GradGuide / Learnhub
Around 1 in 4 international graduates is still in the Netherlands five years after their degree, and most of them are working. This guide covers how to be one of them: visas, language, salary, the 30% ruling, and the parts of the Dutch job market most generic guides skip.
16 min read
You meet 5 out of 8 listed requirements. Should you apply, or move on? The honest answer depends on which 5 you meet, what kind of employer is hiring, and how literally Dutch job descriptions tend to be written. Here is how to decide in under 10 minutes.
18 min read
Your offer letter has a salary number on it. The actual money you take home, the security you have, and the flexibility you keep all depend on the rest of the contract. Here is what each clause means and what is worth negotiating before you sign.
19 min read
If you applied to a graduate programme in the Netherlands and got an email asking you to complete a 30-minute online assessment, this guide is for you. We name the test providers, map them to NL employers, and give you a practice plan that actually fits the research.
17 min read
“Tell me about a time when…” is the most-asked question in graduate interviews. STAR is the answer framework. STARR is what most Dutch employers actually expect. Here is how both work, with worked examples by skill.
18 min read
“Promotion” in your first job rarely means a new title. It usually means a contract conversion, a scope expansion, or a salary review, on three different timelines. Here is what is realistic in years 1, 2, and 3, and how to have the conversation.
18 min read
The most useful career connections do not come from your closest friends. They come from acquaintances, study cohorts, and people you barely know yet. Here is how to build that network as a student in the Netherlands.
20 min read
Most online quizzes confuse strengths with skills and interests, then leave you with a list of nice-sounding words. Here is what strengths actually are, two academically validated ways to find yours, and a 5-method DIY toolkit if you do not want to take any test.
17 min read
Most job rejections are not about you. They are structural noise. Here is what the NL labour market actually looks like in 2026, what the science of resilience shows (with the popular books taken honestly), and a 48-hour protocol for handling a fresh “no” without spiraling.
24 min read
Most generic salary advice tells you to always negotiate. For Dutch graduates, that is sometimes the wrong move. Here is what is actually negotiable in your first offer, what to ask for when salary is fixed, and the script for the conversation.
18 min read
Most LinkedIn advice you’ll find online is recycled from 2019 with the same unsourced stats. This guide is built for 2026: what actually drives recruiter views, the honest answer on the Open to Work badge, and how to use LinkedIn’s AI features without sounding like everyone else.
19 min read
A graduate job interview in 2026 is rarely a single conversation. It is a 3 to 4 part process, often with an AI-screened video interview at the start. Here is what each part screens for, what to prepare when, and how to walk in ready in 7 days.
21 min read
Two video formats now exist. One is a normal interview through a webcam. The other is a recording you make alone, scored partly by AI. Here is how to handle both, with the Dutch graduate context that generic guides skip.
16 min read
Cover letters aren’t dead, but the rules have changed. ChatGPT exists. Recruiters know it. Most AI-drafted letters now sound the same and get filtered out. This guide covers when cover letters still matter in 2026 and how to use AI as a real collaborator.
19 min read
Most graduate CV advice is interchangeable. This is the version with the things specific to the Dutch market: when to include a photo and when not to, which ATS systems Dutch employers actually use, how to use AI tools without producing the kind of CV that gets rejected on sight.
18 min read
Work-life balance is not just about hours. It is about intensity, control, meaning, comparison, and how well you recover. Here is what actually drains young professionals, what helps, and the rights and tools you may not know you have.
24 min read
Choosing a sector is the highest-leverage early-career decision most graduates make and the one with the least good information available. This guide compares eight Dutch sectors on the things that actually matter.
19 min read
Most guides call Dutch work culture “direct,” “flat,” or “consensus-driven” without showing what that means. This one translates research into real first-month behaviours, while noting culture differs across banks, family firms, scaleups, and government.
16 min read
Don't feel like reading? Ask Aurora.
Chat with AuroraWe use cookies to improve your experience. Privacy policy · Cookie policy