Spanish professionals are highly educated: four in seven Spaniards actually have a postgraduate or a Master’s degree, which is 16 percent higher than the global average. But yet everyone in Spain also knows someone who has a university degree, or even a postgraduate degree, who has been forced to take unskilled service jobs after they graduate, because there isn´t anything better. For those young Spaniards still at university, their thoughts rest more and more on the future: what are their prospects, should they go abroad and if so, where? To the Netherlands and here´s why:
1. Salaries are relatively high in the Netherlands. Those who have experience in engineering and specialized fields, may also expect to earn higher salaries than other employees. Since many international companies are based in the Netherlands there is also a high demand for native speakers who can conduct business with partners abroad.
2. Life in general in the Netherlands is ranked quite highly according to the OECD Better Life Index. Life expectancy, quality of water and air, disposable income, employment, and education are among the factors used to calculate this ranking. In general, there is a strong sense of community in the Netherlands. Also, the majority of people in the Netherlands report having more positive experiences in an average day than negative ones.
3. Dutch employers, for the most part, understand that there can be many sides to life, not just work. It may even be frowned upon to work from 7:00 until 20:00. Also the law states that it is not permitted to work more than 60 hours a week. Working in the Netherlands gives you the chance to earn a good living and at the end of a work day have a life as well., you will have the time to run, swim, or bike out any frustrations, spend time with your family, or become a couch potato and just catch up on a little me time.
4. Most employers have included a collective pension scheme in their CAO. The employee contributes monthly an amount deducted from their salary and the employer may also make a contribution. If your contract finishes with the employer, there generally are ways to transfer the built-up funds to another pension fund.
Getting a job in the Netherlands is a worthwhile step in your career. If you’re the type of person who is well educated, fluent in English and you want to enjoy as much of a stress-free life as possible, the Netherlands is the country for you.