Interview
Britt's tip: Cherish your study network Britt Dear Personnel adviser Business Studies Alumna
For Britt Dear, graduating didn’t mean saying goodbye to Zuyd University of Applied Sciences forever. As an HR adviser and alumna, she now assesses Zuyd students’ Bachelor's theses herself.
On the other side of the desk After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in People and Business Management (now known as Business Studies), Britt followed the Master’s programme in Law and Labour at Maastricht University. She is now a second assessor for theses submitted by Zuyd students. ‘People and Business Management is a broad programme, which is exactly what I wanted to do after finishing intermediate education (MBO). But as I definitely wasn’t the only one who had this idea, I wanted to go into even greater depth,’ says Britt. She currently works as an HR adviser at Maastricht UMC+. ‘I was one of 120 applicants. After I got the job, I heard that my Master’s was one of the reasons I was chosen – it’s a specialization that makes you stand out.’ Maintaining links with Zuyd Britt sets aside time for her old programme department on several occasions each year. In addition to organizing the annual Business Studies Day together with a fellow former student, she assesses fourth-year students’ final theses. She enjoys maintaining her link with Zuyd. ‘When I read the theses, I notice that the students are still thinking and writing based on theory. It reminds me of myself, gathering knowledge from books and the internet. But now, I can combine this theory with practical experience.’ Practice is often a bit more abstract than the more solid theory. When students are coming up with their plan of approach, Britt is there to give them tips on how to better incorporate the practical side of things in their thesis. ‘I ask questions that get students thinking, which is something that didn’t happen when I was a student.’ 16 / voorbij zuyd
Informative If she can, Britt likes to attend the thesis defence. ‘It’s great seeing how students have used my tips.’ In total she’s busy with a thesis for around five hours. Zuyd pays her a fee as a second assessor. But money isn’t Britt’s motivation. ‘It’s a learning experience for me as well. It’s been five years since I learnt about theory. Although I follow courses on a regular basis, assessing the theses means I get to learn about even more new theories.’ At Maastricht UMC+, she works on improving employees’ long-term health and well-being, known as ‘generation policy’. ‘Reading a thesis on this subject would get me thinking, as I want to know what’s being said about the current generation.’ Cherish your network! Aside from her formal work, Britt just loves coming back to her old programme department. ‘I always enjoyed my time here. But I must say, it was a little strange sitting on the other side of the desk.’ How long do you think you’ll be doing this for? ‘I hope I can still be part of this group in twenty years’ time,’ says Britt, smiling. Continuing to be involved in her old programme department also enables her to promote her work as an HR adviser. ‘Quite a few first-year students have a certain view of HR. In reality, it’s very different. HR is broader. I’m able to show them that.’ Britt finishes with a tip: cherish the network you built up during your student years. ‘It’s always important to stay in touch with your connections. Without them, I probably wouldn’t even have had this job.’
