Have you always wondered what working as a consultant is like? In this series of interviews, we spoke to a group of entry-level consultants to give you a firsthand account of what it’s like to work at top firms like &samhoud, Accenture, and Roland Berger.
Our first interviewee is Arnaud Roodhuyzen de Vries, a Junior Consultant at &samhoud. Discover his insights into the world of consultancy, his experiences on the job, and why he finds the working culture at &samhoud so motivating.
What is your full name and what is your position at &samhoud?
My name is Arnaud Roodhuyzen de Vries, and I have been working as a Junior Consultant at &samhoud for a year and a half now.
What did you do before starting at &samhoud?
Before &samhoud, I completed my “Economics & Business” Bachelor at the Erasmus University College, and took two gap years after my studies. During the first gap year, I did a board year at my student association. Then I split my second gap year into two, for the first half-year, I did an internship at the Nestlé sales department, and for the second half-year, I worked on an international research project for the Financial Study Association Rotterdam (FSR). After these two years, I ended my studying period with a Strategic Management Consulting Master at Tilburg University.
How do you experience your role as a Junior Consultant?
As a consultant, you are constantly challenged, due to the diversity of tasks that belong to your role and for which you have to acquire and apply different skills. Together with your team, you develop new strategies for clients and methods to implement them. However, you also often work together with clients in devising these strategies, which makes the role very interactive and practical.
A typical workday is very diverse and consists of different tasks, like doing analysis, research, preparatory work, developing insights, project management and preparing work sessions with clients.
What is your experience in working for &samhoud and what stands out to you?
What stands out to me is our culture, which is based on our vision and core values: authenticity, intensity, friendship and playfulness. In addition to these guiding core values, I would describe &samhoud as 1) a people-oriented company, in which people have a genuine interest in each other, 2) an ambitious company, where people aim to reach for all their professional and personal goals, 3) a place where people want to have a lot of fun together.
Working at &samhoud is unique, as our personal development is very important, regardless of the position you have. This ensures that everyone is coached and stimulated to learn and grow as much as they can. We also believe that we can build a brighter future and achieve breakthroughs by inspiring and connecting people. In addition to this, it’s fun to work in teams with people from different positions, within which everyone is considered equal and valuable, and where you as an individual can make a meaningful contribution.
What is something you wish you knew before you started working in your role as Junior Consultant?
&samhoud is an organisation in which personal development is the main priority, in which people with diverse backgrounds and study focuses can find their place, if the culture and core values of the organisation align with them. For this reason, it is important to do your background research on the organisation before starting here, as our culture is at the core of the company.
What’s also good to know is that there is a close-knit community at &samhoud, in which intervision and cooperation are important components. So, if you are looking for a challenging work environment in which personal development and community spirit are very important, then I would definitely recommend working at &samhoud.
Can’t wait to get started as a Junior Consultant or do you want to stay up-to-date on other job openings at &samhoud? Connect with &samhoud on Magnet.me via this link.