Written by Consultancy.co.uk
At the end of last year, Wouter Hoogveld started as a strategy consultant at The Next Organisation. He talks about his choice of consultancy, his start at the consultancy, his work and his development.
It was his interest in business and strategic thinking that prompted Wouter to enter consultancy. After completing his master's degree focused on consumer behaviour (Economic and Consumer Psychology), he was looking for an environment where he could "try a lot of different things", he says.
"I thought it would be great fun to apply the theoretical knowledge I had gained to a variety of projects and really think along from that behavioural perspective. Working at a consultancy also means immediately being allowed to think along at the highest level, which as a starter is just cool and gives me the opportunity to develop very quickly."
After completing his education, Wouter first made a valuable contribution to healthcare during the corona pandemic as a source and contact investigator and context coordinator at the GGD. After this, his desire to enter consultancy took concrete form with his start at The Next Organization (TNXTO), a strategic consultancy focused on improving the commercial performance of organisations
Warm welcome
"The onboarding was very well organised," Wouter looks back enthusiastically. "I was given a buddy who explained everything to me, my laptop was installed and I was immediately given the keys to my starter car... It really felt like a warm welcome. I think that characterises the culture that prevails at TNXTO, a lot of attention goes to the employees and everyone is always open to help."
What particularly appeals to him about TNXTO is the combination of a relatively small agency with large clients. "Because the team is not that big, you quickly get to know your colleagues well and it feels like a very close-knit team. This makes it extra fun to work together on projects for clients that everyone in the Netherlands knows."
Focus on development
Moreover, The Next Organisation "pays a lot of attention to employee well-being and personal development", says Wouter. For instance, he has continuous access to a senior consultant from the agency, who acts as a personal mentor/coach and regularly discusses progress with him both personally and professionally.
"By discussing personal objectives every six months and staying actively involved, employees are encouraged to keep developing," he explains. "In addition, The Next Organisation organises regular knowledge sessions where colleagues share expertise and then put it to work immediately."
Varied projects
Wouter has now been working as a strategy consultant at the Bussum-based consultancy for about ten months, a time during which he has had the opportunity to contribute to a variety of projects. "At TNXTO, you always work on two or three assignments at the same time, which offers a very nice variety in your week. It makes working very dynamic and ensures that you are never bored for a moment."
For example, Wouter helped define the ideal customer journey for a major software supplier, contributed to the development of a new proposition around a product for a major insurer and was involved in developing and implementing a strategy for a major car brand in Belgium.
He also deals with internal tasks. For instance, he focuses on increasing vitality in the workplace, as part of 'team vitality'.
In any case, working in consultancy and at The Next Organisation is something Wouter can heartily recommend. "At the beginning of my psychology studies, I never thought it would be something for me, but I'm glad I made the choice."
"The ever-changing intellectual challenges make it a very interesting workplace with any (study) background," he explains. "Precisely the combination of different types of people makes for a very fun working environment and definitely makes it worth a try!"
