Graduates
Almost graduating in IT? Or maybe you just have? Take a look at these stories, because we wrote them especially for you!
Almost graduating in IT? Or maybe you just have? Take a look at these stories, because we wrote them especially for you!
Have you heard of Imposter Syndrome? Even if you’re not familiar with the term, chances are you’re familiar with the symptoms. Recent research shows that 65% of professionals suffer from Imposter Syndrome. Symptoms include doubting your abilities, feeling like a fraud and perceiving yourself as underqualified for your responsibilities.
Money. For some it’s an uncomfortable subject, for others it’s easy to talk about. But we all need it to pay the bills. And whichever way you look at it, salary is an important aspect of job satisfaction. Astrid Roest, Talent Development Manager at Exellys, has some expert tips on how to find out what you’re worth and how to ask for it. Listen to our podcast below, or if you don’t understand Dutch and/or don’t have time to listen to the whole talk, read the blog!
Are you a recent grad about to start your first ‘proper’ job? If so, we understand just how you feel. The anticipation. The nerves. The excitement. The self-doubt. It’s perfectly normal to feel a little uneasy before taking your first steps in the world of work. So, to help calm your nerves, here are eight things you should know before starting your first job.
Originally from Turin in Italy, Sara Baudetto is a shining example of the potential that awaits those who dare to step out of their comfort zones and embrace new challenges. She wanted more for herself than her native country could offer, so she ventured out. Now, she’s enjoying the perfect blend of her dream job at Rabobank and the continued coaching and training from Exellys.
Collective study has grown in popularity over the last decade. Students gather in a particular place, such as a library, to sit together in silence and study – sometimes with hundreds of people in the same room. What are the advantages of studying together? Why does it work so well? And where can you find a good study space? That’s what we’re going to explore in this blog post.
One of the major benefits of becoming an Exellyst, is the extensive coaching and mentoring you get from your Talent Development Manager (TDM). If there’s anything on your mind, your coach will give you advice. They won’t hold your hand, but they will guide and encourage you. This is how Sophie Lievens managed to turn her concerns into opportunities, and shape her work into a job she loves.
This is an episode full of firsts. For the first time, we have someone behind the mic who used to be a colleague, but is now a training partner. This episode, we’re not going to dive into someone’s personal story, but rather give you concrete tips and tricks to make you more productive and calmer at the same time. And for the first time, we’re doing this blog not as a translated, written account of the conversation, but mainly as an informative piece listing the gist of what you need to know about time management and productivity. If you’re intrigued and want to learn more, we invite you to listen or watch the full podcast episode below.
For this episode, we have a guest who’s very determined and won’t be pushed in a direction that she feels isn’t right. She’s not afraid to go back to the drawing board and start again, even if she’s already put a lot of time and effort into something. Laura Van Loon is a 25-year-old graduate who traded medicine for industrial engineering, and development for project management & support engineering. Her secret? A supportive environment and a coach who helps her navigate it all.
Nicola Krynin joined Exellys a while ago. He was offered to integrate into ProjectiveGroup. “Even though I’m usually a doubter, this decision was a no-brainer,” says Nicola. In this interview Nicola tells you all about his background and trajectory at Exellys. Want to know why Exellys is a great place for doubters, and why he’s so grateful to his coach? Then read on!
Here’s a (pretty lengthy) list of all the job fairs and events we’re doing in the upcoming weeks and months. So grab your calendar, start highlighting some dates and let’s have a conversation. Our tech talent scouts, consultants and talent development managers are looking forward to meeting you.
At Exellys, we believe in the power of partnerships. Since our foundation in 2014, we’ve counted on training organisation Outward Bound to facilitate certain workshops and growth trajectories. Today, we’ve invited Dirk De Vilder on our podcast. Dirk is programme director and senior facilitator at Outward Bound and has been with us since the beginning. In this episode, we talk about the value of being out in nature, getting out of your comfort zone, and learning about team dynamics and feedback. All while focusing on self-reflection and individual growth.
