Meet the team: Jolijn Buitelaar (copy 1)

We'd like to introduce you to Jolijn Buitelaar, the newest member of our Rinkel marketing team!

She joined us as an intern during her studies and fit right in from day one. Jolijn is full of curiosity, loves solving escape rooms, and is great at editing videos for our social media. With loads of creativity and always keeping up with the latest trends, she's a fantastic addition to the team!

Tell us about your role at Rinkel
My role at Rinkel is called Junior Online Marketer for the Dutch market. This means that I keep myself busy managing social media and the website, writing blog articles, SEO, participating in various projects, and much more! Sounds fun, right? 

I started at Rinkel in August 2023 as a Content Marketing Intern. This internship lasted 5 months, and since January 2024, I am working at Rinkel besides my studie. I didn’t have much work experience in marketing before Rinkel, so I was excited and somewhat scared. But I enjoyed it so much that I decided to stay on after my internship! 

What's the first thing that comes to people's minds when they hear your name?
I don't really know what people think, but it happens quite often that people start singing the song 'Jolene' when they hear my name. I don't know why, because Jolien and Jolijn are quite different. But oh well, it does make me laugh and I happily sing along!

Do you have a nickname at the office?
Not that I know of. Some might refer to me as the escaperoom expert, because I did many escaperooms in my life. We've also done 2 escaperooms with the Rinkel team since I'vee joined, which was really fun!

When I was young, my parents always called me 'Lijntje,' they still do to be honest... They really dislike the nickname 'Jo’. Quite ironic when you name your child Jolijn. Many of my friends often call me Jo, though. 

What do you appreciate most about Rinkel?
What I like most about Rinkel is that it's such a small and involved company. If needed, I can reach out to anyone with a question, and everyone is willing to help. This was also very helpful during my internship. It really helped me a lot. 

I also find all my colleagues very kind and helpful. It makes the work much more enjoyable and easier! 

What do you like most about your team?
I'm often busy with all sorts of things at the same time. This might sound chaotic, but I actually enjoy the variety in tasks! It ensures that no day is the same, and the days really fly by! 

I also really appreciate the communication within the team. Everyone knows exactly what the others are working on. This is partly due to a weekly marketing meeting where all updates are shared, but also because of the good communication through various channels. And besides that, I also find the team fun to work with ;) 

Any life hacks for staying focused?
I'm not sure if it’s really a ‘lifehack,’ but listening to music always helps me a lot. I put on my headphones, listen to a good house set, and I can work for hours on end. 

What also helps is working in time blocks. At the beginning of the day, I make a list of all my tasks, and throughout the day, I schedule these tasks into time blocks. Sometimes something takes much longer than you expected, but by using time blocks, I know better when I really need to stop working on a certain task. I used to find it very difficult to create a good schedule, and this has really helped me with that. 

Who inspires you?
Probably many different people in my life have unknowingly inspired me, but the only people I can think of right now are my parents. Both of my parents have worked hard for their future. Their hard work has ensured that they both have good jobs, that we have a nice home, and that we can do a lot of fun things together.  

My parents have always inspired me to pursue my goals and dreams and to work hard for something that I want.  

What’s your favorite quote?
There are quite a few quotes that resonate with me, but this one is my favorite.

To me, it stands for working hard and chasing your goals and dreams. It also symbolizes that life isn't always a bed of roses, but that things often get better after a tough time.

What is your favorite office saying? 
"Food?" 

It's often said when it's mealtime and someone is in the mood to eat. I'm almost always in the mood to eat, so I'm usually happy when I hear someone say this.

If you could be someone else for one day, who would it be and why?
I'm actually very satisfied with my own life. So, I don't really know of a person I would want to trade places with for a day.

However, I would like to trade places with my dog, Mylo, for a day. Sleeping and cuddling all day doesn’t sound bad to me. I'm also really curious about what goes on in his mind sometimes.

What is your archetype?
Jolijn is almost 40% the Innocent. They represent purity, trust and optimism. The Innocent often sees the best in the world and people. It represents safety, stability and simplicity. Jolijn is also almost 35% Creator. The Creator is original, imaginative, and inventive. They always want to turn new ideas into reality. And last but not least: the Explorer. Explorers are drawn to the unknown, and they thirst for adventure. They go on trips, not holidays. 

What’s your favorite drink?
My favorite drink on a night out is a nice glass of wine. White wine, red, or rose, you can serve me any wine as long as it’s not sweet. I'm not really a fan of cocktails; I often find them too sweet. 

I also really love water. I easily drink 2 liters of water a day, I think it’s really refreshing. The only water I don't like is Spa water and I know some people will understand me when I say this. Doesn't it taste like soap?  

What do you like to do in your free time?
I love spending my free time doing fun things with friends or family. I really enjoy dining out or having a drink on a terrace. In the summer, I also really enjoy going to festivals. In the past 4 months, I've been to 6 festivals! As you might already know, solving escaperooms is also one of my favorite activities, especially when they are a bit thrilling.

In addition, I also love to exercise. I recently started running, and I've been going to the gym for 5 years now! Besides that, I keep myself busy with my studies, and I also enjoy watching a movie sometimes.