How Melisa landed her Software Development Intern role at Van Lanschot Kempen
Meet Melisa, Software Development Intern at Van Lanschot Kempen, where she works on a data governance application. She found HerFuture before she even moved to the Netherlands from Turkey, and became one of our day-one ambassadors. Making VLK's stand her first stop at the HerFuture Career Summit got her into a women's event just days later, where she learned exactly which role to apply for. It's a story about knowing your level, building something real and meeting the people who'll interview you.
How she found HerFuture
Melisa actually found HerFuture before she even moved to the Netherlands from Turkey: she was researching communities that summer and loved the idea of a network for women in tech. She then joined HerFuture as one of our day-one ambassadors, helping spread the word on her uni campus, alongside networking and discovering graduate opportunities at the events she attended as a regular student.
The connection
Melisa first applied to Van Lanschot Kempen in the middle of her second year of studies. Their application stood out because it involved minigames. Then in May, at the HerFuture Career Summit, she made Van Lanschot Kempen's stand her very first stop, using the minigames as a conversation starter. She happened to be one of the first people to approach Florencia, the recruiter, who let her into a women's event happening just days later, even though applications were technically closed. That event revealed the specific roles Van Lanschot Kempen was opening, and she left knowing exactly what to apply for, with employees she'd met even offering to be references.
Her role today
Melisa is doing a six-month internship at Van Lanschot Kempen, working on software development for a data governance application. She started alongside another HerFuture member, whom she'd recognized from a previous HerFuture event and reconnected with on their first day. She also got some interview tips from a fellow HerFuture ambassador who used to work at Van Lanschot Kempen, helping her better imagine what the company culture is like. Now she gets to experience it for herself.
Her advice to women who want to land a career in tech
It's important to understand your actual level of experience so you apply appropriately, Melisa says. Joining a student team early on helped her build something real to show, even if she didn't have work experience yet. And just as important: "Go to the events and meet the people who'll be interviewing you. Talking directly to people from the technical departments takes away a lot of the fear around unfamiliar tools or tech stacks that might otherwise scare you off applying."
Ready to start your journey?
Join the community and put yourself out there: your next big opportunity might just start at a HerFuture event. Sign up at app.herfuture.nl.
