Working at Highberg: Senior Consultant Daniëlle van Hal about her first months at Highberg (Digital)

A few things, such as the great knowledge and experience of our colleagues. There are many good examples, master classes, and colleagues you can spar with. I was also very attracted to the social awareness and the drive to make a positive impact on the world with your work. You can notice this in the type of assignments we do, but also in initiatives such as the Highberg Digital Transformation course. This is a course we offer to status holders to help them get started on the Dutch labor market.

During the onboarding and first months I had a warm welcome and got help getting started. As in every organization, you have to find your way in the beginning (how does it work here, where can I find the necessary information etc.). At Highberg you are assigned a mentor and/or buddy who helps you quickly find your way and place within Highberg.

The cake moment on the first day! With the colleagues who are in the office, you have some cake that you serve with your own engraved cake server. That's a really fun tradition. I know every location has its own ritual for the first day, which really makes you feel at home. I also think the onboarding game is very valuable, it walks you through everything you need to know to get started properly.

As an open and driven culture. In our profession as consultants, a certain amount of independence is required. At Highberg you pretty quickly notice the, the sky is the limit-mentality, but you have to take the initiative and come up with the idea yourself. There are always colleagues willing to help you and think along with you. 

There are many things that make Highberg different from other organizations I've worked at. I think it mainly lies in the way social connection is organized—for example, through the monthly plenary sessions where everyone gets together and shares a meal, or the Summer Directorship. What I really appreciate about this is that it’s not just about the work itself, but also about who your colleagues are and how we collaborate. At the last plenary, for example, the theme was Ramadan, and we broke the fast together at sunset with an iftar.

You notice that in most cases, collaboration is the starting point. Such as in assignments where you work with a colleague or as a team, client conversations that are conducted together and quotes that are written together. Through this collaboration, knowledge sharing occurs quite naturally.

My first projects were at a municipality as a Data and Analysis Advisor and performing a quick scan for an organization on the impact of new European legislation. In the beginning, it was a challenge to quickly get up to speed on eIDAS 2 (the new European law that we investigated) and at the same time learn my way around within that municipality. On both projects I worked with colleagues who were well experienced with the project. Thanks to their expertise, I was still able to keep up quickly.

I get a lot of freedom in shaping my own career path. I notice that, for example, in the training courses I can do, such as obtaining my CDMP certification, or in assignments. Highberg does not only look at whether the assignment matches your profile, but also at the development opportunities.

When I look at the past year at Highberg, it is important to be driven, communicative and independent. With those skills, you will find the best assignments the fastest and you can develop yourself quickly.

That a lot is already being done at Highberg, but that much more is possible! From starting a podcast such as the National Data Podcast, to advising on the latest developments such as AI and being the director for a while during the Summer Directorship.

As the place where great collaboration and the top of our field, within (Digital) Transformation, come together!

Interested in working at Highberg alongside Daniëlle and other amazing experts? Take a look at our vacancies!