Meet Charles Vanhaesebroucke. As an Exellyst, he combines the role of business analyst with the role of functional analyst at insurance company Nationale Nederlanden (NN) in the non-life insurance segment.
At the mic for this episode of our podcast Exellys Talks is Lenny Sluyts (28). Lenny started at Exellys in 2020, first as a recruiter and now as a full-time account manager. He’s still got a heart for recruitment though, which is why we’ve invited him to talk about the topic “applying for jobs”. What do you need to do to get noticed by recruiters? What are some do’s and don’ts during the interview? And what comes next? Let’s find out.
Exellysts Sien Van Broekhoven and Cedric Plouvier got to tackle a really cool sustainability project at their client, HPE. “We learned a lot from this project, and it was great that we got so much responsibility and autonomy,” Sien says. “Afterwards, we got to present our results to HPE Worldwide. Great for our visibility,” Cedric adds.
Meet Daniëlle Metz, one of our first hires in the Netherlands since Exellys opened a brand-new office in Amsterdam. She just finished a 3-month data traineeship in London that we organised together with DTSQUARED.
For this episode of our podcast Exellys Talks, we’ve invited Exellys alumna Svetlana Arutunyan. Svetlana is an expert by experience, since she has already completed her 2 year Start Smart programme at Exellys. Now, she has integrated at Belfius Bank where she’s working as a Functional Analyst.
It’s natural to have some nervous jitters when starting a new job, especially if it’s your first one. You might find the reality of working doesn’t align with your expectations, and there are always things you weren’t prepared for. In this blog, we give you 10 concrete tips on how to make your first job a success.
Thomas Tielens is a communication scientist turned software developer. After Covid disrupted his career – which he wasn’t too bothered about to be honest – he decided to go in a different direction. He took a specialised course in .NET and joined Exellys in the summer of 2022. “When I saw all the promises Exellys made on their website, I was critical. But as it turns out, they really do all that stuff!” Read all about how happy Thomas is in his job now. “I really feel I found my place,” he says.
Have you heard about ChatGPT? It’s the latest innovation that has caused a global buzz, both positive and negative, as all new things tend to do. However, there’s no denying that it’s pretty impressive. At its core, ChatGPT is a tool that can assist us with daily tasks, and it has been disrupting various sectors, including the tech industry. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the IT use cases of ChatGPT, but before we delve into that, let’s catch up those of you who haven’t heard of ChatGPT, you know, those who have been living under a rock.
One of the things that makes Exellys unique, is our emphasis on coaching. But what exactly do we mean by ‘coaching’? What’s the difference between an Exellys coach and other people who claim the title? And most importantly, what can a coach do for your career?
You’ve mastered all the skills and knowledge required to get a degree, but will that be enough to help you land your first job? Probably not. So what are soft skills? Why are they important? And which ones do you need? Those are exactly the questions we’re looking at today!
Often times, when it comes to deciding which job to take, gross salary will be the determining factor. You might think that more money equals more happiness and a better quality of life, but that isn’t true. In fact, it might be the exact opposite – when more money means spending 80 hours a week doing something you hate, that’ll hardly be beneficial to your general sense of wellbeing.
Key takeaways of an inspirational session by Pieter Van Leugenhagen We recently hosted an inspirational session about the Metaverse for our alumni. In this article, […]
A coach guides people who want to make progress in their personal or professional life. Traditionally, the coachee reaches out to the coach and sets the goals. At Exellys, we go about coaching in a different way. It’s more of a two-way street: of course, consultants can bring up topics or issues to their coach, but the coach will play a more active role in defining ambitions, talents, objectives and key results. That’s why we don’t refer to them as ‘coaches’, we call them ‘Talent Development Managers’ (TDMs). Their mission is to help you develop your talent. Their goal is to help you thrive and set you apart from your peers.
