Working with people, nice colleagues and a lot of freedom. That's what makes working at Solid Professionals so much fun according to Mees Goosen. He has been account manager for 2,5 years now. Curious about his story? He tells you all about it in this interview.
Interface between the events industry and sales
How did Mees end up at Solid Professionals? Mees: "I was working in the events industry. That was a great time, until corona came along. We went from 2 events per month to 0. I was already looking for something else during that period." Through his network, Mees ended up at Solid Professionals.
"I have been working here as an account manager for 2.5 years now. I make sure that starters and interim professionals find a project or job with our clients in the financial sector. I am an important link between these two parties." Mees likes the larger change projects in which internal consultants and young talents come together the most. "For such projects, I have to coordinate a lot and make sure that all stakeholders are on the same page. That gives me a lot of energy." According to Mees, the event industry and sales have a lot in common. "They both revolve around relationship management, working with people and analyzing processes. I like the fact that I now use that knowledge and experience gained within the event industry in my current role.''
Personal attention
Mees enjoys working at Solid Professionals. "I especially find the human side of my job interesting. I work with young talents who are busy thinking about their careers. It's nice to connect them with our clients. I don't sell a product, it's really about people. So I take into account the interests of both the starter and the client. That complexity makes this work very interesting for me."
"I meet physically with my clients as much as possible, because then I really build a bond. I find that very different from a quick digital check-in. This means that I am on the road a lot and I decide for myself how I spend my working day. I am happy to have this freedom. At Solid Professionals we set up our own store as account managers, that is how it feels a bit. I have my clients and that is my domain. How I set up my store doesn't matter. As long as I come back at the end of the day with good news."
We do it together
What is the work culture like at Solid Professionals? "We celebrate successes together, which is really a spearhead of the company. Every year we go away for a weekend with colleagues. Where to? That always remains a surprise! You get on a bus and then you find out which destination we are going to. For example, we went to Morocco once with our anniversaries and last year to Malaga. This year we stayed closer to home and went to Maastricht. There are also other events, such as the annual Christmas dinner and get-togethers. It's also nice that you work with the management every day and find your partners on the shop floor as well. There is no distance at all."
Mees likes that the different disciplines within the company work together. "You need your colleagues to achieve success; you can't do it alone. That's why the sales and recruitment teams work well together. For me, a working day is successful when we look back together and say 'we did this together!' In the 2.5 years that I have been working here, I have helped many people find a job. The talents who start through me, I see as my colleagues."
Development opportunities
"We don't have a concrete development budget. Everything goes by mutual agreement, which is very nice for new employees. You can be your authentic self at Solid Professionals. And do you need something for your development? Then you are really heard and helped."
We also have the talent program: this contains many training courses that our young professionals follow. As account managers, we can also join these trainings. It ensures that you get to know the financial sector better and better. As an account manager, you can then discuss certain developments within Finance & Risk, for example. This knowledge is necessary for your success within the sector."
What's next
"I am satisfied and proud of what I have achieved so far at Solid Professionals. The account I work on with my colleagues has become the largest account. I have also set up a new account. I do find it hard to say where I will be in 5 or 10 years. Maybe someday I'll start my own business. But, I'm 28, so I really still want to learn many things. In any case, there are plenty of opportunities!''
When it comes to learning, Solid Professionals is helping Mees along well. "Since this year, I have been participating in the Future Leader Program. This is an annual program in which you receive additional coaching in leadership over two years and also learn more about your authentic form leadership style. The other day we had a training where we learned how to present yourself as a leader. What also makes this program really interesting is that you see the bigger picture of the company. So you're not just concerned with your own responsibilities and growth. We hold sessions where we think about management issues. We then share our take on certain situations and how we would handle these issues. This reflects how management deals with the growth of the company."
