What's it like to work at WesselinkVanZijst? In this new interview series, our team members will take you through their workday. What does their work look like, and what do they encounter in it? We're kicking off this series with advisor Amber Visch.

Hello Amber, you've been working at WesselinkVanZijst for a year and a half now. What does your work week look like?

‘That varies enormously! One week I'm out and about visiting clients a lot, the next week I mostly work at the office or at home. Right now I'm between two assignments, so it's a bit quieter. Next week, my schedule is quite full: a day on location at Defense, an online inspiration session that I'm doing together with colleagues Stefan give, and on Friday I also have to be somewhere for a meeting.

My work is also very diverse in terms of tasks. There's a social aspect to it: interviewing, facilitating sessions, coordinating communication. Another part of the week, I'm actually busy with making analyses, contemplating and understanding issues.
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At WesselinkVanZijst, everyone has an internal role in addition to their substantive work. For example, I'm part of the communication team: I ensure that our LinkedIn page up-to-date, create a content calendar, and be involved in the development of a new corporate identity.’

How did you end up with us?

‘During my master's in Conflict Resolution and Governance, I once went to a
inspiration event about the Mutual Gains Approach (MGA), organized by WesselinkVanZijst and CBI. There I met Base And so the ball started rolling.

I immediately found WesselinkVanZijst to be an interesting company. The combination of working bottom-up and top-down appealed to me greatly, as did the SOM mindset: how to create added value for all parties by engaging in the creative process together.

I knew some of the theories from my studies – although practice is, of course, more complex. You learn many skills by doing: how do you fill in a stakeholder matrix, how do you perform a SWOT analysis or facilitate a canvas session, what questions do you ask during stakeholder interviews? Meanwhile, I've taken on an increasingly significant role in projects. At Gasunie, I recently conducted an organizational scan, for which I prepared and conducted interviews, and then also processed the results, together with a senior colleague.’

What do you enjoy most about your job?

‘Still, the tasks that are very close to society, in which we make a direct difference for ordinary Dutch people. Think of issues where residents experience nuisance. A lot of emotion is involved in that. I find it interesting to analyze such a case completely: what does this mean for all involved, how can they resolve it together?

For example, we are currently guiding a process where people are shaping environmental management. We participate at a strategic level and also look at the daily practice – a great combination.

Through my work, I'm also learning a lot about how the Netherlands functions. In my daily life, I often hear critical voices about ‘the government’ or ‘the system’. Because I see firsthand what happens behind the scenes in decision-making processes, I'm more positive and hopeful. People working for the government are also just trying to do good.’

Are there also things that are challenging or different than you expected?

‘This is my first fulltime job, so I had to get used to the work rhythm. I also find it challenging at times to be young and female; I notice that people react to me differently than they do to senior male colleagues. Fortunately, there are plenty of places where this is not the case at all.

What surprised me in a positive way is the work atmosphere. Beforehand, I thought WesselinkVanZijst would be quite corporate, but it's actually very pleasant and free here. All colleagues are very ‘individual’ and there's room to build your own expertise based on what you find interesting. On Fridays, we always have office lunch, when delicious sandwiches are brought in. And we regularly organize fun outings, from drinks to pub quizzes and barbecues.’

What don't customers and colleagues know about you yet?

‘Poe, good question, I'm quite an open book! Many colleagues know, for example, that in addition to my work at WesselinkVanZijst, I'm also a travel blogger on Amber Eats Abroad. What they might not know is how seriously I'm approaching it. I'm handling it professionally: writing, taking photos and videos, ensuring I'm easily found online… being creative is what gives me a lot of energy.’

Finally: what would you like to say to other young professionals who are considering applying to WesselinkVanZijst?

‘If you're analytical and enjoy delving into complex challenges, you'll definitely feel right at home here. Besides that, WesselinkVanZijst is just a really great group of people – it's easy to feel welcome. So, if you'd like to work with us, definitely send us a message! You can find me and my colleagues on LinkedIn. Or email info@wesselinkvanzijst.nl.’

Marketing & communications consultant

Amber Visch