Sandra didn’t have to think long about the absolute highlight of her career. “Four years ago, I had the opportunity to work for a few months at Mediabrands in London. I learned a lot from this experience. I participated in market surveys and saw how my British colleagues determine their strategy in pitches. I was able to work with the latest tools, which only became available in other countries later on.” Her London adventure was enriching on a personal level, too. “Working abroad boosted my self-confidence.”
In her job, Sandra frequently deals with numbers. “As a Senior Project Manager, I take care of the market research for our clients and conduct data research. I examine the effectiveness of a campaign or research which name would work best for a new product. It’s not always easy to put this into a clear and comprehensible presentation. The challenge is to present information in a way that everyone around the table understands. If I’ve been able to provide clients with some new insights, or if I learned something new from my client, my day has been a success.”
Interesting colleagues, a nice office and a good conversation at the coffee machine complete the picture for Sandra. What she enjoys most is the variety her job offers. “One day I’m working for a client that sells beds, the next I’m working for a client in the car industry, the pharmaceutical sector or you find me deep diving into the world of skylights. That may sound boring, but I enjoy immersing myself in a world I know nothing about. I’m constantly learning and that motivates me.”
Mini meeting
Research does not deter Sandra. It is the nature of the beast. “I genuinely research everything. When I hear about an operation, I want to know how it’s done, exactly what the doctors do.” She is a woman who makes a note of everything. “I make lists of everything in Excel, including private matters. As far as my own finances are concerned, I know perfectly well how much I spend on clothes and food each month. I’ve also explained my system to friends.”
”superpower — motivates her colleagues with sporting challenges via WhatsApp
Repetitive work is not her thing. “I would quickly lose focus if I had to perform the same work every day. Fortunately, it’s never been the case.” Creating questionnaires, keeping an eye on her department’s accounts and exchanging views with clients are tasks that Sandra likes to see coming her way. “I also like to work on international projects. Clients with operations in several countries or staying in touch with colleagues working on the same project in other countries reminds me of my time in London. But I love the contact with local clients and know what is going on in the Belgian market. I think I would miss that in a permanent move abroad.”
Sandra is a people pleaser. “I feel good when I can contribute to the team. Being able to help others gives me energy. The downside is that it’s hard for me to say no, even when I’m busy. It means I take on even more work and forget about myself. Our team manager is aware of this and really helps me to set boundaries.”
Literal translation
Sandra spends much of her free time with her two cats. “I do everything for my fur babies, as I call them. Churchill is the oldest cat, I got him when I lived in London. Inola came later, she was malnourished, and I devoted a lot of time and love to help her achieve a healthy weight. My cats mean a lot to me. When I’m working from home, they sometimes walk in front of my computer screen. My colleagues and even clients know that by now. Some even ask where they are!”
Sport and a healthy lifestyle help Sandra let go of work. “I need an outlet. Just before Covid-19, I started running and working out. I try to motivate others to do the same. My colleagues and I have a WhatsApp group in which I post challenges. Every day there’s a new task: drink one and a half liters of water, do jumping jacks, planks. Physical relaxation has a positive effect on your mental health.”
Sandra enjoys setting aside time for a good book. But her dilemma is one shared by every reader: too many books and too little time. “There’s always a pile waiting. I prefer reading books that teach me something: biographies, true stories, books on history, sociology or management. I have just finished the biography of Michelle Obama and have started on ‘Sapiens’ by Yuval Noah Harari, while I’m still reading ‘Sun Tzu’s The Art of War for Women’.”
Sandra looks to the future with a healthy dose of ambition. She makes no secret of the fact that she wants to be promoted, but everything in due course. “It must happen organically. I will never step over anyone to achieve what I want. It’s all about enjoying your work and doing it well. The reward will come automatically.” Speaking French at work was quite hard in the beginning. “I grew up in Limburg and tended to translate everything literally. One day when I wanted to say ‘get on with it’ in French (’trek je plan’ in Dutch), I said ‘tire ton tiche’. No idea how I came up with that expression, it just stuck in my head. Only, it turned out to mean something completely different. Without wanting to, I had said ‘fuck yourself’. Fortunately, everyone was able to laugh about it. And we still do.” (smiles)
”“Too many books and too little time: every reader’s dilemma.”