He does not want to be a tool of a company, he wants to be part of the family. ‘If you can feel this way within a company, you automatically feel well.’ And to be sure, Michal is part of the family. He tells you all about his job and his team.
What did you do before you started working at EASI?
As a System Engineer at AUSY, I mainly worked on internal projects. This suited me fine, I was quite free to choose the way in which I wanted to solve the problem. It also involved some configuration activities, for example for new offices, or new laptops, as well as looking at rights, security and reporting.
Later they assigned me to a project at KBC, where I was mainly deployed as an Application Engineer. That work was predominantly focused on incident management. You could compared it to some kind of ‘hotline’ or helpdesk where communicated mostly with the business instead of the client. My task was to analyse the problem, rate it on an impact scale for our business partners and escalate to the designated department.
How did you end up at EASI?
After my project at KBC I discovered that I wanted to challenge myself. I was looking for a job with a more commercial side to it, involving more analysis and some development. Via Bojan (Kohut) I finally ended up with you guys. From the very start I was sympathetic to the organisation and the business, but choosing between the job titles was difficult for me. That is why I applied spontaneously and put my hybrid profile in the picture.
A little while later, Jorn (Verleysen) invited me for an interview that resulted in a chat with the manager of my future team. An interesting interview since I hadn't decided yet, what job I was applying for. Afterwards it turned out that the position he proposed combined all the aspects I was looking for in a job.
How long have you been working at EASI?
I have been here for six months and it already feels like I was always here. The team was very welcoming. Although I have been working for six years now, a fresh start can be overwhelming. That is why in my opinion a warm welcome can never be overestimated. Since I'm working with a lot of different platforms other than the ones I was used to working with, it's nice to know your team is supportive and open to any question.
What does a working day look like for you?
I work for two products in particular: SmartShare and SmartSales.
Overall you could say I can follow up the entire project from A to Z myself. I check in with our clients. What are their needs, problems? How can we help them or fix it? And at that point I start analyzing. After I propose a solution, I can execute it myself or start working on it with the help of my team. I'm also in charge of the project management (budget, time management, customer relations...) For the client it''s pleasant to work with a single point of contact (SPOC).
So besides the commercial aspect, there is an analytic side to it: mapping out the whole thing, processing everything, outlining it, formulating solutions and proposing them to the client by means of a visual presentation. I love that this is typical for EASI. They really let the consultants think along with the client from their perspective.
Are you happy here?
Absolutely! I think it’s the combination of factors that make me happy. The wonderful atmosphere, a good team, a challenging job, a coach who gives you the proper feedback. In a role where you act as a SPOC to clients it can really help you to feel sure about your own decisions and to grow in your role.
But happiness can also be found in little things. There is a sort of open mentality here that suits me very well. Once in a while we have a crazy idea like the one to ‘plank’ in the office for a minute or so and everyone just goes along with it. I love that.
And to talk about openness, there is nothing that can't be on the table. I even convinced the biggest hamburger fans in the office to order a vegan lunch once.
I don’t want to be a tool for a company. I would like to be a building block, part of the family. You can become a shareholder after having worked here for two years, and you can feel it. It's a sort of bond that ensures that you are motivated to achieve things together.
Moreover, EASI pampers its employees. From fruit to soup to big and small events. They really want you to feel their recognition for your work. For example, I have already been invited to the Kick-Off once. We were allowed to take our partner to this big business party to celebrate the start of the year, stay the night. The DJ who played at the party was Kid Noize, a DJ we went to see at a festival earlier. In other words, the sense of “wow” is never far away.
What is your advice for someone who also wants to come to work here as a business consultant?
Dare to challenge yourself. I have already noticed that my colleagues at EASI are among the most complete profiles on the market. They all have knowledge of development, project management and people management skills. When you see your employer invests in your colleagues, you know they will invest (time, energy, training...) in you as well and that is nice to know.
Who wants to be rewarded for hard work can certainly find what he wants at EASI. The opportunities for growth are real and the company responds strongly to where you want to go as an employee.
Oh, and if you are not sure what you want to do, just send in a spontaneous application. Dare to send such an unsolicited job application with your CV. There is bound to be a position in which you can do your thing.
