Interviewing here can feel different from back home. Dutch interviews are usually informal in tone but direct in substance, and first impressions form fast. Get the opening right and the rest tends to flow.
What Dutch interviewers value
- Directness and honesty. Don't oversell or exaggerate. Confidence is good, but a calm, straight answer beats a polished sales pitch here.
- Punctuality. Arriving a few minutes early is non-negotiable, and quietly says a lot about you.
- Concrete examples. Answer competency questions with real situations and results (the STAR approach), not generalities.
- Genuine questions. Come with thoughtful questions about the team, the work and how success is measured. It signals real interest.
Make the first minutes count
- Research the company and the role properly, and be ready to say why *this* one.
- A warm greeting and a relaxed, friendly tone go a long way. Dutch workplaces are fairly flat and informal.
- Be clear about your story: why you moved, what you're looking for, and what you bring.
- It's fine to discuss salary and the 30% ruling openly later in the process (see our 30% ruling guide).
Send a short thank-you
A brief, genuine follow-up email the same day keeps you memorable and reinforces your interest, without being pushy.
Want the whole system in one place? Raghav turned everything that worked for us into a short, practical playbook.
Interview playbook
Crack Any Interview: The First 8 Minutes Playbook & Checklist
Interviewers decide fast. This 8-minute system tilts the room in your favour, before the hard questions even start.
- The 8-Minute Win Formula desk card
- A fill-in 'About Me' intro script builder
- A story-bank worksheet for memorable answers
- A 'Tell me about yourself' framework guide
The free version gets you started. The €8 playbook adds the deeper detail and nuance.
Questions & answers
- How direct is 'too direct' in a Dutch interview?
- Dutch directness cuts both ways: they'll ask blunt questions and expect honest, concise answers, but they also care a lot about warmth and team fit. Don't oversell or exaggerate, it reads as insincere here. It's completely fine to say 'I don't know, but here's how I'd find out.' Confidence without arrogance is the sweet spot.