What it's like as a Digital Innovator with a design background

How did you end up at The Talent Institute?

I was looking for a challenge. Not in design, but in business or innovation. I applied for a lot of different roles in different companies: from big consultancy firms like Deloitte and Capgemini to start-ups and venture builders.

I didn’t think I would fit in the corporate world. I had a better feeling about the start-ups. I thought I could learn a lot there, but it would all be very practical. At the start-ups I missed the resources in personal development they offer at The Talent Institute.

For me, The Talent Institute is a good mix of the resources corporates can offer you and the start-up world. The Talent Institute is still a scale-up so you get to experience that working culture while working on projects for different corporations.

Was it hard for you to choose a job?

Very much so. If it’s your first full-time job, everything is new and uncertain. You’re closing off a big part of your life and facing an important decision. And you’re not entirely sure what’s the best decision to make with so many options. Maybe you have the idea that you’ll be stuck at the company you choose, but that’s one of the first things I told myself: nothing is permanent. If I choose something now, I won’t be stuck there for the rest of my life. If worse comes to worst, you can quit after a year. This really helped me become a bit more relaxed when making a decision.

It wasn’t hard for me to find a job, but it was hard for me to decide. What do you base your choices on? A conversation with a recruiter? Talking to employees? You might only speak to 1 or 2 people during a recruitment process, which doesn’t make the decision easier. Eventually, I went with what felt right, which was the company culture at The Talent Institute. And I’m still very happy with that choice.

Why did you choose The Talent Institute?

For me, a big factor in my decision-making process was the training and courses offered by The Talent Institute. I also applied for roles at consultancy firms and start-ups, but I didn’t really see myself working there. I had a good feeling about the working culture at The Talent Institute and decided to follow my gut and choose the job where I’d be most comfortable. I visited the The Talent Institute office and experienced the relaxed and free vibe. That’s when I thought: This is where I’d see myself working. The people that work here and the fact that it’s a young company appealed a lot to me.

What do you hope to gain or learn from the program?

As with any other job, I hope to gain a lot of practical experience. I also really look forward to learning new skills and applying them in different projects. I’d like to start my own later, but for now, I want to learn as much as possible. And I want to learn a lot from corporations and the way they work.