On April 20th the TopFem network was joined by the Belastingdienst, Calco, TOPdesk, Lugus and RightBrains for the yearly recruitment fair. These organizations represent various sectors and each offers different opportunities for ambitious and motivated young women regardless of their academic background. Chairwoman Fien van Rossum welcomed the network and the organizations, and then gave the floor to board member Acquisition Kayleigh van der Burg. Kayleigh started the event off by giving each organization a few minutes to pitch themselves.
The evening started off with pitches from the Belastingdienst, Calco, TOPdesk, Lugus and RightBrains:
The Belastingdienst is the tax authority of The Netherlands. Working at the Belastingdienst means working with both a broad scale of people and companies, you contribute to the Dutch society as a whole. Within the organization, there are many opportunities to switch jobs and try something else. Soon, they will have 1200 new vacancies. It was emphasized that the Belastingdienst does not only need hardcore tax specialists, but also accountants, IT-specialists, chemical scientists, psychologists and even data-analytics. Click here to find out about Belastingdienst’s vacancies.
Calco is a young and ambitious organization, specialized in educating, coaching and the secondment of starters and experienced IT-professionals. Calco offers a Masterclass consisting of two parts: 2 months intern education and 22 months specializing by one of Calco’s clients. 95% of their trainees do not have a background in IT. Their trainees get an indefinite contract, lease-car and the education is paid. Click here to find out about Calco’s vacancies.
TOPdesk is a company that sells a software application and provides support to the companies with their software. TOPdesk has 600 workers in 11 countries. At their head office in Delft work 350 people specialized in developing software, sales, support, consultancy, communication etc. They are currently looking for people interested in software, consultancy and communication with an international component. Click here to find out about TOPdesk’s vacancies.
Finally, the floor was given to Lugus and RightBrains:
Lugus is an organization for both student and young professional entrepreneurs housed in HUBSpot Leiden. Every month they organize two events: Pitch-Friday and one evening where an experienced entrepreneur shares his or her story.
The last pitch was given by partner organization RightBrains. RightBrains offers a platform to women with a passion for digital technology, and aims at inspire, connect and develop talent women in the IT sector. RightBrains’ network is free and available for everybody. This year they organize the ‘Future Talent Award’ for the first time and they are also currently designing a Career Guide with stories from role models: women with inspiring stories and career paths.
Click here for more information about Lugus and RightBrains.
After the pitches it was time to get the panel discussion started with the Belastingdienst, Calco and TOPdesk. Various topics were discussed, among them the following three main subjects.
Diversity
The panel discussion started off with a question about diversity within the company. TOPdesk focuses on competences instead of men/women. On average, 60 percent of the employees are men and 40 percent are women. The same percentages are visible at the Belastingdienst. However, the younger the employees are, for example in the traineeships offered by the government, the closer it comes to a 50/50 distribution. But the top positions are still mostly filled by men. Calco added to the discussion that the diversity within their organization mainly comes from the different academic background of their employees instead of men versus women.
Personal development within company
At TOPdesk your career starts off with a period in which you learn about the company and its clients. In the next 1,5 year you deepen your knowledge about the possibilities within TOPdesk. During your career at TOPdesk you can switch departments, but you can also grow and become a manager of a team. Calco agrees to the importance of keeping on learning once you start working, and therefore the offer their trainees the Calco Masterclass where your personal development plays a central role. At the Belastingdienst, personal development and possibilities are also very important. In an organization where you are able to change between positions and fields of interest, the possibilities are endless. Calco adds that although it is important that your employer is willing to offer you the tools for further professional and personal development, in the end you have to make the decision yourself to use these tools and take on the challenge. Your own mindset is key!
Selection procedures
Important competences that Calco is looking for are being proactive, taking initiative, being able to take up new information quickly. These competences should also be mentioned in the motivation letter with clear and practical examples. The analytical skills of the applicants are tested during the selection procedure. Next to competences, a board year and jobs next to your study are important as well. TOPdesk agrees and adds that they use a case study to test the analytical level. The Belastingdienst values the motivation letter as well, your letter should be the one that stands out from the rest of the applicants. In addition, the multiple competences tests are also included in the selection process.
Having heard this valuable information and practical tips from three diverse organizations, the TopFem members got the chance to network, share stories and ask questions to the recruiters and employees. The Future Fair proved to be a successful and inspiring event for both the TopFem members and the participating organizations!
