'Honestly?' Josephine can't contain a smile. 'In my mind, Deloitte was a dreary accountancy firm that worked mainly for banks.' She's referring to the time before she applied for her job. Her brother, who worked at Deloitte at the time, had insisted that she look on the website, where she stumbled upon an interesting vacancy. 'It soon became apparent that my preconceptions were all wrong. The atmosphere is very relaxed and informal.' No strange looks Marco, on the other hand, came straight to Deloitte when he was job hunting. 'I'd heard good things from friends and I knew that the people here are young and ambitious, and that they enjoy lots of social activities together outside of work. The culture really attracted me. I have a bi-cultural background and I'm queer, so it's important to me that inclusivity is truly in the DNA of the company for which I work. And it is: I can be 100% myself here. If I'm wearing nail polish, I never get any strange looks. Be the true you, one of the mottos at Deloitte, is not just an empty phrase.'

Equipping executives In the four years that Josephine has been working at Deloitte, she has gone through various positions. She started as an Account Manager, switched to Marketing and is now a Senior Consultant Boardroom Programs, building and strengthening client relations in the boardroom. 'The Transition Lab is a prime example. Here, we assist recently appointed executives and equip them with the skills and tools that will enable them to learn the ropes and thrive in their new roles.' A project that's particularly special to Josephine involves the organization of small-scale events for a very specific group of people: female executives and supervisory board members. 'We meet in a small setting and think about themes and issues that are of concern to female leaders, and which experts we should invite to make contributions. There was recently a session on sustainability, for instance. The nice thing is that in this way you really get to know what these women find interesting and learn a lot about the different boardroom topics. When you notice that we really have made an impact, that is very satisfying.

Out of your comfort zone Marco has been with Deloitte for 18 months and like Josephine, hasn't sat still. 'I started as a Recruiter for our Audit department but have been working as a Senior Consultant Greenhouse for three months now. My team develops Greenhouse Labs for clients using expertise from all our business lines. During these innovative sessions, we investigate alternative routes to a solution for our clients' problems. They can be about anything, from ESG reporting to national security concerns. We help to create insight into complex problems and to think outside the box.' The Greenhouse Lab is special, says Marco, because it helps people step outside their comfort zones. 'To some, just working with Post-its on the wall can be very refreshing. I often hear that people see a Greenhouse Lab as a great day out and that they have come much further than they normally would in a round table discussion.' Organizing these events suits Marco perfectly. 'The social aspect of this work means I'm totally in my element. I learn a lot from the different stakeholders and I love listening to the opinions and perspectives of top-level executives.'

More than work The fact that working at Deloitte is all about sustained personal development is very appealing to the young consultants. Josephine: 'It's great to be able to keep learning new things from each other, but also to have so much fun together. There are lots of activities, from after-work drinks to the Vasaloppet, a Swedish cross-country ski race. Being able to have fun with your colleagues is a must for me.' Marco agrees. And he, too, is not done learning at Deloitte just yet. 'Especially because you get to do things aside from your regular work. I give workshops in Business Chemistry, which is a personality test developed by Deloitte, and I'm in a diversity committee. Opportunities here are endless.'

CHOOSE YOUR IMPACT You will share your talent with the 1000 colleagues of Deloitte The Netherlands various Support departments. Within our teams, co-operation and personal development are key. View all Support vacancies [/vacancies/support] and connect your future to Deloitte. View all Support vacancies [/vacancies/support]