"HeadFirst not only has a super nice client portfolio, but also a clear mission. I'm proud to share that."
Jolien de Haan | Lead Recruitment Consultant
Don't bullshit but polish, that's the motto of our Lead Recruitment Consultant Jolien. She is married to a sailor who works worldwide for six months a year. This means that Jolien is often alone at home, with two young children. Yet she experiences a fine work-life balance: "Besides my role within HeadFirst, I can also just be a mother, that balance is exactly what makes the work so enjoyable and sustainable."
Working from home? She almost doesn't. Jolien wants to be visible and findable to her team. "Achieving success together requires presence and involvement, with colleagues, stakeholders and clients. That's where energy and results are created."
From Sterksen to HeadFirst
Jolien studied Management and began her career at a start-up. "Super instructive, but I didn't see a career path. I wanted more. To be valuable to an organization, because then an organization is also valuable to me." That's how she ended up in the recruitment field. "You never know," she says with a laugh. But it turned out to be a hit.
In 2020, she started at Sterksen, a label within HeadFirst Group that focuses on various IT recruitment services. "I myself was responsible for W&S.There she grew from medior consultant to senior and eventually team lead. "I was able to take those steps because I was given freedom and felt confident. HeadFirst Group gives you room to grow, as long as you seize opportunities."
From recreational to proactive work
Jolien is not a classic recruiter who only fills vacancies. She is the connector between clients and internal teams, the process improver who turns bottlenecks into solutions, and the tactical advisor who looks ahead. She streamlines processes, sets up consultation structures and ensures that reporting lines are clear. She dives deep into operations, but always keeps the bigger picture in sight. Data plays a major role: with KPIs such as NPS scores and time-to-hire, she manages quality and customer satisfaction.
What drives her? Working from reactive to proactive. Not waiting for a question to come up, but identifying, advising and showing what has already been achieved and where improvement is needed. This is how she builds trust with clients and suppliers. At the same time, Jolien ensures that her team is not drowning in escalations, but has the right information to do the job well. "I find it important to set up tasks in such a way that everyone can be in his or her strength," she says.
Sector Health: moving forward together
Besides Agri and Food sector, Jolien, together with manager Lennert, leads the Health sector since October 1, with several university hospitals and national healthcare institutions as clients . New teams, new systems and ambitious goals. "I started by listening: what is the customer's request for help? Where are the bottlenecks? And how can we get better together?"
She brought structure, lines of consultation and clarity. Not just behind the scenes, but visible to clients and consultants. The result? Measurable progress in the NPS score, a customer satisfaction measure that shows how our services are perceived. In addition, a commitment has been made to continue our services through 2026, and contracts that are now outside the hiring desk will come back to us starting in January. "Those are the moments when you think, yes, that's what we do it for."
An organization that gives energy
At HeadFirst Group, we believe that culture doesn't live on paper, it lives in people. That's why we put colleagues in the spotlight who live up to our values every day. With the Changemaker Awards, we recognize people who push boundaries, show ownership, create impact and stay human. Jolien was one of the colleagues to receive such an award, and that says a lot. "Such recognition gives energy. It shows that initiative is seen and appreciated. HeadFirst is really complimentary: you feel that your efforts matter."
But we do more than celebrate: we listen. Jolien is also committed to the Works Council, an essential link between employees and management. The OR ensures that ideas and concerns are heard and connects our various labels, such as Sterksen, where Jolien comes from, into one strong organization. For Jolien, this is important: "It shows that we are working together toward that one dot on the horizon."
"It's important to me to set up tasks in such a way that everyone can be in their strengths."
For future colleagues
"HeadFirst has a super nice client portfolio. I'm proud to share that. It is an employer with a clear mission: grow, become international, share knowledge. But always with an eye for people. We are professionals with a common goal. And I find that attractive."
For future colleagues, Jolien has a message:
"If you are curious, dare to ask questions and are not afraid to take initiative, the opportunities here are there for the taking."