She already had an internship as a recruiter during her psychology studies and also immediately chose the staffing sector after her school career. In 2014 Maaike joined IMPACT as a recruiter for the Geel office. She grew into a recruitment expert and is now branch manager of the IMPACT office in Leuven. There she can perfectly use the experience of her previous positions to provide optimal support to candidates and clients together with her team.

From the start of her education, it quickly became clear to Maaike that she would continue within occupational psychology. During her internship, she became completely sold on the staffing industry. Consequently, in 2014, a few months after her studies, she started in the IMPACT office in Geel as a recruiter. “I immediately felt that it clicked. I am someone who relies a lot on her feelings: that was right and that is what I find most important. If I had to choose between feeling good about myself and earning just a little less or the other way around, I would always choose the first option.”

When the feeling is right, performance usually follows. For example, Maaike already completed a nice trajectory within IMPACT. “If you are ambitious and want to eventually hold a certain position, you need to have a good understanding of what the various other positions on the team entail. Preferably you’ve held them yourself at one time or another. As a recruiter, I learned to look for the ideal match between candidates and clients. As a recruitment expert, the commercial part was added and I learned to ‘sell’.”

Today, Maaike combines the two aspects in her position as branch manager for the Leuven office. “I still look for suitable candidates, take care of the administrative tasks, visit clients or prospects and prepare quotes. But I also provide support to the team and ensure clear reporting. Yet there is no normal week: there is always variety and the fulfillment depends very much on what comes on the job that day. The experience I gained earlier helps enormously to keep our strong team running and to offer our customers the best possible service.”

The team in Leuven, hangs together very well. “Absolutely. We’re very close and live with each other. When one of us gets a compliment from a candidate or client, it’s a feather in the cap for the whole team. We do the work on a team level, giving each other everything and that’s what makes it so much fun and motivating. We love to be busy and just get a feel for work because of the targets we are set. The team feeling and support are essential for me.”

That also means a personal touch. “For me it is important that our whole team has a good relationship with the clients we work for. That ensures that clients really know us, which in turn strengthens our relationship. Clients also know that we always put the magnifying glass on quality and not quantity. By this I mean that for one vacancy we will not send ten resumes to the client, but rather the most suitable candidates. If a company just needs a larger number of temps or profiles, then of course we can also answer that question qualitatively.”

Maaike has now been working for IMPACT for seven years. She already covered a handsome course herself, but also saw IMPACT grow very much. “In the last few years it has gone fast. Fortunately, the feeling and dealings within IMPACT have remained strong. I can still go to anyone and also feel supported. Small attentions, such as a sincere/personal question from management, make all the difference.”

The family aspect characterizes IMPACT not only internally, but also externally. “We don’t really like dry relationships. Of course, the business aspect remains focus number one and professional cooperation is required. But that loose contact and the pleasant feeling must be present: everyone must be able to be themselves and feel good. It is the nicest way of working together and usually also the one with the most guarantee of success!”

“By never giving up. The corona period was an excellent example of how, despite setbacks, you always find an appropriate solution as long as you persevere. I always try to guide the team in the best possible way and get the maximum out of myself as well as out of them. It is in this way that we can make a difference and achieve wonderful results together.”