You've just found a job posting that actually fits. Good company, right city, you meet the requirements. You upload your CV, and then — "Please include a motivatiebrief."
So you write a paragraph about being a motivated team player, attach it as "cover letter.pdf," and hit send. Two weeks later: nothing.
Here's the thing. A motivatiebrief isn't what you think it is. It's not a cover letter. It's not a formality. And getting it right is one of the easiest ways to stand out in the Dutch job market — because almost every expat gets it wrong.
A motivatiebrief is not a cover letter
If you're from the US, UK, or most English-speaking countries, a cover letter is basically a polite wrapper for your CV. "Dear Hiring Manager, I'm writing to express my interest in..." Nobody reads past the first line. Everyone knows it.
A Dutch motivatiebrief is different. The word literally means "motivation letter" — and that's exactly what it is. The employer wants to understand why you want this specific job at this specific company. Not a generic pitch. Not your life story. A focused argument for why this particular match makes sense.
Dutch hiring culture values directness and genuine intent. They don't want to be flattered. They want to know you've thought about it. A recruiter who sees a clearly tailored motivatiebrief will read every word. A recruiter who sees a recycled cover letter will close the tab.
When you need one (and when you can skip it)
You definitely need one when:
- The job posting explicitly says "stuur je CV en motivatiebrief" (send your CV and motivation letter)
- You're applying via email — attaching a motivatiebrief is standard
- The company is Dutch, mid-size or larger, or in a traditional industry (finance, consulting, government, NGOs)
- You're making a career switch or have gaps you need to explain
You can probably skip it when:
- You're applying through a portal that only has an "upload CV" button and no free-text field
- The posting explicitly says "no motivation letter required"
- A recruiter reached out to you on LinkedIn (they already know why you're interesting)
When in doubt, write one. Nobody ever got rejected for including a motivatiebrief. Plenty of people get skipped for not including one.
The structure — paragraph by paragraph
A motivatiebrief is short. Half a page to three-quarters of a page. Four paragraphs. That's it.
Paragraph 1 — The hook
Say which role you're applying for, where you saw it, and one sentence about why it caught your attention. Be specific. If something in the job description genuinely resonated with you, say that. Skip "I am writing to express my interest" — everyone writes that, nobody reads it.
Paragraph 2 — Why you're a fit
This is where you connect your experience to what they're looking for. Pick two or three requirements from the job posting and show — with real examples — that you've done this before. Don't just list skills. Describe situations. "At my previous company, I led the migration from on-premise to cloud infrastructure for a team of 40" is infinitely better than "experienced with cloud infrastructure."
Paragraph 3 — Why this company
This is the paragraph most people skip or fake, and it's the one that matters most. Dutch employers can smell a generic letter instantly. Do your homework. Read their about page. Check their recent news. Look at what their employees post on LinkedIn. Then write one or two sentences about why this company specifically appeals to you. Something concrete — their approach to sustainability, a product you've used, a team culture you've read about. If you can't find anything genuine to say, you're probably applying too broadly.
Paragraph 4 — The close
Keep it simple. Say you'd welcome the chance to discuss the role further. Mention you're available for an interview. If relevant, note your availability to start and your work permit status (this saves recruiters a follow-up email). Sign off with "Met vriendelijke groet" (kind regards) if you want to show you know the convention — or just "Kind regards" if that feels forced.
A full example
Here's what a motivatiebrief looks like in practice. This is an expat applying for a marketing manager role at a Dutch tech company.
Example motivatiebrief
Dear Marta,
I saw your opening for a Marketing Manager on LinkedIn and wanted to reach out directly. I've been following Breezy's growth in the Dutch market over the past year, and the way you've positioned the product — especially the campaign around sustainable logistics — is exactly the kind of brand work I want to be part of.
Over the past four years at a B2B SaaS company in London, I led a team of five and was responsible for our content strategy, paid acquisition, and partner marketing across three European markets. We grew marketing-qualified leads by 60% year-over-year while reducing cost per lead by a third — mostly by shifting budget from paid search to owned channels and building a referral programme from scratch. I also set up our first Dutch-language landing pages when we expanded into the Benelux, which gave me my first real exposure to this market.
What draws me to Breezy specifically is the stage you're at. You've proven the product works, but the brand is still being shaped — and that's the work I find most energising. I'm also genuinely interested in the sustainable logistics space; I volunteered with a circular economy nonprofit in London for two years and have followed the Dutch government's push on green supply chains closely.
I relocated to Amsterdam in January and have a partner visa, so I'm ready to start immediately. I'd love to discuss how I could contribute to your next phase of growth.
Kind regards,
Sarah Chen
Why this works: It's specific. It mentions the company by name, references a real campaign, gives concrete numbers, explains the career move, and handles the logistics (visa, start date) without being asked. A recruiter reading this knows exactly who Sarah is, what she's done, and why she's reaching out — in under 30 seconds.
Need a CV to go with that motivatiebrief? Ours is already formatted the Dutch way.
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The mistakes that get you skipped
Writing a novel. Your motivatiebrief is not a memoir. Half a page. If a recruiter has to scroll, it's too long. The Dutch value brevity — get to the point.
Repeating your CV. Your CV already lists your work history. The motivatiebrief should add context, not duplicate information. Instead of "I worked at Company X from 2022 to 2025," tell them what you accomplished and why it's relevant to their role.
Being generic. "I am a hardworking professional with excellent communication skills." This could be written by anyone about any job. If you can swap out the company name and the letter still works, it's not tailored enough. Every motivatiebrief you send should have at least one sentence that only works for that specific company.
Overselling or being too humble. There's a cultural thing here. The Dutch don't love self-promotion — but they also don't respect false modesty. Don't say "I am the best candidate you'll find." Don't say "I hope you'll consider me despite my limited experience." State what you've done, back it up with evidence, and let them draw conclusions. Factual confidence lands well here.
Forgetting you're an expat (in a good way). Being international is an asset in the Dutch market. Mention it. You bring a different perspective, you've navigated cross-cultural teams, you probably speak more languages than local candidates. Don't hide the fact that you're not Dutch — frame it as what you bring to the table.
Saving it as "cover_letter_final.docx". PDF, always. Name it Motivatiebrief-Firstname-Lastname.pdf. Match it to your CV filename (CV-Firstname-Lastname.pdf). These small details signal professionalism.
Now go write yours
You don't need to be a great writer. You need to be specific, genuine, and brief. Pick the job posting you're most excited about, spend 30 minutes writing a motivatiebrief that could only be about that role, and send it.
And if your CV still needs work, we've got a full guide on how to format your CV for the Dutch market — plus a free template you can edit right in your browser. Got an interview lined up? Read our guide on what to expect at a Dutch job interview so you're not caught off guard when they ask about salary in round one.