Tim Koster is living, breathing proof that the Exellys model works. Transitioning from the academic to the professional world is never easy, but he grabbed on to the training and coaching he got from Exellys, did the work and came out on top. That’s why we invited him for a chat about his Exellys journey so far.
What’s better: working for a big company or a small firm? The truth is, there is no right answer to that question. It’s all about your personality and what works best for you. Below we give you the (dis)advantages of both, so you can make up your own mind about which type of company suits you best.
If you’re a student, January and June usually mean one thing; exam time! If you’re feeling stressed, here are some tips for last-minute efficiency and a care free summer. Because you don’t want to add August to that first list.
Still wondering what to get your techie friend or loved one this Christmas? Well, stop stressing because we’ve got you covered!
Doing an internship over the summer? Internships may not come with much power or allure, they can be a fantastic way to earn professional experience before you graduate. You can even leverage this experience into a full-time position later on.
We live in a time when interviewees, especially if they are skilled in new technologies, have the upper hand. So as a tech graduate, it’s okay for you to be critical of your prospective employer. You should use the interview to your advantage, to learn as much as you can about the company and the role you’re interviewing for.
We’re just going to come out and say it: Data Engineering kicks Data Science’s ass. But before we dive into the why’s, let’s recap quickly what the difference is between Data Engineers and Data Scientists.
It might seem like a silly question, but why would you go to a conference? In our busy, online-driven society, it’s easy to forget how important being in a face-to-face, in-person setting is.
Maybe you’re comfortable where you are and you don’t want to be looking over the proverbial fence. Maybe you’re afraid of change, of stepping out of your comfort zone. These might be reasons not to take an interview. But we’re here to tell you: even if you’re not looking for a new job, it’s always a good idea to go on interviews
What is a job in finance really like? Can you really have a positive impact on society or are you just a small step away from becoming the next Wolf of Wallstreet?
In an age where the war for talent has debouched into a war for people, young graduates with technological skills are entering a job market where possibilities are abundant.
Thinking of starting your career in Cloud Computing? Smart choice. As we’re still in the early days of Cloud, the opportunities are endless, always evolving and available across every industry. So, you’re almost guaranteed an exciting and rewarding future.
Thinking of starting your career in Cloud Computing? Smart choice. As we’re still in the early days of Cloud, the opportunities are endless. So, you’re almost guaranteed an exciting and rewarding future. But what does such a career actually look like?
How does a psychology student end up as a DevOps Engineer? Actually, it’s not as far of a stretch as you might think. Erik Lokhorst told us all about this trajectory and his first experiences as an Exellyst.
Kasper Belmans and Lise Willemsens have both been proud Exellysts since 2020 Kasper recently integrated at his client, Corona Direct and Lise is feeling right at home at Belfius Insurance. At one of our recent events, they gave a brief presentation about how they experienced their journey
If you’re unsure whether you’re cut out for consultant life, or whether you’d rather be an internal employee, this panel is an interesting way to spend 40 minutes. In this talk, Patrick Goysens (Belfius Insurance), Koen Ermgodts (Projective), Wido Steenmans (Teal partners) and Jelle Van Langendonck (Pareteum) share and discuss their views on consultancy.
Meet Denny, AP Hogeschool graduate (Bachelor in Electronics/ICT) and currently a .NET Development Consultant at Ferranti. In 12 minutes Denny will take you through his entire Exellys experience, covering why he chose for Exellys, the selection procedure, the training and coaching and everything in between.
Software engineer Lars had some doubts about becoming a software tester. After all, testing software is not the same as developing it. He decided to give it a shot and found out that he gets to do a lot more software engineering than he thought. “I never imagined this job would be so diverse, so challenging and so interesting!”
Tom Casteelen was one of the very first consultants joining Exellys in the Netherlands. When he was finishing his Master’s, his plan was to start working for a major consultancy firm. But then he got a LinkedIn message from our Talent Scout Bonne van der Laan about an opportunity at HPE.
