Spargle meets Marjolein van der Hoek
Marjolein is an experienced professional who transitioned to freelancing in 2011 after gaining experience in digital advertising, communication and project management. She has held roles in prominent companies like Nike. Alongside her diverse career, she has always had quite curious interest, which you will read about along the way!
Podcast: BIMS, hosted by Quinty Misiedjan, Soundos El Ahmadi, and Edson da Graça.
Book: “Little Bee” by Chris Cleave
“I love working with people; their stories and experiences fascinate me. I believe that being a good listener is essential to achieving effective and high-quality communication within a team.”
Tell us about your career path
I began my career as a Graphic Designer and transitioned into freelancing in 2011. Additionally, since 2011, I’ve been involved in wine importing. I didn’t remain in graphic design for long, I noticed many individuals around me excelled in the field more than I did. As a result, I returned to school to study PR and landed my first job as a Communication Assistant at an insurance company. Later, I was approached by an acquaintance who worked at one of the earliest digital advertising agencies in the Netherlands at the time. They needed a Project Manager for a post-production department, which I then managed for a while, leading to roles in other digital agencies at, for example, Tribal DDB.
You became a freelancer; was that for a reason?
After my time at Tribal DDB, I joined a small advertising agency at the invitation of a former colleague. I worked there for a few months, but soon found myself performing tasks I used to assign to interns. While I have great respect for interns, this made me realise I was ready for a change. Additionally, having to retake Project Management courses with every new job felt unnecessary and repetitive. Consequently, I decided to transition to freelancing, which offered me more freedom and flexibility. This decision has proven to be incredibly successful, and to this day, I am glad I made that choice.
What was your most recent role?
My most recent role was at Nike, where I held a position in the IT department. I led a team of three Communication Managers, each responsible for specific domains, including event development, newsletter writing, and overall communication strategy. I reported to the VP, overseeing all communication initiatives. What I found most fulfilling in this role was being able to guide and mentor others, using my own experience to share insights, best practices, and to be of support wherever needed.
“Having to retake Project Management courses with every new job felt unnecessary and repetitive. Consequently, I decided to transition to freelancing, which offered me more freedom and flexibility.”
What was your biggest challenge in this role?
What I enjoyed the most is also what I found most challenging. People inevitably bring personal or work-related issues, which is not a problem at all, but it requires attentive listening and proactive problem-solving. I love working with people; their stories and experiences fascinate me. I believe that being a good listener is essential to achieving effective and high-quality communication within a team. Only then can you develop a close relationship with your team and lead by example. However, when things get busy, it can be challenging to remain patient and continue being a good listener.
Have you ever been involved in a project where you felt you gained the most valuable experience?
One memorable project involved developing a major branding campaign from scratch. I worked closely with a creative team to bring our concepts to life. Once we had the ideas ready, our client began to feel a bit impatient. It was a valuable experience explaining the importance of taking the necessary time to effectively position the brand in the market. We guided the client through the process, emphasizing that a rushed approach wouldn’t yield the desired results. While it was occasionally challenging, it was also rewarding to help the client understand the strategic value of our work. Every client is different, and this experience taught me a lot about patience and communication.
“I’ve always dreamed of becoming a Forensic Pathologist. The idea of determining a person’s cause of death has always fascinated me, and now I’m working towards becoming an Autopsy Assistant.”
Did you always envision yourself in this industry?
This might sound a bit unusual, but I’ve always dreamed of becoming a Forensic Pathologist. The idea of determining a person’s cause of death has always fascinated me. Two years ago, I decided to pursue this interest by enrolling in courses in anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Back in high school, I excelled in biology, physics, and chemistry, but I struggled with mathematics. My mentor at the time told me, “If you want to study medicine, you need mathematics.” Consequently, I didn’t pursue a career in medicine.
However, my interest in this field remains strong, and I am now working towards becoming an Autopsy Assistant, a role that doesn’t require an extensive medical background. Finding an internship has been challenging, as autopsies are less common in the Netherlands compared to countries like the United States. Nonetheless, I remain determined to achieve my goal.
