"If you had told me a few years ago that I would be working in the insurance industry, I probably would have looked at you strangely," says Max Langelaan with a smile. Nevertheless, he is now right at home as a trainee at Schouten Zekerheid.
Max (24) lives in Pijnacker with his girlfriend and studied Commercial Economics in Rotterdam. In his spare time, he is a fanatical handball player and board member of his handball club. He has been working at Schouten Zekerheid for over four years, first as a student worker and now as a trainee.
He made his first step into the business in an unusual way: through his mother, who has worked for years at Schouten Zekerheid as a Fire and Liability Specialist. "She is always very enthusiastic about her work, so when I had a gap year and Schouten Zekerheid was looking for work students, she said, 'Get off that couch, this is good for your experience!"
From studying to specializing
During his studies, Max specialized in marketing. But in the end he consciously chose not to go in that direction. When the traineeship at Schouten Zekerheid came along, I thought: this is the chance to immerse myself in the insurance world and find out what I really like."
A traineeship full of variety
The traineeship at Schouten Zekerheid lasts about two years. "During that time, I was introduced to many different fields and different departments and therefore discovered what suits me and what doesn't. "I always enjoy the first weeks in a new department the most: everything is new and you learn super fast. It is sometimes hard to say goodbye to colleagues, Max says, "but on the other hand, you are still colleagues, only you go to another department.
What Max appreciates about the traineeship is the flexibility. "During my traineeship it turned out that I really enjoyed projects and process optimization. Then I indicated that I also wanted to gain experience in IT - no sooner said than done. That freedom is really worth its weight in gold."
Guidance and development
Max is mentored by Door Adriaanse (HR), with whom he has regular check-ins. He also made a TMA (Talent Motivation Analysis), which gave insight into his motives. "The nice thing is: at Schouten Zekerheid it's not just about what you can offer the company, but mainly about your personal development."
Max is now in the final phase of his traineeship. Various discussions are taking place with managers about a permanent position. "I'm sure I'll stay with Schouten Zekerheid just feels right here. For the next few years, I especially want to continue to learn a lot, specialize and keep developing myself."
A surprisingly fun industry
Did he ever expect to end up in the insurance business? "Definitely not," he laughs. "My image was still a bit that of gray men in suits. But that's not the case here at all. Many young people work here, there is a lot of room for innovation and development, and the field is much broader than I thought."
Through JongSchouten - the network for young employees within the company - Max now also organizes knowledge sessions and get-togethers himself. "It's fun to share knowledge with peers ánd to do fun things. That also provides extra bonding with the company. I like the fact that I have a management position within YoungSchouten."
Finally, why this traineeship?
Max doesn't have to think for long: "It's a super good start to your career. You get to know a company from the inside, get the chance to discover different sides of the profession and you are really guided in making choices that suit you."
His advice for doubting students or startups? "Just do it. Chances are there is something within Schouten Zekerheid that really suits you - even if you have no idea right now what that is exactly."
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