The emphasis here should be on your motivation. You have already done your homework: you have figured out exactly why you want the job, what attracts you to this particular organisation and how your skills, professional experience and strengths make you ideally suited to the role, so being open should not be difficult: you have nothing to hide. Be positive about your previous roles and give concrete examples of how you met your goals. Maintaining eye contact with your interviewers (without staring!) and being approachable and open create a positive impression.
The Dutch respect honesty and plain speaking. They are suspicious of people who are not direct and view them as dishonest and evasive. If you do not know the answer to a question, it is better to say so, rather than making something up on the spot and risk looking ridiculous. Being frank is regarded in a positive light; being vague is not.
You are not obliged to answer personal questions such as “Are you planning to have more children?” - but it does not mean that they will not be asked, so think in advance how you are going to deal with it. If you are asked about the areas of your CV that you feel are weak, it is better to be honest about the need for additional training to widen your skills base than lie about your ability to fulfil certain functions with which you know you would struggle with in reality.
Whilst being direct wins you Brownie points, any displays of prejudice are fatal to your job application. Hopefully, you are a well-rounded candidate and the only skeleton in your cupboard is an unhealthy attachment to an under-performing football team — employers understandably want to avoid introducing a team member with sexist, homophobic, racist, xenophobic or anti-Semitic views to their workplace at all costs.
A distinction should be made between openness and emotional incontinence. This is an interview, after all, so the tone should be professional and business-like. It is advisable to be as honest and as open as possible about your professional experience and education, and fully disclose any information that might be relevant to the interview. 'Open' individuals are seen as being creative, receptive to new ideas and in touch with their feelings — attributes that employers value highly in team members. For Dutch interviews, honesty really is the best policy.
Christine O’Hara