expectations.
- ✓Keywords match the vacancy language.
- ✓Formatting is ATS-safe and easy to scan.
- ✓PDF export is clean and readable.
- ✓CV is adapted for this exact application.
FAQ
Do Dutch recruiters value international experience?+
Yes, if you translate it into local role context, clear responsibilities, and measurable outcomes instead of only company brand names.
Should I include visa or work permit information?+
If relevant, yes. Add a concise line to reduce recruiter uncertainty in the first scan.
How should I adapt my title for Netherlands jobs?+
Use the vacancy title where it matches your actual scope, and keep alternative titles in parentheses only when needed.
What improves callbacks fastest for expats?+
Short role-specific summary, localized terminology, and quantified impact bullets above the fold.
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