During my job interview at INNOCY, they said: ‘We’re not looking for someone who fits an assignment, but someone who fits us.’ That appealed to me immediately.” During her first weeks, she was mainly given time to settle in. She followed the onboarding program together with other colleagues. “Very nice,” she says, “but at a certain point, you just want to get started.”
That opportunity came quickly: she started as a quality management consultant for the client Rijkswaterstaat Zuid-Nederland. Working for clients was new to Renneke. She had previously been a quality manager at an insurance company. Before that, she worked in the marketing department of a major car manufacturer.
“It was actually that project-based work that really appealed to me.” After a few weeks, project leadership for Rijkswaterstaat nationwide was added to her responsibilities. Two completely different assignments, but exactly the kind of variety that energizes Renneke. “For one assignment, I regularly need feedback from my manager. It’s great to be able to spar. That way, I’m not on my own.” For the other assignment, Renneke could jump onto a moving train. “There, it’s full speed ahead.”
Open culture
What stands out most to her is the open culture at INNOCY. “You don’t have to play a role,” she says.
“They want to get to know you as a person, not just as a professional. In the job interviews, the focus wasn’t only on knowledge and experience, but especially on who I am, what I find important and where I want to grow.”
This personal approach made Renneke feel seen right away. “I’ve worked at several large companies, but at INNOCY I’ve felt valued from the very first moment for who I am and what I bring. I was told early on that they see me as a broadly deployable colleague with valuable skills and competencies for INNOCY.”
Career prospects
Although she has been with the company for less than a year, INNOCY is already thinking about her next steps. “They want to further train me in risk management and project management,” says Renneke. “That gives confidence. You can tell that INNOCY wants to invest in your future, even if it goes beyond the function you start in.”
That fits with the culture, she adds. “It’s not an organization where you climb one step higher every year. It’s more about broad growth: taking on new things, getting to know new environments.”
The power of curiosity
Renneke isn’t a technician, but curiosity takes her far. “You don’t have to be a technical specialist, but you do need to find it interesting. When I worked at a major car company, I once got to look around the factory in Cologne. All those robots, the whole process, it was fascinating. That interest also helps me in my work now: I want to understand how things work.”
That attitude is exactly what INNOCY is looking for. “They don’t look at whether you match the job description one hundred percent, but whether you have the right mindset. Affinity with infrastructure helps, but the most important thing is that you fit into the team as a person.”
For anyone hesitating to apply for a role that’s just outside their comfort zone, Renneke has clear advice: “Dare to take that step. If you feel a connection with the people and the organization, the rest will follow. INNOCY is looking for personalities, not perfect resumes. And if there is a match, then yes, there are many possibilities.”
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