Company
12
September
2024
5
minutes reading time
Five years of growth and challenges: Marco's story at NextGen
Marco celebrated his five-year anniversary at NextGen, a period full of growth and challenges. What started with an initial introduction as a candidate eventually led him to his current role as Commercial Manager. In this blog we look back with him on the past five years and look ahead to the future.
A look back at the beginning
Five years ago, Marco started at NextGen as a Business Consultant, but the path there was anything but standard. It all started when Marloes, an old acquaintance, approached him as a candidate for a planner role. Although Marco was still well in place at the time as a Supply Network Planner at FrieslandCampina, the opportunity still piqued his interest. In July 2018, on a scorching hot summer day, he went for an interview inDalfsen for that planner role. "I came in neatly (and far too warmly) dressed, while Frank welcomed me on flip-flops," Marco laughs. Something that, in retrospect, turns out to be typical Frank.
Marco quickly realized during that first interview that the planner role was not for him, but there was an immediate click and NextGen's vision appealed to him greatly. He liked the idea of helping both candidates and organizations move forward in a personal and meaningful way that was different from anything he had seen before.
After that conversation the contact remained warm and in February 2019 a new opportunity presented itself, but this time it was an internal role as a Business Consultant. This he found interesting. In April 2019 he signed his contract, and then in September 2019 he really started working at NextGen. "All in all, the whole process took more than a year, but it felt right from the first moment."
The art of perseverance
Marco's first year at NextGen was tough, but also full of learning moments. Although he had a good time with his colleagues and the atmosphere in the office was pleasant, he had to make NextGen's services completely his own and start building a network. That meant a lot of cold acquisition, and that certainly wasn't always easy. "It was really those little steps. The market was also totally different back then, which made it difficult to get a foothold."
And just when the first successes came, corona came. The personal contact and visiting customers, which he loved most about his job, suddenly became impossible. But his perseverance helped him through. "I happen to be quite competitive and can't stand losing," he says with a laugh. "I had a picture in my head of this great job, and it was really there - just wasn't quite there yet." Eventually there came a tipping point: things started up again, new colleagues joined, and with the move to a new office, it felt like a fresh start.
From Business Consultant to Commercial Manager
Marco's journey within NextGen has been one of growth. In the past five years, he developed from Business Consultant, to Regional Manager Northeast Netherlands to Commercial Manager. "At some point you want more. The work was fun, but I was looking for a new challenge." After an assessment it turned out that his strength lies in both commerce and leadership. That put him in the right position when an opportunity came up to lead the Northeast Netherlands team.
And now he has recently become Commercial Manager, a role that fits perfectly with NextGen's growth. With more and more clients staying longer and using our services more intensively, he focuses on strengthening and building sustainable partnerships. At the same time, he acts as a captain for the Sales team to take them to the next level. "I love being out and about, exchanging ideas, and working with clients to see how we can strengthen each other."
Making a difference
What makes Marco most proud in his work at NextGen are the moments when he can make a difference for others. "The best part is when you manage to convince someone to accept a challenge, even if they were about to reject it, and it turns out to be a success in the end." Whether it's a candidate who is unsure about a career move, or a client who isn't quite convinced of the match yet. He enjoys making people think and helping them make the right decision.
In addition, his background in Supply Chain & Operations often comes in handy. "Sometimes I sit at an intake with a client and then I understand the position so well that they even ask me if the position is not something for me." he laughs. It confirms that he uses his knowledge and passion in the right way.
"At the end of the day, it's all in making an impact and bringing something to success together. Where I like that personal connection and keeping in touch with each other."
The future
Marco sees plenty of opportunities for NextGen in the future. "I want to show that we have the knowledge and let more organizations benefit from our unique services." At the same time, there is also a big challenge there: many companies still see NextGen as a traditional secondment provider, while we are much more than that. With our Next Level program, we add real value by not only finding the right candidates, but also investing in their development and growth. Because these days, a job alone is not enough; candidates are looking for personal development, flexibility and meaning.
And beyond that, the most important thing for him is to keep the fun in the work. "Being able to really mean something to others, that to me is the best thing there is."
Related
View all updates
