An inside perspective of HSO's Young Professionals Program Journey
After graduating as an Industrial Engineer in Turkey, Hatice Aydin decided to pursue a career in IT and Business Applications. She was working on ERP projects and doing a master’s degree in software engineering.
"It was at this time I realized I wanted to be involved in international and diverse projects while also gaining experience abroad. And so my path crossed with that of HSO International."
Here is the story that brought me to HSO International’s Young Professionals Program (YPP).
The YPP is a program designed specifically for master’s graduates to kickstart their career in IT and business consultancy. However, it is more than just any functional or technical training program. Throughout the program, theoretical knowledge sessions will combine with hands-on activities before embarking on a real-life project.
YPP is like a 2-year marathon in which you won’t feel alone at any moment. You will learn, develop and connect with other colleagues and I can guarantee that you will create an unbreakable bond during this journey. You will feel the comfort of being in a good team. Don’t forget that everybody in the program moved to the Netherlands from different countries like yourself, and so the first people you will ask about life in the Netherlands will all be your YPP friends.
In my case, I applied to the program by sending my resume to HSO International’s HR department. You can also apply through the website. During the application process, you may need to prepare an essay about your motivations, background and HSO, after which you will choose the functional stream you are most interested in (for example: Finance, Trade and Logistics, CRM, Business Intelligence and Analytics, or Azure & Cloud).
If everything goes well, you will be invited to an interview. You may talk to HR, consultants, management and/or stream leads. Remember that there are no specific rules about the number of interviews you get. In my case, we talked about my motivations, work experience, education and the challenges I faced. I was prepared for the technical questions but none of them were asked, lucky me! On the other hand, if you have question marks in your mind, now is the time to ask them.
Moving!
The 30% ruling is a Dutch tax exemption for employees who were hired abroad to work in the Netherlands.
This might be the most frustrating part but don’t worry, there are some useful websites such as Funda or Pararius. Read the ads carefully
Make your appointment for BSN (your citizen service number in NL) as soon as possible. It will make your relocation process much easier.
The Program
The program does not stop there though. Over the next 22 months, you will continue to improve both your soft and hard skills as well as gaining lots of on-the-job experience. For those interested, here are the main domains for the remaining part of the journey.
"In my view, HSO is a great company to start your professional journey with and to truly unlock your potential. What I love about HSO International is that it not only welcomes diversity but makes it a strength. You are always surrounded with people who are motivated and love what they do. The structure is very flat as well. I am enjoying my time here."
