From IT to HR and Recruitment

"Sterksen is originally an IT organization. A few years ago HR and Recruitment was added to that, due to the high demand for these assignments. Both from clients and professionals. We still see a lot of growth in these services and therefore expansion of our team is always welcome. In the role of Recruitment Consultant at the Business Unit SIS you are next to the professionals in many conversations with hiring managers, HR managers, business managers and other recruiters. It is hugely important to work on your relationship management: you want to stay in constant contact.

The beauty of this position is that you can really build relationships. You talk to people about what is and is not possible, and together you determine the best approach for an application or the positioning of a professional. The transparency and speed make this the ideal position for me."

Interim versus permanent

That speed is especially characteristic of the interim market. "Interim has short closing times. This requires fast switching and immediate action. This is a big difference from the permanent market, where more time is available to find a suitable candidate. With interim, everything happens in a much shorter time frame. It is therefore necessary to keep a good overview. Every day we discuss with the team what is going on and the status of assignments. Every Friday we evaluate which deals were successful and which were not. That way you also keep things clear for yourself.

This role requires an affinity for acquisition. Looking for new prospects and "cold calling" are part of the job. Every week we take an hour to just put everything down and call around, for example, approaching organizations that have posted job openings via LinkedIn or other channels."

Teamwork makes the dream work

"In this position, you are responsible for the entire process, but you can always consult and spar with the team. When you start with us, you will spend the first three months shadowing a medior or senior colleague. Are you starting as a junior recruiter? Then we offer you the chance to expand your network. For example, you share both contact details in every application, so you increase your visibility in the network. A large network and good visibility is important in this field.

At Sterksen, we like to see where your strengths lie. It is a 360 degree role, but by taking on different tasks, you will find out what you like best. In consultation with the team you can then focus more on that. Together we discuss which assignments appeal to you and where you connect most, in order to create your dream job."

Vision for the future at Sterksen

"There is a tremendous amount of work available within this service. We would like to see our team grow to take on even more. In the future, we also see opportunities to add other areas, such as Marketing. There are plenty of opportunities for growth, both in the organization and on a personal level.

For example, Sterksen is part of HeadFirst Group, together with other intermediaries such as HeadFirst and StarApple. The great thing is that each has its own expertise and we can strengthen each other in this. We are working to cooperate even more with the other recruiters within the group. That is why we regularly visit the headquarters in Hoofddorp to be more visible there as well. This way we build a strong relationship and work as colleagues instead of competitors. Together we are strong and we get even further!"

Does this position appeal to you? Check out our vacancies or contact one of our corporate recruiters. Who knows, maybe you will soon be part of Sterksen and HeadFirst Group!

A little competition within the team keeps us on our toes. That's why we recently created the Sterksen Incentive Lunch Club. We look at your contribution within the business units. Each quarter we choose a number of colleagues who score best. You can win for example by achieving as many leads as possible, introducing the highest number of candidates to the client, or delivering excellent performance.

For the third quarter of last year, Jella, Rob, Patricia and Lennert were the first winners. On December 7, they enjoyed a fancy four-course lunch at Restaurant Wolfslaar in Breda. For fourth quarter performance, the win went to Robert, Joost, Monique and Veerle. They were in Houten at Kasteel Heemstede at the end of January.

Eating at a Michelin restaurant is an experience most of us don't get to experience lightly. That's why we find it extra fun to organize this. Everyone gets a chance and we notice a positive "fight" for this win. A great perk of the job!

"Every bite was a true taste sensation"

For the first quarter of this year, there is another round with new chances to win. Can you see yourself at a Michelin star restaurant? Then apply quickly for one of our vacancies and who knows, maybe you will soon be enjoying one of those delicious starred lunches!

Why did you choose Sterksen as your internship site?

"I am studying Human Resource Management and this is my final year. To carry out my graduation project, I was looking for an internship from August to December. Earlier this year I started as a Talent Sourcer at Sterksen - the perfect challenge for me to earn some extra money alongside my studies. I liked this so much that it was a logical step for me to also do my graduation internship here. Fortunately, there turned out to be plenty of room for that."

What makes working at Sterksen so enjoyable?

"I especially like that you have your own responsibility here. They are not constantly looking over your shoulder or tapping you. Feeling autonomous as an intern is not a given at all companies, but here you get the space to do your assignment independently. Once a week I have a meeting with my thesis supervisor to discuss things regarding my assignments.

Furthermore, there is a team meeting every week, where we discuss what everyone has been doing, if you are running into something and where help is needed. You don't have to feel burdened to say things or make suggestions here either. And every Thursday we get training on various IT - topics to make us a little more handy in that area too."

"You can level well with everyone here."

Why is Sterksen the ideal internship?

"At Sterksen there is a cool atmosphere. Not only do we work very hard, there is also room to go crazy together. You can have a good time with young and old. We also have a number of graduates who stayed on after their internship. Sterksen is a great place to start where you can gain a lot of experience. The onboarding program consists of a clear step-by-step plan and various trainings to get to know the organization well. You are taken through everything well and everyone is incredibly involved and helpful. For the time being, I will be right here to further expand my experience."

Are you looking for an internship and do you already see yourself working within the cozy atmosphere at Sterksen? Please contact us for the possibilities.

How did you get started at Sterksen?

"This is my first job, making me the prime example of advancing within an organization: starting at the bottom, to eventually a management position. I started as a Recruitment Consultant, which I did for about 3 years. Then I started combining recruitment with a lead function. Then I became responsible for this Business Unit and now I am part of the Management Team.

My current position is Business Unit Manager IT Recruitment & Executive Search. I am responsible for IT Recruitment (W&S) and Executive Search within a wide variety of clients. Within W&S we focus on the permanent recruitment of IT professionals and in Executive Search we focus on filling crucial senior and management positions (also non-IT). So it's incredibly diverse and challenging."

What makes you love working here so much?

"No day is the same, there is always a lot happening. Sterksen is a very entrepreneurial organization that likes to think out of the box. There are therefore continuous developments going on here. New initiatives or business lines ensure that you stay challenged. There is always an opportunity to specialize in a field or to develop yourself further in your career.

It feels like a small company here, but every day you can walk into larger companies we work with. So you get to many different places. Even now that we are part of a larger organization with HeadFirst Group, there are just more opportunities to enter new companies. We strengthen each other."

"There are always opportunities to develop here."

How is cooperation with the team?

"We set the bar high within Sterksen and want to continuously improve ourselves. Quality is very important to us, but in doing so we make sure we strike the right balance. There is little hierarchy and we do it together. For example, we have a buddy system where you can spar with each other or help out when necessary. Many recruitment agencies work in a more individualistic way.

So it is a very professional organization, but we interact informally. The teams are close and the atmosphere is friendly. We celebrate successes together. All kinds of initiatives are also organized among colleagues, from an evening of sports to drinks or festive activities."

Where do you see growth opportunities for yourself?

"As Business Unit Manager, I feel responsible not only for my own business unit, but ultimately for all of Sterksen. My focus now is on how we can create even better cooperation within the business units. Being one Sterksen together, instead of each unit working on its own. So I'm looking for challenge across the entire organization: to maximize the connectedness, also in the cooperation with HeadFirst Group. After all, with our extensive range of services and many specialists, we are the partner for recruitment."

Would you also like to work at this versatile company with a lot of growth potential? Then take a look at our vacancies to see what positions are currently available.