Meet Lise, as a recent graduate in Business Engineering she quickly found her way to Exellys. As a Functional Analyst at Belfius Insurance it’s her (and her team’s) job to translate the business needs into requirements developers can work with. She’ll walk you through the journey that started the moment she graduated.
Daikin has been providing high-quality innovative climate management systems for more than 45 years. They can call themselves a Factory of the Future and you can join them!
How do you find the perfect balance between enjoying the last of your ‘student-life’ as much as possible and making sure that you graduate with the right (soft) skills and competencies? Here are six handy tips that will definitely help you graduate in style.
Are you graduating this year? Or are you on the lookout for a new challenge? Spoiler alert: Even if you’re being spammed by recruiters on a daily basis, you’re probably going to need a CV.
We decided to make it fun and selected these 6 GIFs to help you get started.
Living in an ‘always-connected’ world has made life more demanding and stressful than ever, with infinite diversions nothing more than a click or tap away. But too much tech is only part of the problem. Here are six research-backed ways to turn the tide and boost your concentration.
Almost graduated? If you’re feeling a bit lost about which direction to head in, here are some top tips for starting the next chapter of your life and getting the life you want to!
Ever heard of scrum? Small tip: it doesn’t have anything to do with rugby! Scrum is an agile framework for managing work. Today, we’re going to take you through the basics and essentials, the things you need to know to become a Scrum Master. Just one thing, before you draw any conclusions. It’s about way more than playing with Legos!
Ine Nauwelaerts discovered her passion for data science and data engineering during her master’s degree, and her enthusiasm about everything to do with data is […]
Meet Dries: Technical Analyst, sports enthusiast and music lover. He builds bridges between IT-professionals, clients and partners at Baloise.
In this interview, Software Engineer Jochen shared his journey from the moment he graduated as an IT student up until today. Some of the topics he discussed were his general career path, what he does and doesn’t miss from his student days, and the impact of Covid-19 on his day-to-day work.
We get it, the spectrum of IT jobs is a broad one and navigating through this sea of function titles isn’t always easy. So, if you’re looking for a simple way to explain your grandmother what you actually do for a living, this list will definitely help you out!
After Belgium and the Netherlands, Exellys recently made its way across the North Sea to start writing its UK chapter. With the support of ProjectiveGroup’s ecosystem and strong footprint in the financial services industry, we started growing the Exellys UK community. Let’s get to know some of the people who joined us.
Exellys supports the graduates we place with our financial services clients, to fast-track their professional development, helping them become valuable assets to their organisations. We do this by giving them regular coaching sessions and tailor made training programmes that focus on the skills and awareness they need to excel at what they do.
Jamie Collins, one of our UK Exellysts, says he joined us because he wanted a job that would allow him to work in his preferred field of project management, while receiving ongoing training, coaching and support to continue getting his qualifications. When he left university, he found the transition from student life to working life challenging, but with the support of his coach and the training he received from Exellys, he was able to learn a lot of insights that he wishes to share here.
When was the last time you did something that scared you? Do you remember what it felt like before and after? Often we need to step out of our comfort zone in order to grow and learn. That’s why it’s so important, even early in your career, to go beyond the safe and familiar so that we can push our boundaries and build our confidence.
At our latest Meeting of the Minds – the Festival edition – Dominiek Henckaerts gave a mind-bending keynote speech about AI. Dominiek Henckaerts is CEO of the Leuven-based IT academy MultiMedi and has been teaching about AI for the past 8 years. We’re honoured to share the key takeaways of his talk with you. But before we find out if AI will take over the world, let’s go back in time a bit. Roughly 4,200 years back, to 2242 BC…
In order to really get to know a company’s culture, you’re going to have to go beyond the about us-section on their website. The best way to learn more about a certain company’s culture is to get in touch and to openly speak with people who actually work there. Here’s how you get started.
