Meet the Team - Janine "ha" Wilbrink
This month in Meet the Team: the highly organised online marketer who, if she could ever trade places for a day, would love to be a dog... Besides this (and the fact that you should never serve her an Aperol Spritz), Janine is quite an approachable girl. She loves the variety of her job and creating content is what she does best. Get to know Janine in this interview.
So, what’s the first thing people think of when they hear your name?
- If they read it: “Sjanine”
- If they hear it: “Oh Jaaaaniene”
- After they have Googled it: "Do you sing too?" No, that’s someone else.
Do you have a nickname in the office?
JaNeyNey or Ja9. They are a kind of English versions of my name, I think.. They came up during a jolly Friday. My name is also very similar to the way you would say “Yes No No” in Dutch. Then it became “JaNeyNey”.
So, Ja9, what exactly do you do at Rinkel?
I work as an online marketer. This means that I’m involved in all sorts of things in the field of marketing. A bunch of different projects, content, social media, the website and much more. I also work a lot with colleagues from Development, Support and Sales. So really varied!
When it comes to marketing, I’m mainly concerned with content and search engine optimisation (SEO). Lichelle is more specialised in advertising and email. We work well together and really complement each other’s skills!
Every day, we work hard to make sure that existing customers get the hang of our service.
What problem or frustration faced by your customers do you want to solve?
Non-transparent telecoms. The fact that you have to warily hire a service because you need it, but you’re actually afraid of the small print. Or a 5-year contract. And then you have to spend a miserable amount of time setting up your number and all the features.
Telecoms are such an old and widely used medium and yet their transparency has never really got better. But it’s essential for your business. Telecoms should be simple and flexible. So that you can focus on your business. That’s the way it should be. And, if you outgrow it, or are looking for something else, you should be able to cancel just as easily as you subscribed. No fuss.
What’s the best part of working at Rinkel?
The team spirit. It’s a bit of a cliché, as other colleagues have said, but it is true. I remember saying to family and friends after my first week: “It really just seems like a group of friends working together.”
The way we treat each other, the fact that we do things with our colleagues outside work (sports or drinks) and that no question is too crazy.
We’ve had to work remotely for a while now. What is your secret to staying productive at home?
I find it easy to cut myself off from all the distractions at home by listening to music. But really only with earplugs in. This actually applies to the office as well; it’s a kind of fool proof method for me.
(Also useful when your cat is meowing furiously for no reason).
Who inspires you?
I know it’s a cliché, but... the first person that came to mind was my mother. I don't think I need to explain why, everyone has their own reasons and can agree that their own mum is the greatest. :-)
Which quote do you live by?
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Your whole life is a process of growth. Sometimes things don’t work out the way you want them to. But you get back on your feet again. And each time, you’re a little bit stronger.
I think that is such a beautiful thing. It keeps you grounded and helps you make the most of everything. Both at work and at home, this is one thing to keep in mind. In hindsight, there are lessons to be learned in every situation that will help you move forward in life.
What’s your favourite office saying?
:ha:
It is not a quote, but since we’ve been working at home so much lately, it has come up a lot. In our internal chat program, Slack, we can add emoticons ourselves. So this is an emoticon of my face, which we use a lot.
It's my head from a video we shot for Rinkel. My colleague Lichelle then converted it into an emoticon. It gets used a lot now, especially when making jokes or when someone has done something silly. Which is actually quite often (for me).
If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be and why?
I would be a dog. They have such a wonderful life, I would like to know how they see the world. How do they think? When do they decide whether to play or go to sleep? And what do they think when you leave? And come back?
What’s your favourite holiday destination?
If you’ve read a lot of our blogs, then my answer to this should come as no surprise. I have a great love for South Africa.
I lived there for a few months during my studies and the way of life, nature and the climate made it really enjoyable. Day in, day out. It is 20-25 degrees all year round, everything seems to run smoothly and the flora and fauna are wonderful. You won’t see me happier than on a game drive.
I can't wait to go again! Next time, I hope to include Namibia and Zimbabwe. :)
Do you have a favourite drink?
I don't really have a favourite drink. But there are two that I really don't like: Orangina (that fake Fanta you always get in France) and Aperol Spritz. I don't know why, but I really can’t stand either of them, haha.
What keeps you busy in your free time?
What doesn't? Haha. I don't tend to get stuck on one thing. I always keep myself busy.
I recently took a Data Analytics course using Python, I'm trying to brush up on my Spanish and I go to the gym regularly. Netflix and reading also make it into my routine. Depends on how much time I have left. But anyway, I always want to do everything and preferably at the same time.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I can put my legs around my neck (or used to be able to). I also fell off the treadmill very slowly once (and I have it on film).
The archetype of JaNeyNey
Yes, Janine couldn't escape the "Meet the Team" test either.
And the result? JaNeyNey is 50% Intellectual, 31% Caregiver and 19% Explorer. In other words, she matches Emma Watson, Angelina Jolie and Buzz Aldrin.
