Discover what suits you: Xiu on growing at Rabobank
- Xiu ten HaveRetail Banking Trainee
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On her first day at Rabobank, everything feels big. New faces, presentations and a lot to take in. Fortunately, Xiu already knows her talent manager and a few of the other trainees. “Of course I was a little nervous, but mostly I was curious: who am I going to meet and what can I discover here?”
Not having to choose just yet
After completing her bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration and her master’s degree at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Xiu isn’t quite sure which direction she wants to take yet. “I didn’t want to commit to one specific field right away. The opportunity to try different things really appealed to me.” That’s why she chooses the Retail Banking Traineeship.
Rabobank’s cooperative identity also appeals to her. “I want to develop myself, but it’s also important to me that my work contributes to something meaningful.”
It’s really important to me to feel that my work allows me to give something back to society or make an impact."
Xiu is now in her third rotation. She worked in both the retail and business banking domains. “That variety helps me understand myself better: this is what interests me, this is how I like to work and these are the kinds of people I feel at home with.”
Seeing a campaign come to life
In her current rotation, Xiu works as a junior marketer on campaigns for business clients. For example, she supports internal communications and helps build online campaign pages.
“I like being a real part of the team. I’m not working on a separate traineeship project. I’m contributing to campaigns that actually go live.” Sometimes she even sees the results out on the street. “Then I think: hey, my team and I worked on that. That makes the work feel very tangible.”
Discovering what works for you
Xiu also has plenty of opportunities to grow outside her day-to-day work. During basecamps, the focus is on personal development. “You really take the time to think about questions like: who am I, what do I want to learn and why does something suit me?”
During an earlier rotation, she presented her assignment to the leadership team. As part of a Business Challenge, she works with trainees from different disciplines on a real challenge within Rabobank.
You really learn how to work with different people and how to approach people across the bank."
For Xiu, much of that development comes from learning by doing. “There are so many opportunities, but you have to take the initiative yourself. Reach out to people, ask questions and be clear about what you want to learn.”
Making room for work and your personal life
Before joining Rabobank, Xiu expected working at a bank to be all about working hard and constantly having to perform. “I discovered that there’s much more nuance to it than that.” Of course, some periods are busy, but she also sees how much flexibility colleagues have. “I see people getting the flexibility to organize their workday in a way that works for both their job and their personal situation. For example, they can leave earlier and continue working later.”
Xiu also makes a conscious choice about when to work from a Rabobank office. “I like being around my colleagues. It’s easier to ask a quick question and I learn a lot just from the conversations happening around me.”
Die flexibiliteit zorgt voor meer rust in je hoofd. Ik denk dat het menselijke aspect Rabobank speciaal maakt."
Taking charge of your next step
Xiu doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do next. “And I’m actually fine with that. I have a much clearer idea now of what interests me and what suits me.”
Her most important advice for future trainees? “Stay true to yourself. Don’t give the answer you think someone wants to hear.”
For Xiu, growth isn’t about knowing exactly where you’ll end up from the start. “It’s about continuing to discover who you are, what you want to learn and what you want to contribute to.”