‘Personal growth is the starting point of everything that we do’
Being surrounded by ambitious people and doing challenging work in an international working environment? No wonder you never stop growing at Deloitte. 'We tell our clients that it is essential to keep moving forward in this era. And at Deloitte, we practice what we preach', Ashwin David, Manager Learning & Development Tax & Legal, and Olivia Kjellsten, Campus Recruiter Risk Advisory at Deloitte, say. ''Personal growth is the starting point of everything that we do.'
As Manager Learning & Development, Ashwin (33) is responsible for the continious development of all professionals within Tax & Legal. 'We advise the team on anything and everything related to learning and development. Together with business leadership, we are committed to aligning the strategic direction of the company with the required development. What do we need in competencies and capabilities in order to realize our business output? The essence of the product we deliver is knowledge, we share knowledge with our clients. It is our job to keep that knowledge on par. My role and contribution is therefore very important to the end result of the organization', Ashwin says.
A voice for students
Olivia’s (24) role is to connect with and inspire young professionals to apply for various job opportunities. 'I am naturally energized by people and love advising young talents, helping them navigate the difficult process of finding the opportunity they are aiming for. I want to be a voice for students to mentor them in their job choice', she explains. 'Being able to provide job opportunities in our Cyber Team and Digital Risk Solutions Team, is something I am really passionate about. I organize exciting hackathons, speed dates and networking events in order to meet the students and starters. Another interesting part of my job is stakeholder management, connecting with the teams that are almost like a client to me. We make sure that we are on track with attracting the right talent and are being strategic in recruitment.'
'The essence of the product Deloitte delivers is knowledge and it is our job to keep that knowledge on par.’
Ashwin David, Senior Manager Talent
Making an impact that matters
Why Olivia chose Deloitte as an employer? 'A lot of people want to work for a large, Big Four company. But for me the most important thing is being able to thrive as a young professional. Deloitte puts innovation at the forefront in solving difficult challenges and we are surrounded by ambitious people who all share the same drive for success. It is therefore the perfect environment for me', Olivia says. 'What also resonated with me is the global purpose ‘Choose your impact’. I recently did a project through the Deloitte Impact Foundation where Deloitte is committed to performing pro bono work and give back to society. One such an example of an initiative is for instance, organizing workshops for refugees on how to compose a resume and apply for jobs. Being able to make an impact not only at work, but also towards the society is something I feel very proud to be a part of.'
Helping others achieve their potential
Ashwin had already worked at Deloitte Dutch Caribbean before he joined the Dutch office. 'I was born and raised in Curaçao and moved to the Netherlands in order to study hotel management in Maastricht, followed by human rights and corporate law. A seemingly odd combination of studies, but helping others to achieve their potential and to keep growing is the red line throughout my entire career. The reason I chose Deloitte again is that we work with highly educated people who are output oriented and fast paced. I like that. Next to that, I appreciate the flexibility Deloitte offers their employees. I can work whenever, wherever. Every morning, I wake up at 4 am, go to the gym and start my workday. It is an old island habit that I kept. Now that I live in Zwolle, I can work from home and start my day at a time that is convenient for me. This kind of flexibility is very important to me.'
‘I love advising young talents, helping them navigate the difficult process of finding the opportunity they are aiming for.’
Olivia Kjellsten, Senior Consultant Talent
Connecting with all sorts of backgrounds
Coming from an international background, Olivia at first was nervous to join a Dutch company. 'I am half Swedish and half American and I have lived all over the world. From France to Sweden and to Northern Ireland. However, I was born in the Netherlands and I have always dreamed of coming back. I managed to complete my master’s degree in organizational psychology here and I am now very happy to have realized my ambition to work for a Dutch company. In the beginning, I was quite concerned about the Dutch language and being able to fit in. But Deloitte is very international! I got to connect with all kinds of different backgrounds and everyone made sure that I felt at home. This is where I belong.'
'So many opportunities, it’s like a candy shop’
