If you are working in sales and thinking about packing up your stuff and starting fresh somewhere new, you should genuinely consider Amsterdam as a go-to destination. The Netherlands provides flexible work environments and work hours, competitive salaries, and plenty to explore. Not convinced yet? Here are the 10 reasons why you should move to Amsterdam if you work in sales:
1. English Is Amsterdam’s Second, “Unofficial” Language
While the official language in Amsterdam (and The Netherlands) is Dutch, it should come as no surprise that the second “unofficial” language is English. Many expats that find themselves working in The Netherlands will be able to tell you that you can quickly get around without speaking a word of Dutch (although you should try to learn some basics, even if it is just from a language app). Many businesses in Amsterdam operate in English and thus need English speaking salespersons to keep up with the trend. The reality with sales is that you will probably find yourself landing a job in an international company seeing as sales is an area based on communication, but this is in no way a downside!
2. Amsterdam Is A Welcoming, Global City
Once again, Amsterdam is an incredibly international city, with not only tourists but foreign residents as well. Recent Census studies show that there are currently around 180 nationalities residing in Amsterdam. With a number, this high, diversity is welcome, and you will have any trouble feeling right at home. From being able to communicate with almost anyone instantly (see point above) to be able to find restaurants and food items that hit close to home, you will manage to adapt to your new routine in no time. This may not have too much to do with sales, but everyone knows that being happy and motivated are all determining factors of career success, starting with your life at your new home.
3. It Is Easier to Find a Sales Job in Amsterdam (Than In Many Other Cities)
There are many businesses (both national and international) whose headquarters are located in Amsterdam, which brings about plenty of work opportunities for many areas (including sales). This is one of the biggest advantages that Amsterdam has compared to other cities, and it definitely influences the job market. However, keep in mind that having a Masters Degree from an accredited university (and preferably work experience) will play a significant role in how easy (or hard) you may find it to land a job. And on that note…
4. Winter (or Brexit) is Coming
In honour of the fast approaching debut of the new (and last) Game of Thrones season, and the overwhelming Brexit disaster taking place in the United Kingdom, we thought it to be only appropriate to highlight the impacts this will have on Amsterdam. According to the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency there are over 250 businesses which are considering moving their business to the Netherlands, and this number has been increasing steadily. This could be an incredible opportunity for you to land a sales job with a multinational you admire.
5. Near-Perfect Work-Life Balance
If you read our blog post about Amsterdam Becoming Europe’s #1 Tech City you will already be quite familiar with this, but lately Amsterdam has been attracting quite a lot of tech talent due partially to its incredible work-life balance. We believe that those in sales should follow in the techies footsteps. According to the 2018 OECD Better Life Index, The Netherlands is the 3rd of 38 countries in which workers dedicated more time to leisure and personal care (an average of 15.9 hours a day), with only an impressive 0.5% of employees working very long hours (for reference, the average amongst the 38 countries studied is 13%). Newcomers to the Netherlands like the informal atmosphere and flexibility of the Dutch work environment. The standard workweek is 40 hours, but many companies are open to flexible work hours, such as a four-day week.
6. 30% Tax Back? It Could Apply To You!
One of the biggest perks of moving to Amsterdam for a sales job, if you are able to secure the job before actually moving to The Netherlands, is what is known as the 30% Ruling Tax Advantage. Essentially, it is a tax benefit aimed at highly skilled migrants, which allows employers to grant a tax free amount (30%) to employees from their gross salary. Again, it is important to note that for this to apply to you-you must have an employment offer aligned before moving to The Netherlands (meaning someone already has to want you to work for them), so get working on those sales (and persuasion) skills!
7. Competitive Salaries
So you have an idea of just how competitive the salaries are, according to the Dutch Central Plan Bureau (CPB) the average annual salary of a Sales Director in The Netherlands is of €158,000 (based on data from 2018). Truth be told you probably won’t start in sales as a Sales Director, but it should be incredible motivation to choose Amsterdam as the place to climb up that career ladder. The CPB also reported the median annual gross salary in 2018 to be at an average of €37,000 or €2,800 a month. After taxes, you will have approximately €2,150 monthly as a starter salary. In addition, when compared to other cities worldwide, this Dutch city has very average costs of living. Sounds like a great deal right?
8. Ride Away From Transportation Costs
Another amazing perk of living in Amsterdam is chances are you’ll be biking everywhere. Not just to your new sales job, but also around the city to meet up with friends. A bicycle really should be one of your first purchases when you move to Amsterdam.
9. Welcome to Vrijdag Middag Borrels
While we can’t promise this will happen at every company (maybe this hasn’t found its way into the international companies), Friday Afternoon Drinks or Vrijdag Middag Borrels are a huge thing in Amsterdam (and The Netherlands in general). Basically, on Friday, many companies will have beers together to celebrate the end of another (hopefully successful) week. It is a very fun Dutch tradition, and part of why expats describe the Dutch work environment as being fun and relaxed.
10. Amsterdam is an Amazing City
Last but certainly not least (and technically not directly related to sales) Amsterdam is a fantastic city. From parks, canals, and nature, to activities you can legally partake in from the products of said nature (if you know what we mean), there is so much to see and do you will definitely never get bored on your weekends. Ever heard of Heineken? We know that a lot of these reasons do not exclusively apply to sales jobs, but given the recent events and current developments, we truly believe Amsterdam is the place to be for dedicated and enthusiastic sales workers. Like with any other city, finding the right job takes a lot of time and dedication, so make sure you are ready and willing and get on it! We hope to see you around the streets of Amsterdam soon!
