Career kickstart: New hires Maarten & Jérôme

Making the right choice for your first job can be both thrilling and daunting at the same time. In this blog, our recent graduate hires Maarten and Jérôme open up about why they decided to kick-start their careers with the Addestino team and how consulting aligns with their studies and career ambitions.

Jérôme’s interest in a consulting career stemmed from a desire to combine the skills and subject expertise he had developed during his time at university. “After my studies in computer science, AI and management, I wanted to use my strengths across different industries and business challenges. During an Addestino-hosted business game event for students, the flat hierarchy among their consultants caught my attention. Together with the mock business case we worked on that evening, it was clear that the company truly embraces its commitment to working at the intersection of business and technology.” Maarten was similarly drawn to Addestino, inspired by the depth and variety of the business cases. “After studying business and industrial engineering, I wanted to use my technical background without being locked into an overly defined specialist role. When Stephani from Addestino reached out to me, I immediately saw a fit: generating insights through data analysis was exactly what I was looking for to apply my IT skills in a corporate context.”

Both Maarten and Jérôme appreciated the unique hiring process at Addestino. “Co-founders Stefan and Dominique have a distinctive interview style that’s refreshingly transparent,” says Maarten. “They offer an honest, unfiltered look into the Addestino culture, while also testing your technical skills and potential fit within the team. I was eager to join an organisation where I could learn as much as possible in a short time.” Jérôme agrees, adding: “Never before had I experienced such an in-depth assessment of my career aspirations and what drives me. What sealed the deal for me was an informal follow-up call with some of the consultants, which gave me the chance to hear firsthand about their projects, work-life balance and personal growth. Hearing how quickly they had been able to take on more responsibilities and lead client meetings convinced me.”

Maarten and Jérôme started in September, diving into their first projects on day one. “Addestino’s philosophy is all about learning by doing, which helps to learn the ropes faster,” Maarten explains. “This doesn’t mean that you’re left to figure it all out on your own, however,” Jérôme adds. “The senior staff are careful to gradually add new tasks and responsibilities as you grow, but the true difference-maker is the coaching, mentoring and support from the entire team. If you’re stuck on a particular issue, there’s always someone ready to offer a fresh perspective. Beyond the formal coaching and mentoring program, we’re each paired with a mentor whose personality and background complement our own. We have regular check-ins in a relaxed, supportive setting.”

For this hands-on learning approach to be effective, Jérôme emphasises that formal training is also essential. “The methodologies we use at Addestino are central to our training. Combined with soft skills training and high-impact initial assignments, these resources truly help us grow into our roles quickly.”

Both Maarten and Jérôme feel in firm control of their career paths. “Whether I continue exploring different industries or eventually decide to specialise in a particular skill or niche sector, only time will tell,” Maarten says. “For now, I’m happy with my start, working on number-crunching for a go-to-market plan for one of our long-term clients. As a junior consultant, my tasks include focused work like data analysis and slide preparation for specific project segments. This requires close coordination with my project supervisor, who guides me on choosing the most effective frameworks for the job.”

Jérôme is equally engaged in a challenging project, assisting in the development and initial roll-out of a target operating model. “Interviews, analysis, presentations – I’m excited that these have already become part of my responsibilities so early on in my role. Our projects and clients are top-tier, yet somehow I feel that the boutique feel and the supportive, close-knit atmosphere that comes with it are maintained. At the same time, even junior profiles are encouraged to balance their personal life with work, so my growth isn’t confined to their assignments. This is the dynamic mix I was looking for, creating an inspiring environment for the future.”