The ROI story of Lode Simons
Lode Simons started 5 years ago as Account Manager at VEGA Meet- en Regeltechniek. Meanwhile, his contribution to VEGA’s ambition has grown, as has his own development.
How does he look at that himself? We read about that here in his ROI story.
My expectations at the start
When I applied to VEGA five years ago, I honestly didn’t know the company at all. Back then, I was working as a consultant in a different industry. I was ready for a new challenge, with more depth of content and less focus on secondment.
At first I had some doubts. VEGA was not well known in my network and I didn’t really know what to expect. In addition, the office was not right around the corner, which initially held me back. But after every conversation I became more enthusiastic.
What appealed to me was the content of the job and the opportunity to really build something within the company. Velde’s guidance helped me enormously. Because I came from the recruitment world myself, I knew of course how such a process works, but it is still nice when you are well accompanied and prepared.
The reality of the work environment and the role
I knew I had to work when I started. VEGA is not just about sales; you need real content knowledge to advise customers properly. In addition, Corona made my first few months extra challenging. I had just started and immediately all normal working methods were turned upside down. Yet I was given every opportunity to develop. VEGA is an organization where a lot of trust is given, but that also means that you have to take the initiative yourself. Feedback moments were scarce, which made me doubt whether I was doing the right thing at first. Fortunately, I quickly had a good click with an experienced colleague and he became an important point of contact for me.
In addition, I started at a time when VEGA had just introduced a new product line. That meant pioneering; finding new customers and marketing the product. That is not always easy, but it gave me the opportunity to really establish something and add value to the organization.
-LodeSimons
My growth and contribution to VEGA
Now, five years later, I look back on my transition with great satisfaction. I have developed strongly in terms of content and have grown with the company. The new product line has made us a serious player within the food industry. That feels like a huge victory.
I have also made great strides personally. I have learned to work independently, to set my own course and to rely on my expertise. VEGA has given me the freedom to do that and that has made me more mature in my profession. I now supervise new colleagues myself. It gives me great satisfaction to help them with the same challenges.
What makes VEGA strong as an employer is the balance between autonomy and support. There is a lot of room to follow your own path, but if you show you want to, you will be well supported. It is a growing company with a stable base that takes good care of its people. That’s why I see myself working here for a long time to come. Maybe even until retirement – who knows!
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