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Netherlands - Jobseekers give preference to flexitime

22 December 2014

Apart from pay, flexibility is one the most important characteristic that job seekers are looking for according to a survey by Dutch recruitment firm Unique in collaboration with research company Motivaction International. 41% of respondents are looking for a flexible contract while only just over a quarter of respondents prefer fixed working hours (27%).

According to the surveyed jobseekers the most important things to positively contribute to the attractiveness of a job are:

  • The salary (48%)
  • The content of the job (45%)
  • The opportunity to work close to home (28%)
  • Freedom and confidence from the employer (28%)
  • The culture and atmosphere (26%)

The survey also looks at how organizations can make a good first impression with job applicants. The research shows that more than half (55%) of job seekers form their first impression in the course of the first interview. The website is often mentioned as a reference - 48% of respondents use this to gain an impression. Other sources mentioned are information from the media (36%), job postings (32%) and information through friends and acquaintances (31%).

Raymond Puts, CEO of Unique: "Thanks to the slowly recovering (“opkrabbelende”) economy, we see that the labour market is also showing signs of recovery. Employers with the choice of three hundred applicants for one vacancy will occur less and less. Specifically, this also means that job seekers have more choice when it comes to choosing the perfect job. "

The survey was of 1,270 job seekers this year and is carried out annually.