Tessa and Ruben about their growth path and career opportunities at CAPE
At CAPE we work with self-organizing teams, which means that a consultant as a team lead has a maximum of 16 colleagues under him. The teams themselves ensure the smooth running of the work and therefore hardly need management. For the colleagues in these teams, there is always someone who has time to spar about problems or development opportunities, this is the important role that a team lead takes on. The duties of a team lead range from project management to HR. Ruben (27 years old) from the picturesque Bornerbroek and Tessa (27 years old) from Utrecht have both been working at CAPE for around 3 years. They started as Trainee Business Consultant and have now almost worked their way up to Medior Consultant and since a few weeks they have also been team lead. Ruben from team CBS, which consists of 13 colleagues, including 2 from Croatia and Tessa from a part of team Utrecht, which consists of 7 colleagues. During an interview they talk about the growth path they have taken, the obstacles they have encountered and the reason why they chose this challenge.
What is the reason you became a team lead?
'Do you want to know the whole process?' asks Tessa with a laugh, 'I already knew in the past that I wanted to go into management, that has never gone away. I still wanted to do that when I started working at CAPE. I also saw what the team leads were doing and I was excited about that! On the other hand, I started to develop as a consultant. I really enjoy customer contact and working together on a project, I didn't want to give that up just like that. Last January and April I was able to supervise two trainees on my projects. As a result, I noticed again that that role appeals to me and how much I enjoy seeing them blossom. The flame was rekindled, I wanted this with a whole team! Ultimately, I especially enjoy helping people with their ambitions and seeing them grow.'
'I can actually go as far back as Tessa', says Ruben, 'because I had exactly the same thing. The study I followed was Creative Technology, where you learn high-code programming and electrical engineering. I sat there with a lot of people who really liked technology and I thought I would fit in there. I also liked a lot of this study, but high-code programming was not my thing. I also noticed that the others were much better at that. Then I started to wonder whether this is what suits me and I went looking for where my strengths lie. During the master Industrial Design Engineering I specialized in product development management. I really went into management and I really liked that in combination with consultancy. If you start working at CAPE as a trainee, you will first be prepared for the technical part. “After completing my Traineeship, I thought to myself: What now? What do I like? Am I going in the managing or consultancy direction? In conversation with my team lead from then, I found out that those two don't have to bite. At the end of my traineeship I took on some of the tasks of my team lead. I got into it a bit because of that. It has had a long run of about a year.'
Did you also need that time to prepare for this position?
'Well, in the end it all went really fast. I don't feel like I'm really ready for it, to be honest. What I find most exciting is the part of HR, coordinating with the client, I already did that. Making a schedule, discussing what capacity is needed is nothing new for me. Coaching colleagues below my seniority level is also quite easy because I've been down the same path. As a team lead, you also have to supervise Senior Consultants, who are colleagues with 8 to 10 years of experience, which is a different story.'
Tessa confirmed this, 'I have the exact same thing. You want to give valuable feedback and ensure that everyone can grow. I have relatively little experience with that. You want to offer added value as a team lead and I find that exciting.'
That's a lot of responsibility indeed!
"Yeah, and sometimes it just kicks in."
What guidance do you receive from CAPE?
'I spend at least once a week with my manager and half an hour with a team lead. In my case that is Gijs. I can then ask him how he handles some situation. I feel like I could ask anyone if I need help. We also receive training in management,' says Tessa.
'The same goes for me. Like Tessa, I just don't have a structural meeting with another team lead. If something bothers me, I just call a colleague to ask how they handle it. We have to find our own style. Now I mainly copy what others do. I wonder if I wouldn't approach it differently on my own.'
Do you already have a vision for your period as a team lead?
'Um, no,' says Ruben, laughing.
Tessa adds, 'No no, this quarter I'm mainly working on the range of tasks and mastering the role. And I have exactly the same as what Ruben just said, my team lead tells me how he does it and then I think: Okay from now on I will do it that way.'
'I try to tackle as much as possible within the team,' says Ruben, 'but every team lead does that. For example, if there is a challenge in the planning, we try to solve it within the team. Asking if the team wants to think along is going to be a challenge. I tend to draw everything to myself. If you start doing that, you're doing it wrong, you're taking learning opportunities away from others. Within the team I indicated that this is my pitfall. If I'm confused and I'm in my head a lot then I need a kick in the ass and someone to ask me if I need help.'
What are your qualities that you will use as a team lead?
'On the one hand, the social aspect. I enjoy seeing people grow and helping them with that,' says Tessa. 'It suits me well to talk about it. Just like with Ruben, my pitfall lies in managing projects. I like to arrange things when something needs to be done. A colleague in Utrecht also called me a sponge, because I soaked up all the responsibility and then started running. That's also my strength because I can quickly provide structure, but I also have to give the team the opportunity to pick things up.'
What is the biggest difference between when you first started at CAPE and now?
Tessa says that she still felt very green, 'You don't know anything yet. You think, now I have completed my bachelor's and master's and I can finally get to work. But work differs so much from your studies, you find out that you don't really know much yet. And honestly, I feel the same now.' Ruben nods in agreement, Tessa continues, 'But on a different level and in a different position. I have no idea what's coming at me and what comes with it, I'm only experiencing it a little.'
'That sounds very familiar,' Ruben confirms. 'Two weeks ago I had my first issue as a team lead. My colleague asked how it was going and I literally said: Geez, what a day, it feels like my first day at CAPE.'
And three weeks later do you look different in Ruben?
'I've made a lot of progress. It's always been like this throughout my career. The fire is put on my shins and the next time I experience the same thing I know exactly what to do. It gives a confidence boast. “See, I can arrange it!” At the beginning of my career I was immediately thrown into a high pressure project, in the end I managed to struggle through it. When I gained confidence about that, it was time for a new challenge. I was thrown into a new situation where I had to learn a new technology, and I succeeded in this too.'
'CAPE is in any case very concerned with continuing to challenge people. They look at what they need per person, but make sure that it doesn't get too much.'
What is the most important lesson you think you will learn as a team lead?
'Building a team and developing employees. As far as I'm concerned, as a team lead, that's the most important skill I want to learn.'
'On the one hand, I agree with Ruben,' says Tessa. 'What I can learn personally is to ensure peace of mind in my work. I take on a lot of responsibilities and that's why I'm often too busy.'
Do you ever seek each other out for help?
"Not really, but that's a good idea!"
What is your biggest tip for someone who wants to work at CAPE?
'Your own initiative,' says Tessa, 'think about what you want to achieve and state it! There are many career opportunities within CAPE. You can shop around for your own function a bit. We are all Business IT Consultants and yet everyone's roles within the team are different. You really have to declare it yourself, because we can't smell it.'
'My tip is: take on as many different roles as possible,' says Ruben, 'that's how you find out what you like. When you're out of that, you can start making a plan with a dot on the horizon. Expressing your ambition plays an important role, then we can make a lot possible for you.'
What does your own future look like at CAPE?
'Maybe Managing Consultant. Then you have the responsibility for sales in addition to your own team. I'm not sure yet, I'm going to focus completely on my role as team lead now,' Tessa concludes her story.
'Director,' Ruben jokes, 'why not?'
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