Laura de Boer has been account and project manager at Comrads since May 1. She began this new role immediately after her maternity leave. In this - otherwise new - position, she supervises projects from start to finish and maintains relationships with clients to make sure they get the attention they deserve. In this blog, Laura explains why Comrads is the right choice for her, how she experiences her new role and what she does in her free time.

Combination project and account management

Like my colleague Romy, I joined Comrads right after my maternity leave. This is really a time in your life when you start thinking more seriously about the future. I had wanted to work for a somewhat smaller company for some time and already had some work experience in sales, project and account management. During my pregnancy, however, I discovered that my heart was in a combination position of project and account management, which are unfortunately hard to find. But during my leave, when I was 38 weeks pregnant, Comrads came my way, with such a combination function.

Exciting step

I went into the interview completely open. The interviews went very naturally and it was super to notice how they thought along with me. I haven't often experienced that at job interviews. Add to that the fact that it is a new function and a combination function, and you can understand that I was quickly won over. Although it was exciting to take a new step during my leave, it felt like the right choice. If it feels right, why not do it?

Hot bath

In my role, I supervise projects from start to finish, but I also do a bit of account management; I maintain relationships with clients and make sure they get the attention they deserve. We find that very important at Comrads. I've been working here for less than six months, but I like it super well. What I appreciate most about somewhat smaller companies is the flexibility of your role. Your position is not "set in stone," so there is room for initiative and thinking about improvements. More importantly, you are actually listened to and acted upon for your suggestions. This is in contrast to many companies that do claim to be open to ideas, but end up stuck with traditional ways of working. Here, it's different. You truly enter a warm and engaged work environment.

Future plans

Looking to the future, I would like to delve more into the commercial and strategic aspect of the company. I think it would be cool to help think on a strategic level about how to promote the growth of the company. That is something I still have to learn, but it seems enormously interesting.

Leisure

When I'm not at work, I'm busy with our first little daughter, Mikky. She was born on December 21 last year and I have my hands full with that. I also enjoy eating and drinking with friends and family, just being together. I also really enjoy reading. That varies from self-help books to exciting thrillers or science fiction. Unfortunately, now, with Mikky, I have a little less time for that. Before, during vacations I easily read two or three books in a week. In July we went on vacation to Kos and then I read two chapters at the most, it just didn't happen.

Such a first vacation with a baby was of course different from what we were used to, but super fun. Mikky did very well. At first we were a little afraid of the temperature; it was about 36 degrees. Fortunately, there was a nice breeze. There were two days when it was really too hot for her. In the end, that wasn't a punishment either. One took a nap with her in the air-conditioned room, while the other was able to lie by the pool for a while. Finally with a book...

Curious?

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