Building a career in a new country isn’t always straightforward. Roles can feel different here, expectations aren’t always spelled out, and it’s not always clear what your next step should be.
Career coaching — some call it expat coaching — helps you find clarity and direction, whether that’s about your current role, a career change, or simply understanding how to work well in a different culture. If you’ve relocated for work, for a partner’s job, or just landed here and are trying to figure out where you fit, that’s who this is for.
Why are you looking for coaching?
Maybe your first role here turned out different than you expected, or you’ve simply outgrown it. Maybe you moved for a partner’s job and want something of your own. Or maybe it’s redundancy — or something quieter, like wondering if your Dutch is good enough for the job you actually want.
It’s usually about which way to go, more than about the options in front of you. And in Dutch workplaces, figuring out what’s expected of you is often left up to you.
Coaching gives you space to stop, think, and work out what actually matters to you.
Practical information in short
An example from practice
A client kept working harder every time she felt unsure — until she couldn’t see what the work actually needed anymore.
She’d moved to Amsterdam for a marketing role two years earlier, and somewhere along the way, “just push through it” had become her default.
We looked at where that pattern came from. Within a few sessions, she found more calm and more confidence — not by pushing harder, but by reconnecting with what actually worked for her.
Why InnerMove?
Sound familiar?
You might recognise yourself in one of these, if you’re building, rebuilding or rethinking your career while living abroad:
Early in your career
Maybe you did your master’s here and took a first job after graduating — now you’re ready for the next step, even if you’re not sure yet what that looks like.
Experienced, but the role no longer fits
You’ve built real experience here, but somewhere along the way, the role stopped fitting who you’ve become — even though nothing looks obviously wrong on paper.
Here for a partner’s job
You moved here for a partner’s career, and now you want to build something that’s genuinely your own — a real next step, beyond just bridging the gap while you settle in.
Examples of questions we look at together
Direction — Which path fits this stage of my career?
Talents — What am I actually good at, and how do I use that better?
Motivation — What gives me energy at work?
New options — What could I do, inside or outside my current role?
Positioning — How do I present myself — and prepare for interviews — without overthinking it?
Whatever the question, the fact that you’re building this in a different culture is almost always part of the conversation.
How coaching helps
Career coaching for expats
We look at what drives you, what gives you energy, what makes sense for you right now. If it’s useful, I’ll also help with your CV, LinkedIn, interview prep.
Outplacement for expats
Losing a job is hard enough. Doing it in a country that isn’t yours makes it harder. This gives you structure and support while you work out what’s next.
Mental coaching for expats
A new environment can amplify stress you didn’t have before. This helps you get your footing back.
Adjusting to a different culture affects how you see yourself and your work. Some clients describe a strange kind of loneliness — surrounded by people, but not quite connected. That’s normal.
About Annejos Wafelbakker
I’m Annejos, I studied work and organizational psychology at the University of Amsterdam in 1988. Since then, I’ve worked as an organizational consultant and coach, both within and outside InnerMove. Since 2004, I’ve guided people who want to explore what truly fits them in their work and career.
My style is calm, analytical and engaged. I walk alongside you. I don’t stand above you, and I don’t push you. We look together at patterns, choices and possibilities. That way, you understand what you need and which direction fits you.
I have more than twenty years of experience in coaching and organizational consulting. That gives me a broad view of how people work, develop and make decisions. It helps you take steps that are realistic, clear and grounded in confidence.
We work in English. Once you’re comfortable, we can throw in some Dutch too, if you want.
A few common misunderstandings about coaching, cleared up
“Coaching is only for when something’s broken.”
Often the opposite is true — most people come because they want to grow, not because they’re stuck.
“The coach tells you what to do.”
That part’s on you — I just ask the right questions.
“Isn’t this just therapy?”
It’s about what moves you forward at work — that’s it.
Sometimes people say: “But I hired you to tell me what to do.”
I understand the wish for a clear answer.
What I do is help you find what fits you as a person — through questions, reflection, and sometimes a perspective you hadn’t considered.
The concrete steps are still yours to take.
What clients say
“My sessions with Annejos moved easily from questions to answers. She skillfully guided me through a number of thought processes that provided clarity and order to my unspoken ambitions. I would highly recommend her method which is personal, warm and focused.”
— Communications Specialist, originally from the USA
“Annejos helped me tap into what I find meaningful in work, with practical advice on applying, CVs and interviews. I found a new job, gained confidence, and chose a career that suited my values.”
— Researcher, originally from Canada
“Annejos’ guidance felt supportive, insightful and motivating, and her questions helped me reflect deeply. I now feel much more aligned with my goals and confident about where I’m heading.”
— Payments Specialist, originally from Greece
Where coaching stops
I focus on coaching, not recruitment — your profile and strategy, while the job search stays in your hands.
Frequently Asked Questions about Expat Coaching Amsterdam
What is expat coaching exactly?
It helps you deal consciously with questions that arise from living and working in Amsterdam in an international context — career questions, but also work-life balance, identity and confidence, if that’s what you want to explore.
How is expat coaching different from career coaching?
Career coaching focuses mainly on professional direction. Expat coaching also explores how context affects you as a person and professional.
Can coaching also be helpful for partners of expats?
Yes. Partners often experience shifts in work, identity or sense of purpose when relocating for someone else’s opportunity.
Is coaching confidential, also when an employer is involved?
Yes. Everything discussed remains between you and me, even when coaching is funded by an employer.
Want to know more?
See all frequently asked questions about expat coaching. Read more →
Practical information: in detail
Length — usually 5 to 10 sessions, 1.5 hours each, roughly every two to three weeks
Location — Sessions take place in Amsterdam Zuid (De Pijp). Online is possible on an occasional basis, if that’s needed for a specific session.
Rates — depends on your situation, you’ll get a personal proposal
Reimbursement — often (partly) covered by employer training budgets
Rescheduling — free up to 48 hours before
Starting — usually within 1–2 weeks
