Interview with an outgoing and new board member of Integrand Leiden

January 15, 2021 by Kjelt Kokke (IGLE)

It’s January again, and that means it’s time for board changes at Integrand. Every six months, half of the group moves on after having worked for Integrand for a year. This is also the case in Leiden, where board members have once again been swapped out. Therefore, Kjelt from Leiden conducted an interview with two new board members and a departing board member to give you an idea of how things go at Integrand. The board members who were interviewed are K, Floor Pouwels, and Sal Wispelweij. Both are third-year law students at Leiden University. Floor is starting her first half-year as the Marketing and Student Promotion (SPR) officer. Sal started his board year a year ago in the role of Operations and is now transitioning to the Sales & Acquisition role at the end of this month.

Kjelt is K, Floor is F, and Sal is S.

How did you end up at Integrand?

K: Welcome everyone! Nice that the rest of the Netherlands also wants to give insights about Integrand. Of course, both of you have ended up at Integrand, but I was wondering in what way. I personally came here through a connection, but there are many ways. How did it go for you?

F: I know several people who have done a board year at Integrand. So, I also ended up at this organization through a connection. After they recommended it to me, I attended an online interest event, after which I applied.

S: It’s been more than a year since, as a highly enthusiastic pre-Integrander, I sent a motivation letter to the then-chairperson. I saw on LinkedIn that Integrand was looking for new board members, and there was no hesitation. I applied and had the opportunity to explain my motivation in an interview. The rest is history…

Application

K: You all applied at Integrand. In Leiden, normally the entire board is present. You have to answer some questions about yourself at Integrand, and in addition, you work out and present a case. How did you experience the application process for a position at Integrand?

F: I applied in November during the COVID period. Therefore, the application was done online via Zoom. To be honest, I found it quite nice, even though I was still a bit tense. I found Zoom very nice because when someone is speaking, you only see that person. That way, I wasn’t easily distracted and was able to answer the questions well.

K: And Sal, how did you find the application, and how was it to be on the other side of the table eventually?

S: Looking back, this was the first moment when I became familiar with the application process, and it was also a learning experience. I was well-prepared, but it remained very exciting, especially because it was not a physical interview. Additionally, I found it enjoyable to interview students; you also see yourself reflected in them.

Expectations

K: When you become a board member at Integrand, you’ll be involved in many different things, from training to reviewing CVs and motivation letters, as well as managing interviews. Many new experiences, but what do you actually expect from such a year at Integrand?

F: I expect that there will be many new challenges and a lot of learning moments. Since you work in practice and deal with many different things at once, from interviews to being in contact with large companies, I also expect to meet new people, not just in Leiden but from all branches in the Netherlands.

K: Sal, wat waren jouw verwachtingen en zijn deze uitgekomen of viel het ook wel eens tegen?

S: Through this board year, I got to know the business world and made many new friends. Overall, it was a very successful year, and my expectations were definitely met. I would recommend a board year to everyone!

READ MORE ABOUT A BOARD YEAR!

Functions

K: At Integrand, you hold two functions in one year. After half a year, you switch roles. Floor, which role would you prefer, now that you have completed half a year in Marketing and SPR?

F: Initially, I really wanted to do Marketing, so I’m glad that I actually got to do that. Another role that really appeals to me is Events because then you organize physical events and work on location. For now, I’m happy with the role I have, but I hope it stays that way!

K: Sal, you naturally had two roles. Which one did you enjoy the most?

S: I started my board year as Operations Manager. In this role, I was responsible for managing the system we worked with and tried to optimize the process of internship mediation. This role was very enjoyable because it gave me a good overview of the entire process. However, I found the role of Sales & Acquisition, which I held in the second half of the year, a bit more fun. In this role, I had a lot of contact with companies, which I really enjoyed.

Corona and Integrand

K: At this moment, corona has a huge impact on everything, which means that Integrand has also had to adapt and some things have gone differently than usual. What do you expect from the combination of corona and Integrand?

F: I think there will be a lot more online events, but that also creates a beautiful challenge that we face together. You become more creative in taking on fun activities, even though sometimes it must be done online. It’s also another experience, which hopefully will be different in the second half of the year.

K: Sal, how did you experience corona in combination with Integrand?

S: Corona has certainly affected the fun. Surprisingly, the number of students looking for internships increased during corona, which led to more work, making the contact with the other board members even closer. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to meet physically as often or with the whole group, but we did meet via Zoom or with one or two other board members. Naturally, it wasn’t as fun as usual, but together we made the best of it.

The best part about Integrand

K: When you are at Integrand, of course, there are multiple social drinks and two policy weekends, but naturally also fun days at the office and a work meeting every Tuesday. Floor, what do you think is the best part of being at Integrand?

F: I think it’s especially fun to meet a new group of friends. Particularly in this time, it’s always fun to meet others. Besides that, I also enjoy the fact that with this group, we really achieve things, both professionally and socially, like the enjoyable policy weekend

K: And then, Sal, you’ve been here for a year. What did you enjoy the most about that year at Integrand?

S: Unfortunately, due to the arrival of corona, I had to miss out on a few things. I was only two months on the board when the lockdown started. That was incredibly unfortunate, as I really enjoyed the weekly meetings and Tuesday lunches. I still got to experience a policy weekend, which was a lot of fun, even though it wasn’t under the best circumstances.

K: Sal, do you have a final tip for Floor?

S: Yes, for sure. As soon as every fun moment comes along (in addition to working hard), enjoy it and make it a great year!

K: Thanks to both of you! Floor, best of luck in the upcoming year, and Sal, best wishes as an Integrand alumnus!