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed with stress every once in a while. But it’s important to remember that everyone’s in the same boat and you certainly aren’t alone! That’s why we wanted to offer you our most effective tips and strategies for coping with stress. These ideas will help get you going and stay cool, calm and focused!
Let us introduce to you, Viktor Van Beersel. A 25-year-old BI Consultant who calls himself a true social animal and values contact with other people more than anything else. That’s why he felt a spontaneous spark with both Exellys and Biztory, where clients and colleagues don’t bite but and are just an easy conversation partner.
Do you want to work for a start-up? Are you attracted by the drive, the innovation, the flexibility of a small company on its way to greatness? Or would you rather work for a big company, which has already proven its validity and expertise, where you can enjoy stability and security? During the Talk of the Minds Gathering in March, we invited four panel members to discuss the differences between start-ups and corporates.
If you’re approaching graduation or are on the lookout for a new challenge, the coronavirus pandemic may have got you wondering, “Should I even bother looking for a job with all of this going on?” You should! We’ll show you how to jumpstart your career in these uncertain times and give you our ultimate job-hunting tips for landing a job during a pandemic.
Let’s meet Casper, a 22-year old who is really interested in traveling and exploring other cultures, he’s a great communicator and an awesome programmer. Coincidence or not, those three things are now part of his job as a Technical Consultant at Swift.
A coach helps you to figure out what you need to be happy at work, and also makes you better at your job, which in turn may result in a pay raise!
You did your absolute best to postpone this for as long as possible, but you can’t take it anymore. It’s time to binge-watch your way through this covid-19 quarantine. Well, don’t worry because we made a list of tech related tv-shows and movies that will keep you entertained between the four walls of your living room.
Whatever the reason, you received an invitation for a job interview. But then the Corona virus happens, nobody’s shaking hands anymore and the job interview you have been looking forward to becomes a Skype call. But how do you prepare yourself for an online job interview? Here are some pro tips.
Here is a common misconception about job fairs. A lot of people seem to think that a job fair is just meant to be ‘strolled around’, to get a general idea of what companies have to offer and collect brochures and goodies.
Exellys matches the finest tech talent with ambitious companies. Not only for recent graduates and young professionals but students as well. This Summer, 8 motivated students completed an internship at our clients. We had a quick chat with Atsuki Kojima, an international student from Japan who completed an internship at e-commerce pioneer Veepee in Brussels.
Whether you’re presenting your ideas to a prospect or pitching a new app in the boardroom, strong presentation skills are a must for both sales reps and developers (and all function titles in between). Here’s why…
Hendrik knew he wanted to do ‘something with IT and business’ after graduating. And possibly with lots of traveling because he wants to nourish his curiosity for other countries. He found his passion and felt an immediate connection with Umicore, who offered him a job as a world traveling SAP Business Analyst. A match that goes both ways!
They say first impressions are the most important. So, when Rutger discovered Exellys and everything we stand for, he kept in touch. Because he could not get us out of his mind, even after having committed to another job, he eventually ended up with us. And that’s where the love story continues. Meet one of our technical consultants who, honestly, always had a connection with us and wisely decided to make his move.
In September 2017 Maxim started working at Melexis as an IT System Administrator and proud Exellyst. He made what he considers the best decision ever when choosing Exellys and kickstarted his career from day one with our Start Smart Programme. Today, (almost) 365 days later, he looks back on his experiences. Time for a chat!
Surviving your final months as a student, graduating, finding a job that you like and still finding the time to have something that looks like a social life. Sounds challenging with only 24 hours in a day, right? And chances are you’re in a similar situation, or you will be sooner rather than later.
When it comes to a career, there’s no such thing as a straight line. Just ask Stijn, a bachelor in IT who joined Exellys as a Business Analyst a while ago.
