Calvi Heroes: Katrien Smit

About Katrien

“Hi all, my name is Katrien and I’m one of Calvi's Office Managers. I’ve been married to my husband for 2,5 years and we currently live in the city center of Tilburg. We love going for walks in the forest and enjoy spending time with friends and going to all kinds of festivals. Believe it or not, I also enjoy cleaning, I can really lose myself in it. I’m a regular at the gym and I take part in spinning and fitness classes. To be honest, this is more of a necessary evil than an enjoyable hobby. I still haven’t found that one hobby that I am really passionate about.”

How did you end up at Calvi?

“After finishing high school I studied Management, Economics, and Law at Avans University. When I graduated, I joined the Internal Sales department at the company where I did my internship. Several years passed, and then someone from my hometown approached me. He asked me if I would be interested in becoming a receptionist for his company. After this job, I worked in both recruitment and internal sales before my Calvi adventure started.”

“I got in touch with a recruitment agency that was looking for an Office Manager in a historic castle in Nederhemert. The location sounded familiar, and it sure was: it was the castle near the playground I used to visit when I was younger. Every time we went to that playground, I longed to visit the castle grounds. I was so curious about how the place looked now and decided to go to the job interview. The rest, as they say, is history!”

“My first time at Calvi felt like coming home. Everyone was so open and friendly. I was impressed by the whole organization and the vision Leo had for the company he created. When I left the castle after my first interview, I was really enthusiastic. Soon after, I got a call for a second interview and I was delighted because I could definitely see myself working here. My second interview went really well and I was hired as Calvi's new Office Manager. When I started out at Calvi my job was more focused on facility management, this soon shifted as the organization grew. Nowadays I focus on HR more, and this is also the reason I’m studying Personnel Management.”

“I’m still very glad that I made the decision to go to that first interview, I’ve never regretted this decision and am still very happy in my job. It comes with a great working environment where I can really challenge myself and I’m surrounded by the best colleagues I could have wished for. I’ve also gotten the chance to pursue my dream of becoming an HR specialist.”

What do you think of the work environment at Calvi?

“My decision to work at Calvi was based on the ambiance I experienced during my interview. I felt that people genuinely care about their coworkers. Every individual within our organization brings unique qualities to the table, which ultimately creates an undefeatable team. I feel that Calvi's work environment is centered around teamwork, and they encourage everyone to further develop their skills. Every department works extremely hard, but there is always enough room for friendly conversation and fun. I especially feel that we have a great team spirit within the Office Management team. We work hard day in day out to give our customers and coworkers a warm welcome. Calvi offers me a work environment where I can really be myself. I believe that the combination of being an informal yet professional organization creates a warm ambiance for everyone who visits us.”

What has been your biggest challenge at Calvi?

“In 2018, Leo asked me to take a look at our retirement policies. I’ve always received letters from retirement funds, but never really had an interest in them. However, we needed to change our retirement policy, which meant that I needed to learn more about it. I followed an E-learning retirement course, which was challenging as I had never really been interested in this subject. With grit and determination, I managed to get myself through it and I’m proud of what I have achieved.”

“Another challenge that I’m facing is my Personnel Management study. I really struggled to get back into my ‘student mode’, as it had been almost 16 years since I last went to school. It was hard to juggle everything with my daily work and social life, but as I’m inching closer to the end, I’m proud of what I have achieved and how I managed to get myself through this experience. It was a personal challenge for me and something I had to work hard for.”

What part of your job is most energizing or fun?

“The diversity that comes with the job, without a doubt. I’m never at my desk for 8 hours straight. My colleagues know where to find me if they have any questions, and I take it upon myself to help them as best as I can. For me, it’s an honor to be one of the faces of the organization and that’s why I find it important to give everyone a warm welcome. The diverse tasks make my job interesting and challenging at the same time. I find my work very empowering and feel positive about it every day, no matter what I’m doing.”

Where will Calvi be in 5 years?

“Calvi will grow exponentially in the coming 5 years. In 5 years, we will have opened a new location in yet another inspiring city. We are making great progress internationally, and are constantly looking for new ways to do what we do even better. Our solution will evolve greatly and still be a top-notch product.”

“In the next 5 years we definitely need to expand our personnel base and for that reason, I believe we will need to establish a dedicated HR-department. I aim to become part of this department, as I’m sure my knowledge can be valuable.”

Personal Motto:

“I’m sorry Pippi Longstocking, but I borrowed this one from you.”

“I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.”

“I believe that you can achieve so much more if you open yourself up to new challenges. It gives you the opportunity to determine your talents and decide what you like doing best.”

Calvi in three words:

“Growing, connected, experience”

“Working at a rapidly expanding company is an amazing experience, no week is the same! I love being connected to all my colleagues and getting to know them better. And something that Calvi is really great at, is creating an experience for everyone who visits our organization.”

A workplace that you love isn't easy to come by. Are you interested in becoming part of our amazing team? Check out our career page to see whether we have an application open that fits you, or send us an unsolicited application.