Application guide: CV, cover letter and the process
A practical, step-by-step guide to applying for internships, traineeships and graduate roles in finance, consulting and law in the Netherlands: your CV, cover letter, online assessments, interviews and the process from application to offer.
Introduction
How applying to these firms works
Applications in finance, consulting and law follow a recognisable pattern: an online application with your CV and often a cover letter, one or more online assessments, and then two to four interview rounds. Employers are selecting for accuracy, motivation and fit, and they decide fast.
The good news: almost everything here is preparable. A tight one-page CV, a specific motivation, practice with the assessment format, and preparation for the exact interview type will put you ahead of most applicants. This guide walks through each step.
Step 1
The CV
One page, easy to scan, and focused on results. A recruiter spends under a minute on it, so every line has to earn its place.
Include
- Education with grades or GPA where strong
- Relevant internships and work, with concrete results
- Leadership: board years, committees, teams
- Skills: languages, Excel/modelling, tools
- One line of relevant extracurriculars or interests
Avoid
- More than one page (until you are experienced)
- Vague duties instead of measurable results
- Typos, inconsistent formatting, a photo-heavy layout
- Long paragraphs; use short, punchy bullets
- Irrelevant detail from years ago
Tip: write bullets as 'action + result'. 'Led a team of 6 and grew membership by 40%' beats 'responsible for the committee'.
Step 2
The cover letter
A strong motivation letter answers three questions clearly: why this field, why this firm, and why you. Keep it to half a page. Name the specific team or practice, and give one concrete, genuine reason you are drawn to it, not a list of adjectives about the company.
Recruiters can spot a template instantly. The single most effective move is to reference something specific: a deal the firm advised on, a practice area, a value, or a conversation you had at a campus event. That proves you did the work.
Step 3
The application process, step by step
Most processes run two to four weeks to a few months. Knowing the stages lets you prepare for each one in turn.
Step 4
Online assessments and tests
Large employers screen with online tests before the interviews: numerical reasoning (reading data and doing quick maths), verbal reasoning, logical or abstract reasoning, and often a personality questionnaire or a situational-judgement or game-based test. They reward accuracy under time pressure.
Preparation genuinely helps here, because the formats are consistent. Do practice tests until the question types feel familiar, work on speed and accuracy together, and for personality tests answer honestly and consistently rather than trying to guess the 'right' profile.
Step 5
The interviews
Go deeper
Prepare for your specific field
The steps above are universal, but each field has its own emphasis. Explore the career paths and the firms that hire in each.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long should my CV be for finance, consulting or law?
Keep it to one page. Recruiters at these firms scan a CV in well under a minute, and a tight one-page CV signals that you can prioritise. Only move to two pages once you have several years of relevant experience.
Do I need a cover letter?
Often yes, especially in the Netherlands and for law firms and boutiques. Even where it is optional, a short, specific motivation letter helps you stand out. Never send a generic one; name the firm, the team and one concrete reason you fit.
What do online assessments test?
Most large employers use numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests, sometimes a personality questionnaire, and increasingly a game-based or situational-judgement test. They screen for accuracy under time pressure. Practising the format beforehand matters more than raw talent.
How many interview rounds are there?
Typically two to four. A first round is often a competency or motivation interview, followed by case interviews (consulting), technical or market questions (finance), or a substantive discussion (law), and a final round with senior staff or partners.
When should I apply?
Apply early. Many graduate programmes, traineeships and internships recruit on a rolling basis and close once spots are filled. For structured intakes, applying in the first weeks of the window is a real advantage.
What are the most common mistakes?
A generic application, typos, a CV longer than one page, vague motivation, and no preparation for the specific interview format. Each is avoidable and each is a common reason for rejection at this level.
How do I prepare for a case or technical interview?
Practise the specific format out loud, ideally with a peer. For consulting, work through case frameworks and mental maths; for finance, revise valuation, markets and accounting basics; for law, be ready to reason through a legal problem and discuss why you chose that practice area.
Does my degree or university matter?
It helps, but it is not everything. Strong grades, relevant internships, extracurricular leadership and a clear, well-argued motivation carry a lot of weight. A focused application from a motivated candidate regularly beats a passive one with a stronger CV.
Ready to apply?
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