Three internationals on how Digital Power welcomed them onboard

As Dutch consultancy Digital Power pushes for European expansion, the firm is bringing on board talent with an international profile. Three of Digital Power’s early such hires – Maria Milingou, Iga Jarosz, and Sarah Busson – spoke to Consultancy.org about the perks of joining the firm.

Founded in 2016, Digital Power is an advisory firm that specialises in customer experience, data science, analytics, technical web analytics, and data engineering services. The firm’s multidisciplinary team helps its clients from data strategy to execution.

As the Amsterdam-based company looks to grow its offering for companies around the continent, Digital Power is tapping into the city’s thriving international community.

Maria is one of the firm’s most recent recruits, arriving within what is still a predominantly-Dutch team. While she is originally from Greece, however, the shift in cultures has been cushioned by a firm determined to help her hit the ground running in her new role.

“As one of the first international hires, I was impressed by my positive onboarding experience. The company's well-organized process, combined with the support from my team, made it effortless for me to adjust to my new surroundings,” said Maria.

“The various social events provided ample opportunities for me to interact with my colleagues and exchange perspectives, both professionally and personally… Overall, my integration into the team was seamless, and I am grateful for the warm welcome I received from my colleagues and the company.”

According to Maria, communication was made easy by the proficiency in English of her new colleagues. This was also something noted by her colleague, Iga Jarosz. While she had been in the Netherlands “for a while already” before joining Digital Power, and is actively “working on” her Dutch business proficiency, she did not feel comfortable enough to work primarily in Dutch.

“The welcoming atmosphere seemed very genuine from the start. Very soon I got reassured that I can show my true self with all the little quirks, cultural differences, and other aspects of being a human being. That was a very pleasant surprise,” said Iga.

“So far, all of our Dutch colleagues have been great at detecting our presence and instantly switching to English which is very accommodating. Additionally, this is helping me learn the language, as I feel safe enough to try my Dutch skills here and there.”

That is not to say that applicants must speak English at a native level, though. Another recent arrival at the firm, Sarah Busson, added that the firm had been very accommodating since she arrived.

“It has been great seeing everyone putting the effort to make us feel welcome and at home,” Sarah expanded. “Especially because I'm also not a native English speaker, so I share the feeling and really appreciate it. The openness is something I value greatly, and I loved learning from my colleagues as well as sharing some of my own culture.”

New challenges

Each of the new team members said that one of Digital Power’s strengths lies in its ability to help employees realise their longer-term ambitions. For Maria, the prospect of working across “a diverse array of industries and the drive to continuously enhance my skills and knowledge” motivated her decision to join.

Meanwhile, Sarah recognised that this diversity presented her with new routes for her vocation to take – providing her with opportunities to enjoy different roles as a technical web analyst, but also “in other specialisations”.

Iga had previously worked for a “very large Dutch organisation”, and found that her “energy and eagerness to get things done quickly” did not fit well with a big, traditional organisation. “Digital Power gives me the chance to innovate in an agile manner and find new ways of working.”

She added, “I was looking for a new, inspiring surrounding, in which I would be able to have relationships on a more personal level, skip a bit of unnecessary bureaucracy, have space for expressing my opinion and taking initiative. Digital Power is a place that constitutes such an environment.”

Nurturing growth

Looking ahead, the trio feel that Digital Power offers an excellent workplace to put their skills to work, while also providing ways to learn more. Maria pointed to the “wide range of in-house training” the firm offers, which have already allowed her to develop both her technical and soft skills.

Furthermore, the company fosters a knowledge-sharing culture, where colleagues are encouraged to share their expertise and insights. This was also something Iga has enjoyed, alongside a culture that gives plenty of responsibility to new staff – trusting them to define their own goals in the context of assignments, or the “right choices for themselves” in their broader careers.

Speaking on how Digital Power has helped with her learning journey, Sarah concluded, “I didn't feel any pressure to start a project immediately, neither I felt push in a specific direction. I have been able to define in which way I would like to grow and got a project that reflected my wishes. On top of that, I can count on the team to support me, whether it is an ad-hoc issue, or some more personal development.”