Starting or growing your career in a new country comes with its own set of challenges -and two things quickly become central to your success: your hard skills and soft skills.

As an expat in the Netherlands, you’re not just adapting to a new job market, but you’re also learning a different work culture, a new communication style, and a different set of expectations. And one thing that often surprises people is that it’s not just about what you know. It’s about how you work, how you communicate, and how you fit into a team. That balance between hard skills and soft skills is what really shapes your career in the Netherlands.

Hard skills: your professional foundation

Hard skills are your technical abilities, so the things you’ve learned through education, training, or previous roles. They’re often the reason your CV gets noticed in the first place.

If you’re applying for jobs in the Netherlands, your hard skills might include your degree or certifications, experience with specific tools or systems, language skills (especially English and sometimes Dutch), or industry-specific knowledge. These are the things that help employers quickly understand your background (especially when your experience comes from another country).

But to be honest hard skills alone are rarely enough. The Dutch job market evolves quickly, and employers expect candidates to keep learning. Whether it’s new technologies, digital tools, or industry trends, … staying up to date is necessary.

Soft skills: your advantage as an expat

Soft skills are actually often underestimated, but in an international environment, they can make the difference. These are the skills that shape how you work with others, how you handle change, and how you navigate unfamiliar situations. And as an expat, you’ve normally already been practising all of those.

Dutch workplace culture is known for being direct, flat, and collaborative. Feedback is honest and to the point, hierarchies are minimal, and team input is genuinely valued. To thrive in that environment, employers look for people who can communicate clearly, adapt quickly, take initiative, and build relationships across cultures.

For many expats, this is where you stand out. Moving abroad already demonstrates resilience, flexibility, and openness. All qualities that Dutch employers actively look for, even if they’re not always listed in a job description.

Why Employers Expect Both

Think of it this way: hard skills get you in the door, soft skills help you stay and grow.

You might be technically qualified for a role, but employers also want to know whether you can collaborate with a multicultural team, handle direct feedback without taking it personally, and adapt when things don’t go as planned. The candidates who build long-term careers here are the ones who combine real expertise with the ability to navigate people, change, and challenges.

Neither set of skills trumps the other. They work together and the stronger both are, the more confident you’ll feel walking into any interview or starting any new role.

How to show both on your CV and in interviews

One common mistake expats make is focusing only on technical experience. While that’s important, your CV should also reflect how you work and not just what you’ve done.

For hard skills, be specific! Mention the tools, systems, and results you’ve worked with, align them with the job description, and highlight measurable impact where you can. For soft skills, use examples rather than labels. Instead of writing “team player”, try something like: “Collaborated with a multicultural team across three countries to deliver projects within tight deadlines.” That tells a much stronger story, especially for employers used to international workplaces.

If you want to go deeper on putting this into practice, our CV series covers exactly how to structure and present your experience as an expat, from foundations and layout to headlines and personal statements.