Meet Kristof: our Field Manager
Kristof has spent more than 16 years in ICT consultancy and is still going strong. He graduated in accountancy but found his true calling in the 'people business'. Today, he shares his experience and mission as a field manager at Brainbridge IT Staffing.
From Back Office Employee to Field Manager
“I began my career in the back office of my first employer. I had just graduated college and was learning a lot. However, I was still itching to do something with my people skills. This led me to pursue a career in recruitment—the people business par excellence. My initial role involved learning the ins and outs of the recruitment profession, particularly in the IT sector. I was eager to learn about every ICT job and studied until I was able to have reasonably decent conversations with candidates about their jobs. This went on for quite a while and in all my subsequent job opportunities I grew further in the roles of Recruiter, Account Manager, Team Lead and so on”.
A home run
After a few years, Kristof got the chance to start as a Field Manager. “In retrospect, a home run”, he says. “I was able to further develop my talents and discover the joy of managing different stakeholders, again, in the world of IT. A world I already knew very well.” These experiences ultimately led him to Brainbridge IT Staffing, a division of Brainbridge Workforce Solutions, specialized in the staffing of ICT freelance professionals. "Every day is about our consultants and partners and making sure they work together effectively. This is also my greatest satisfaction. I will always try to ensure that people go home happy at the end of the day."
“I am a professional connector”
Since Brainbridge IT Staffing works primarily with freelance profiles this requires a different approach to evaluating freelance consultants compared to consultants on the payroll. "It's important to remember that some freelancers are also looking for a community, somewhere they can belong. My role as a Field Manager is to make sure they have every opportunity to be part of that community.”
Kristof makes it a priority for consultants to interact with each other. He regularly organises networking moments, where they can connect not only with Brainbridge but also with other freelance consultants. “I am a professional connector. I connect people to companies, to each other and to us, to be stronger as a community”.
Quality, openness and authenticity
In his daily activities at Brainbridge, Kristof constantly strives for quality, openness, and a healthy dose of authenticity. "No false promises, but genuine connections, with a focus on everyone’s interests," he concludes. It's no surprise that his values perfectly align with Brainbridge's core principles of being ambitious, reliable, flexible, fast and fun!