Every week we publish another blogpost. But what of instead of telling, we showed you what we’re all about? We browsed through our YouTube channel and selected 7 video’s that give you a quick impression of the life of an Exellyst.
Let’s meet Giani-Luigi Driesen, curious to say the least and passionate about football and all things digital. He likes to learn, whether it’s about technology, biology or how people interact with each other. So diving into a major project at Belfius Insurance as a Functional Analyst proved to be an interesting and exciting first job experience.
1 challenge, 40 motivated Exellysts, 1.576 post-its (give or take) and potentially a beer or two. The perfect recipe for the first edition of HackSmart, Exellys’ very own two-day innovation hackathon.
We aim to foster a tight-knit company culture where young and like-minded peers share common ground. Our culture is open, hardworking and lots of fun. Even though our Exellysts don’t all work for the same customers, we can still proudly call ourselves a community.
Hash Code is a team programming competition organized by Google for students and industry professionals across the globe. Some motivated Exellysts took on the challenge and participated in the qualification round on the 28th of February. Six of our consultants formed two teams and took on a Google engineering problem.
In an ideal world, everyone would have a clear calling and settle into a life-long, fulfilling career doing what they love. Unfortunately, things don’t work out that way and many people find themselves unsure of which occupation to choose, or which direction their career should take them. Whether you’re just starting out, or are trying to decide your next move, this step-by-step guide might help…
When you match an industrial engineer with an innate passion for oversized swords with an internationally renowned steel company like Arcelor Mittal… you just know you’re a winner! But how do the steel industry and IT come together?
Our Class of 2016 successfully concluded the two-year Start Smart Programme at Exellys and we’re so proud of our graduates. It was a pleasure seeing and helping them grow into the confident young professionals they are today. Bright, competent, ambitious and ready for world domination. Their employers are damn lucky to have them on their team!
We we’re watching the game and it’s safe to say that we broke some sweat. But what we took away from this experience is the incredible resilience the Belgian team displayed. They were defeated, all the odds were against them but they fought back as a team and came out on top! Here’s how.
Exams aren’t everyone’s favourite time of the year; there’s lots of work to be done, a ton of distractions and constant demands on your attention. Sometimes, just avoiding Fortnite or resisting Netflix can seem more challenging than your actual revision! To succeed, you’ll need discipline and a good framework to help you manage your time effectively.
You’ve made a great impression at a job fair. Or perhaps you wrote an exceptional letter of application? Whatever the reason, you received an invitation for a job interview. Perhaps this is your first interview or maybe you’ve got a few under your belt already. Fact remains that effective pointers are worth their weight in gold.
We organised a kick ass hackathon. The challenge? Crack the code of private banking. Not an easy thing to do. Almost 30 young hackers and hustlers came to Antwerp to take a shot at glory and more importantly to win a 4 day trip to Lisbon’s Web Summit, the largest tech event in Europe.
Matchmaking is serious business, especially when it comes to the graduate-employer relationship. Why? Well, you’re a first-timer, a newbie, a greenhorn… As with your very first serious relationship, the experience you gain will set the tone for the rest of your career.
You can keep reading about what it is we do exactly but why do that if you can just see it? We selected 7 video’s from our YouTube channel to give you a quick impression of the life of an Exellys consultant.
How do you know if an internship will provide you with the experience and accomplishments you’re looking for? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back and we’ll be breaking down 6 golden tips to get you where you want to be.
Do you need to be born with the seed of success already in you? If you feel like you’ll never have what it takes to be a good data analyst/blogger/zoo keeper and that it’s just not in you, well, this blog post is for you.
Finding your perfect job is never easy. But, don’t despair. The good news is that you have your future in your own hands! You’re in the driver’s seat. It’s just a question of finding the right gear and accelerating in the direction of your professional goals.
As a young graduate, you may think personal branding is not really any of your concern. Think again. First of all, personal branding is rapidly becoming a necessity in a fast-changing job market, where you increasingly need to “sell yourself”.