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Whereas 10 years ago you had to show up in a full suit when applying for a job at a bank, things are different these days. Dress codes at Dutch banks have changed. But what do the 3 largest Dutch banks say about it themselves, and what do employees experience? I looked into it.
Rabobank
Anyone looking at the Rabobank website will see in the application tips that the dress code is business casual. It is emphasised that the most important thing is that you feel comfortable in it.
From a discussion on Reddit, recently held between former applicants and current employees of the bank, it appears that managers think differently about this. Middle management prefers it when someone dresses formally for the first interview. A shirt is an important clothing item in this regard. Although employees in, for example, the IT department wear hoodies and jeans, and on some departments even flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts are worn, the job interview seems to be a different matter altogether.
An HR employee at Rabobank confirms this. A casual or semi-casual dress code during a job interview is discouraged. Men are best off appearing in a suit and women in a blazer with a skirt. There is, however, a distinction between roles that do or do not involve client contact. If you are applying for a position where you don’t physically meet clients, then as a man, for example, you can leave the tie at home.
ING Bank
ING Bank likes to present itself as a bank that is not too fussy about clothing. During an interview with Editie NL in 2019, a spokesperson already stated that the dress code is casual. It was mentioned that everyone should “dress according to the role.” That is of course a broad concept. But meanwhile, employees in the branches do wear company clothing. So if you’re coming in for a financial discussion, for example about your mortgage interest deduction, you won’t really notice the relaxed clothing rules.
Nevertheless, company clothing also seems to be becoming less popular. At the recent opening of a new location in Zwolle, it was emphasised that there was no strict dress code. Although customers are received here, staff are allowed to wear jeans.
ABN Amro
Just like the aforementioned banks, ABN Amro also switched to a more relaxed dress code a few years ago. In an interview with NOS, Wies Wagenaar, head of behaviour and ethics at ABN Amro, said that this dress code is more in line with society. For example, they have something called “sneaker Monday.”
Yet formal clothing is still worn because, according to Wagenaar, people in formal attire are often perceived as more intelligent and powerful than those who do not dress that way. She therefore advises against wrinkled clothes with stains, unwashed hair and Crocs.
In an administrative job posting, the dress code is summarised as “you may wear what you feel good in, but within the boundaries.” What those boundaries are exactly is not specified. But if I can believe the intern reporting on his experiences, many people walk around in sneakers and jeans.
The dress codes at the 3 largest Dutch banks
Although the banks are eager to promote a casual dress code, a formal appearance still secretly seems to be preferred. If you want to be sure that you’re dressed appropriately for your job interview, I would advise you to dress a bit too formal rather than informal. Better safe than sorry. And if you’re only going in to check the current mortgage rate, it’s always fun to see how the staff interpret the dress code.
Cheers,
Aileen