You might be wondering: How can I land a job in finance as a non-native Dutch speaker in the Netherlands? What opportunities are there for me, and how do I make the process easier for myself? Diva Estanto is here to help with her top tips on how to land your job in finance as an international living in the Netherlands!

Meet Diva Estanto, Project Manager at Van Lanschot Kempen
Diva is originally from Indonesia. She came to the Netherlands in 2018 for her studies in International Law. After her studies, she decided that she wanted to stay in the Netherlands after falling in love with the culture. She joined Van Lanschot Kempen in 2022 as a Campus Recruiter for the Investment Banking and Investment Management departments. In 2024, after two years as a Campus Recruiter for the Investment Management and Investment Banking departments, she changed roles within the company and now she is a Project Manager for our Investment Management department, a very dynamic role that she really enjoys!

 

The finance job search as a woman
From Diva’s experience, she noticed that “women tend to apply less to positions compared to men; if they feel that they are not a perfect fit for the job, they don’t apply - especially in the financial sector. It’s such a male-dominated industry that women think they should not even bother applying because they are not going to get it anyway.” In line with recent calls to change the hiring process in order to attract more female talent, Diva mentioned that she sees a lot of recruitment processes focused on very specific profiles, something that has to change: “I think it’s time to break the typical profile and build a more open one that attracts a diversity of talent.”

 

Landing your job in finance in the Netherlands as an international woman
As you are exploring opportunities, it’s good to be aware of the job market and its requirements. The reality is this: certain opportunities in the financial sector require proficiency in the local language. For example, most of the Private Equity firms in the Netherlands work with local entrepreneurs who prefer to conduct their business in Dutch. For this reason, working in Private Equity in the Netherlands without being fluent in Dutch might be a challenge.
In other sectors, however, there are many opportunities. For example, plenty of companies in Corporate Finance, Equities, Investment Management, or IT hire non-Dutch speakers, since there is often no need for proficiency in the Dutch language.

 

Here are Diva’s most valuable tips that can help you land your job in finance as a starter:

• Have clear motivation and drive: “Motivation is the most important factor that you need to consider when applying for a role. Certain technical skills you can train. But a person needs to have motivation and drive even before they apply - and companies can clearly see that. So during your interview, ask a lot of relevant questions about the vacancy and the company!”
• Stand out through your motivation for the company: “It’s very important to know the company and to know why you want to apply. Tell us something we can’t see in your CV - knowledge of the company and knowledge of the role.”
• Express your wish to stay in the Netherlands: “A lot of companies value employee retention, so they want to see why you are here and why you want to stay. That’s also part of the reason why some companies are reluctant to hire internationals. If you are clear about why you want to stay, it’s good to mention it."