Hi, I’m Willem! I started working as a Business Consultant with SIENN in august of 2022. I’ve had a really good time so far and I want to take you along on an impression of my first months here.
From Security to Software Development
The journey started in May last year. I was previously working as a security consultant and was looking for something closer related to software development. Although security is still one of my interests, I like creating new stuff even more than only giving advice to organizations.
So I was open for something new, and then out of the blue, my current colleague Erik contacted me via LinkedIn. We only had a single connection in common, and it goes to show the impact that even a single connection in your network can make.
After a couple of good conversions with Robert and Gerard, at one of which it rained so hard that I arrived soaking wet, I started working for SIENN in August of last year when the sun was shining bright. In a very familiar environment I have to say, since SIENN is located right across the street from the University where I spent six and a half year studying Computing and Information Sciences.
“I have to admit, accounting firms were not the first thing that came to mind when thinking of vibrant and energetic companies, but I was proven wrong immediately.“
Getting Started at SIENN
From the beginning it was clear that I could immediately start working at a new customer project in the role of Product Owner for a software development team from SIENN. This customer is BDO, an international accounting firm with their Dutch HQ located in Eindhoven.
After a few days of getting familiar within SIENN and getting to know my colleagues from both the Dutch and Polish office, Robert and I went to Eindhoven to meet the stakeholders from BDO and to kick off the collaboration.
It was very welcoming to see some of the people I was going to work together with in real life. Especially since the rest of my team is located in Poland. We speak a lot via Teams, but have yet to see each other face to face. This is going to happen next month and I’m very much looking forward to that!
I have to admit, accounting firms were not the first thing that came to mind when thinking of vibrant and energetic companies, but I was proven wrong immediately. The stakeholders at BDO are very nice to collaborate with and their brand new office helps as well. It’s nice to be part of a development which makes the work of over a thousand people simpler and more understandable.
Sharing Knowledge
Even though it’s the first time I’m in the dedicated role of PO I’ve never felt uncomfortable at this. I can always consult my fellow consultants for their experiences and knowledge, and vice versa. This makes us stronger together in the end, which is what I like so much about working here. We are all open to new insights and actively share our knowledge, with a lot of fun and joking in between. 😉
Transparency and Realistic Expectations
As I mentioned before, the collaboration with my client has been very transparent and above all realistic, which gives me and the rest of the team the room to focus on the development and to have the confidence to experiment; which is a key component of working in an Agile way. In the end, all good collaborations are built on trust.
So far I’ve been really enjoying myself here, in my function, with the people around me and in a good environment. I look forward to further developing myself and helping SIENN as well as our customers with their goals. If we have the same goals, trust each other and are open and transparent, anything is possible.
