Why did you decide to study Psychology? What was your motivation?
I always found human behaviour interesting. How people make choices, how they behave in groups and how thoughts and emotions affect everyday life, that has always fascinated me. I also wanted to understand where certain behaviours come from.
Where do you currently work?
I work at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam as a study group tutor in the psychology bachelor's programme and for third-year clinical psychology students. That means I work a lot with students, guiding them in their development and joining in the questions and discussions that arise during lectures.
Have you always wanted to do this? If so, why? If not, how did you find out?
No, not necessarily. My original idea was to work as a psychologist, but in practice I found that that role didn't quite suit me. I found out that I actually get a lot of energy from the academic environment: the contact with the university, the research, and the teaching. It gives me the opportunity to be substantively involved in psychology while contributing to the development of others. Teaching turned out to be something that I had not anticipated, but which I get tremendous pleasure and satisfaction from. In addition, it seems
What master's degree did you choose? How is it different from the bachelor's?
I chose the master's in Clinical Psychology. Compared to the bachelor, I noticed that the master's required much more independence. You get more freedom to make your own choices, but more responsibility is also expected of you. In addition, the content was much more specifically focused on clinical practice, allowing me to go deeper into diagnostics, treatments and the complexity of psychological problems.
How did you experience the course at VU? What did you find most challenging and what most valuable?
I found the course to be enormously interesting. What I found most valuable was the broad knowledge base you are given, which teaches you to look at behaviour and psychological problems from different perspectives. What I found most challenging were the exams where you had to memorise many facts without a clear logic behind them. For me, learning works better when I can make connections, and that was more difficult in these kinds of subjects.
Were there specific courses or projects that you found particularly interesting?
Yes, I liked courses in general, but I particularly enjoyed the course Behaviour and the Brain, which you could choose in the pre-minor. It covered incredibly fascinating topics, such as the effects of drug use on the brain.
Which skills or knowledge from the course do you use the most in your work? Do you have a concrete example of this?
Especially the analytical thinking you develop during the programme, I use a lot. Learning to structure information, looking critically at sources and making connections. Writing and presentation are also often reflected in my work. In addition, my substantive knowledge of psychology is of course directly applicable in my role as a teacher. Because I teach within the same programme, it helps enormously that I have taken the subjects myself and therefore know very well what students might encounter.
What do you like best about your current job? What gives you the most energy?
What I like most is the contact with students. I get a lot of energy from guiding students, especially when I see that quarters are falling and they are making real progress. It also gives me energy that I keep myself busy with psychology, for instance when supervising theses. This alternation between teaching, supervising and studying the content myself makes my work very dynamic and valuable.
Were you able to find a job easily? While studying, did you already know which profession you wanted to pursue?
As a psychologist, there are relatively many jobs to be found, so my first step into the field went reasonably smoothly. Nevertheless, after 1.5 years working as a psychologist, I noticed that the job did not ultimately suit me. The daily practice with the intensive problems and frequent 1-on-1 contact felt too heavy and too limited in the long run. This made it more difficult to find another job afterwards, as my experience was very specific.
What are your ambitions for the coming years? Are there any particular specialisations or projects you would like to work on?
I would love to go further into the research world, or to work as a behavioural expert. I want to keep developing myself and am curious to see where my interests will take me next. For now, I mainly focus on education and counselling, but I don't rule out my path taking another turn in the coming years.
What contribution do you hope to make to society from your expertise?
I think there is still a lot to be gained in tackling major social problems where behaviour plays an important role. Think of issues such as sustainability, health and well-being. From my expertise, I hope to contribute to increasing understanding of human behaviour and ways to positively influence that behaviour.
Do you have any tips for current students considering working in the same field?
Yes. As many may know, finding an internship is often more difficult than finding a job. My advice is therefore to already gain experience during your studies, for example by taking a side job in the mental health sector or doing voluntary work. This way, you increase your chances, build up a network and learn more about the work field. Moreover, you will discover more quickly whether the field really suits you.
Do you have any advice for alumni who have just graduated and want to start their career?
My most important advice is: try things out and find out what you like. You don't have to know exactly what path you are going to follow yet, that may develop as you go along. In my experience, you take something away from every job that helps you find your own direction. So don't be discouraged if your first step is not immediately the job you want to do for the rest of your life. In the end, the path will show itself.
