Developing your professional identity

Sanne Middelhoek (24) ended up at High Potential Academy through a friend because she was enthusiastic about her experience: “talking to a coach and sparring about your future career” seemed like a good idea to her. And so it happened. Sanne has now completed the talent development program and is happy to share her own experience:

Background Sanne 

Sanne studied Economics and Business Economics in Groningen. Meanwhile, she moved to Rotterdam where she is currently finishing her Master of Financial Economics. By spreading her master’s degree over two years, she was able to do an internship at Heineken and Sanne started working as a student at Picnic. This also allowed her to take a critical look at the start of her career together with us.

How did you get in touch with High Potential Academy?

“A friend of mine started the High Potential Academy program when she was starting her master’s degree. At the time, I was still finishing my bachelor’s, but it already sparked my interest. I thought: “That sounds interesting: talking to a coach and sparring about your career with him”. That’s what I wanted to do when the time came. I started the program when I was doing an internship at Heineken and it led to a nice interaction. Through my internship, I discovered what I liked, and I gained experiences that I could use as input in the program. In addition, I could immediately apply the output from the program in my work.”

What was the reason to contact High Potential Academy?

“I wanted to find out what I can do at work and where I could best use my qualities. I also wanted to get a better idea of myself, who I am, and what I am looking for. In the first training, a fellow Potential said: “I want to develop my professional identity”. I liked that. Of course, you know yourself, but it is difficult to define your talent. It was nice to gain insight into that and to be able to develop your professional identity with the help of the program.”

Experience High Potential Academy

“I have experienced the contact with High Potential Academy as pleasant. There was clear and fast communication and I could start immediately. You can start at a time that suits you and arrange it as you wish, timewise. The training courses do have to be followed in a certain order, but you can decide for yourself when you attend them. I deliberately took a year over the course, so that I had time to focus on this.

What I experienced as positive are the questionnaires that you have to fill in before a training or coaching session. They challenge you to think, to stop, and look critically at yourself. This enables you to get a lot out of the process, more than if you only receive information.”

What important insights have you come to during the process?

“A capacity that you control well is most likely linked to capacity that you do not control as well or less well. The same applies to traits. When a positive characteristic, something you master well, becomes more extreme, it can lead to a pitfall, a less good characteristic. Everything is connected and that has given me personally a lot of new insights.”

Ambition? 

“I am currently finishing my master’s degree and in the meantime, I am applying for jobs. In my job search, I focus on large companies that provide consumers with goods or services. I would like to hold a financial position within such a company. Working abroad also seems like a nice experience to me. Furthermore, I would like to continue to develop my finance skills and my personal development.”

How does the contact with High Potential Academy help you to realize them?

“Once you have completed the program, you are part of the Alumni of High Potential Academy. The Alumni consist of people who also find personal development important. It’s a nice idea to be able to switch back, reflect on your career and have a sparring partner next to you, should you need one at a later stage in your career.”