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Video: How Denny became a .NET Developer

Written by Elke Vermeir on 15 April 2022 for Graduates

Meet Denny Matthijs, an enthusiastic young professional who graduated as a Bachelor in Electronics & ICT at the Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool in Antwerp. In the video below, he takes us through his journey from student to Exellyst and .NET Developer at Ferranti and shares his thoughts on the future.

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How I got to know Exellys

I first came into contact with Exellys at the AP Hogeschool where Exellys hosted a guest lecture. Afterwards we could leave our contact information. A few months after the presentation, I got a call from one of the talent scouts at Exellys. They asked if I wanted to have a chat about my future and so I went to their office in Mechelen. This was in February of 2019, when I was preparing to leave for Austria on an Erasmus exchange program.

Approaching my graduation, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do for a living. I could go in different directions, since they teach a lot of different things in the Electronics/ICT field of study. I was also considering studying some more, maybe getting my Masters.

During my first talk with Exellys, they explained their model to me, and I really liked it. For me, it was the ideal combination of working and further developing my skills. It’s consultancy with a twist since you also get the opportunity to integrate at your client after two years.

My application at Exellys

I did my first interview in the office in Mechelen, but the remainder of my application happened online because I was in Austria at the time. First, I had to take a test to check my reasoning and learning abilities. After that, I had a talk with one of the Talent Development Managers (TDM) at Exellys. It was a nice conversation about a lot of different things. And afterwards I could start my matching procedure in order to become a real Exellyst.

The matching procedure is when Exellys matches you to a client based on your own skills, ambitions and preferences. Exellys also really helped me to prepare for these interviews, by giving me test questions and informing me about the company culture, etc.

In the end, I chose Ferranti. Exellys set up everything for my first day, and I also got an e-mail from Ferranti with some additional information. I started my Start Smart program which involves several group classes and some individual trainings and got assigned a TDM at Exellys for feedback and guidance.

Starting at Ferranti

My first day at Ferranti was really cool. It was mostly just making rounds in the office and getting to know everyone. I also got assigned a buddy at Ferranti, who I could always go to with questions. I also had my expectations meeting, which I thought was very nice. It’s basically a sit-down with Exellys and the client where you learn more about the expectations on all sides, including my own. I also had a two-week training at Ferranti to really prepare me for my specific role.

Right now, I’m part of the Product Support Team. We fix bugs from all kinds of projects and introduce new functionalities. It’s a varied role, which I really enjoy. Having all this variation really boosted my knowledge in a lot of different fields at the same time. My tasks have already evolved quite a bit. I started doing simple stuff, but now I’m doing things in SQL in the databases, things more in the back-end as well. I’m gaining responsibilities and my colleagues and customers trust me, so that’s very nice.

Exellys’ added value

A big advantage of working for Exellys, are the trainings you get. Some of them are part of a group track while others are individual and tailored to your specific needs and wants. You can choose from a big catalogue of trainings. For example, I chose the assertiveness training and the customer focus training – both skills that come in handy in my job, where I’m talking a lot to different colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders. I also had a certification in Microsoft Dynamics, which we use a lot at Ferranti.

How Denny became a .NET Developer at Ferranti

Apart from the trainings, there are also the very valuable feedback and coaching sessions with your personal coach, or TDM. I really like that they give me the opportunity to grow and find out where I can still improve. We also have regular 360 feedback reviews, where we go more in depth with my TDM as well as my manager at Ferranti. These feedback sessions have proven to be very helpful, and they have definitely impacted my professional and personal growth in the last two years.

My thoughts on the future

I’m very happy about where I’m at in my career right now. There’s a lot of variation in my job, a lot of room to grow and I’ve already evolved quite a lot in my role. I’m hoping to do this for a while longer so that in due time I can maybe grow to other projects within Ferranti as I’ve already decided I want to stay here after I complete my Start Smart track.

I’m very happy I chose Exellys. It proved to be the perfect way to go for me.

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About Exellys

Exellys is a Tech Talent Incubator. We match ambitious companies with the finest tech talent. Are you ready to drive the innovations of tomorrow? Ready to make an impact and become a future-fit digital leader?

Whether you are a graduate or (young) professional, Exellys will unlock your full potential by guiding you to a challenging work environment that perfectly matches your personality, expectations and ambitions.

On top of that, you are enrolled in one of our very own training and coaching programs (based on your personal and professional ambition and experience). This means that, while working as an Exellys consultant, we are helping you to bridge your ambition to excellence.

Through intensive training and coaching, you’ll gain the essential skills, competencies and knowledge necessary to become the highly effective professional you aim to be.

Become an Exellyst and get in touch with us today!

Written by Elke Vermeir Talent Development Manager