A couple of years ago, Nino Santos decided to move from the Philippines to the Netherlands. He swapped the sunny weather for grey skies and windmills, with a clear goal in mind: upgrading his career and improving his quality of life. Last year, he decided to start working as an interim professional. ‘’The Dutch labor market made me feel confident enough to take the risk, and I succeeded.’’
Why did you move to the Netherlands?
‘’Back in the Philippines, I studied Accountancy. After my graduation, I started working for PwC where I was auditing several companies. I was enjoying my work, but after a while I wanted to upgrade my career. Next to that, my wife and I were seeking a better quality of life. Not only for ourselves, but also to provide for our family. Therefore, we decided to look for opportunities abroad. Our research showed that the Netherlands was the most expat friendly country. Apart from that, the Dutch labour market was a pull factor; there were many job opportunities for both of us.’’
What was challenging about building your finance career in the Netherlands?
‘’Fortunately, there weren’t many career related challenges for me. People in the Netherlands speak English very well, which makes it easy to connect with other people. We decided to move to Zoetermeer: a city close to big cities like Rotterdam, Amsterdam and The Hague. In these cities, there were many job opportunities where Dutch language proficiency was a nice-to-have instead of a must-have.’’
How did you get in touch with Robert Walters?
‘’I got to know several interim professionals during my first job in the Netherlands, and I asked them questions about the benefits and downfalls of an interim career. In the end, they inspired me to start my own interim career. Their advice was to reach out to a recruitment agency that can help you take the first steps. I got in contact with Robert Walters and talked to several great recruitment consultants. Especially Luuk de Haas was of great value to me: he managed my first two interim assignments.’’
What makes it so appealing to work in the Netherlands as an interim finance professional?
‘’The stable job market; there are many opportunities for you as a finance professional, especially on an interim basis. Next to that, there are several ways to build a network of interim professionals and other finance professionals within the Netherlands. For example, I joined one of the many expat communities in the Randstad area, which really helped me getting to know interesting people.’’
Do you have any advice for other finance professionals who want to start a career in the Netherlands?
‘’Work on upgrading your skills. Data is becoming increasingly important within the Dutch financial landscape, so it is good to focus on your analytical skills and on your Excel and Power BI skills. Moreover, I recommend working on your Dutch language skills. It is not necessary, but it makes it easier to grow your network. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to a recruitment agency to get started. It can be challenging to find the perfect match between your skillset, personality and an assignment in another country, so getting some professional help is worth it.”
More information
Would you like to get personal advice about working in the Netherlands as an international interim finance professional? Or are you curious about what interim assignments are currently available for expats? Please reach out to Luuk de Haas via luuk.dehaas@robertwalters.com or via +316 5207 7150.
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