Meet our Magenta squad: Oliver Vileyn, Functional Analyst
February 1, 2023
After obtaining his Master’s degree in Business Administration at KU Leuven, Oliver Vileyn joined our company as a Functional Analyst about 5 months ago.
We went to see Oliver and talked about his journey so far.
Curious about his story? Then be sure to read on!
Hi Oliver! Let’s start by briefly diving into the past. Could you tell us how exactly you came across our company?
Well, in fact it was through a fellow student, Maarten, that I got in touch with Itineris. He had just finished a job interview here and had a very good feeling about it. He asked me if he could pass on my name, and that’s how the ball got rolling. Now we are both working at Itineris 😊.
How nice! What attracted you most to our company?
During the initial conversation I had with Catherine from the Talent Acquisition team, I could immediately sense that there is a very open atmosphere at Itineris, and that working together as a team is highly valued. Personally, I attach great importance to that. Furthermore, Itineris also has many international customers, an aspect that also appealed a lot to me.
As a fresh graduate you probably got several offers. What made you decide to kick off your career at Itineris?
I was indeed approached by many companies, and it was mainly the personal approach that influenced my decision to choose Itineris. I sometimes received job offers from companies that didn’t even bother to invite me for an onsite interview, so I couldn’t get a feel of the atmosphere either. That was really a turn-off for me.
At Itineris it was completely different. After my conversation with Catherine, I was invited for an interview with Rémi, who also started at Itineris as a young graduate some years ago. For me, that was a unique opportunity to talk about the job content and the company atmosphere. Rémi understood perfectly what I was going through. The conversation with Rémi also gave me more insight into the growth and development opportunities at Itineris. It was great to listen to Rémi’s impressive growth path since he started at Itineris.
And so we got to welcome you for the first time in our offices.
That’s right! The interview took place at Itineris’ headquarters in Sint-Denijs-Westrem, which is very close to Ghent. The offices are modern and spacious, and there is a friendly atmosphere. There’s even a Play Room with a kicker, darts, table tennis and a Playstation. The flat structure, where working together toward a common goal clearly precedes over hierarchy, was also something that appealed to me. The CEO just walks around in the office and is very approachable. That says a lot.
Did you ever think of working for a software company after your studies in Business Administration?
No, not at all to be honest, but I’m glad I took that step anyway. Itineris develops software solutions for water and energy companies. That is a very exciting sector, that has become even more relevant with the rising gas and electricity prices. It is a sector with a lot of complex challenges, and it gives a lot of satisfaction to be able to contribute to solutions.
Great to hear that! Can you share a bit more about how you experienced your start at Itineris?
Of course! First, I joined an extensive Onboarding program together with the other starters. I really appreciated that because it shows how much Itineris invests in you as a starter, and it’s also a great way to get to know the other starters in an informal way. That also made me feel at home right away.
Do you feel that you were well guided and supported during your first months?
Absolutely! Itineris works with a system of buddies, People Leaders and Project Managers. I can always lean on my buddy Isanne for more personal and practical questions, my People Leader, Dimitri, helps me with my personal development or if I’m stuck somewhere, and my Project Manager Bart is always available for all project-related questions. That works really well.
You’ve been with us for about 5 months now. Could you tell us what a typical day at work looks like for you?
Well, currently I’m working on a project for a major UK energy player, where we are implementing our software solution UMAX. Since we are in the final phase before go-live, I am traveling a lot to the UK right now for customer meetings, and for training sessions. I learn the customer how to use UMAX, or help them if they run into any issues. I really like that personal interaction.
I am still learning new things every day too. To give just one example, we create customer journeys. This means that we write down and implement in our software solution the various processes that an energy customer goes through – from connecting their meter to what needs to happen when they move or close their contract. This way I get to know both the technical aspect, and the business behind it better. That’s really fascinating!
I can imagine! How is the interaction with the other colleagues going?
That’s going really well. We are working with different teams on the project. We are a pretty large group of about 40 people, but it doesn’t feel that way. We are all working together toward the same goal, and the team atmosphere is very good. Currently, we are at the customers’ premises 3 days a week and after hours we often go out for a drink or to have dinner together. This week we even went out for dinner with our CEO Edgard, who came to visit us in the UK. For those who want to there is also an option to play sports together after work. The work hard, play hard motto really applies here.
Very happy to hear that! Last but not least, what would be your advice to students looking for their first work experience?
I would definitely recommend listening to as many opportunities as possible. You have time as a young graduate. Going through the entire application process at different companies will help you see where the differences are, allowing you to better understand what appeals to you and what doesn’t. This will certainly help you make an informed decision about where you see your future career.
That’s great advice to end with if you ask me Oliver. Thank you so much for the conversation!
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