Wittenborg Alumnus Lands Job at Top Dutch Bank after Many Rejection Letters during Corona

Before landing a job at ING, the largest bank in the Netherlands, Wittenborg alumnus Armin Moradi said he received a whole lot of rejection letters from companies he applied to – exacerbated by the coronavirus. "Looking back, I am over the moon that all those people said 'no' to me so I can do a job that I always dreamed of. This shows that sometimes hearing 'no' is a gift." Moradi, who is Iranian, also did an internship at Wittenborg as admissions assistant while studying.

Hi Armin, congratulations on the job. When do you start and what will you be doing at ING?
Thanks! I will start on 1 July as Operations/Network Engineer. That means it is all about fixing ICT problems such as malfunctions.

When did you graduate from Wittenborg?
I graduated in November 2019 with a Bachelor (IBA) in Information Management. I also have a bachelor's degree in Information Technology. After working a bit, I wanted to improve my English and went to the London School of Commerce in Malta. Alongside my studies, I was able to get my Cisco certificate, which was a big achievement for me

How are you applying some of the knowledge you gained at Wittenborg in your career?
Apart from my studies, my internship at Wittenborg helped me to become familiar with working in an international place where diversity is ubiquitous. This prepared me for my future. It does not matter what kind of position you have, as long as you learn something new every day.

Why were you interested in studying in the Netherlands and at Wittenborg?
I always wanted to live in Europe. I decided to come to the Netherlands for many reasons. The Dutch are cheerful and open to living with international people. Everything in this country is well organised - public transport, healthcare and so forth. In addition, Holland is the perfect hub for international students as there are lots of international universities across the country. I chose Wittenborg because of its reputation and the fact that it has 6 entry dates.

Any tips for current or prospective students about finding a job in the Netherlands?
First, I had to improve my Dutch language abilities, which will be needed in my future career. So, I strongly advise students to start learning Dutch. The only difficult part is the beginning. Knowing Dutch will be a big plus when applying for any job here. Secondly, doing internships is really important during your study because it shows that you are able to adapt yourself to a new environment. This is in addition to earning money and gaining experience. I can also share a good tip that I learned from a Dutch newspaper:  "Wat je kunt doen is investeren in jezelf en kijken naar de toekomst " - What you can do is invest in yourself and look to the future.

What do you like about life in the Netherlands?
My home is where my heart is and my heart is in the Netherlands, because this country gave me an opportunity to develop myself and start my professional life. I like the directness of Dutch people because you can vividly see what they really think about a specific subject. I also like the weather here. I don't like hot weather at all, so I think this is a perfect place for me. In the Netherlands, everything is very well-organised and you do not feel lost.

What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you bridge them?
The first thing that springs to mind is finding a new apartment. This can be very frustrating but in the end I managed to find a nice place. Finding a job during the situation caused by the coronavirus was also challenging. I sent my application to many companies. Many companies and people said “no” for many reasons but I never stopped trying and dreaming. Now, I am over the moon that all those people said “no” to me so I can do a job I always wanted. This shows that sometimes hearing “no” is a gift which brings a lucrative opportunity to you in the future.

In which city will you work for ING?
Since I will be working in a technical role, I will work in cities like Rotterdam, Amsterdam and in those areas, but mainly in Rotterdam. I’m currently living in Apeldoorn but I’m about to move to Rotterdam.

What do you ultimately hope to achieve in your career?
I would like to have a job that cannot be easily replaced by robots.

I could not help noticing your peculiar email address (networkman@….). Care to elaborate?
As networking is my passion, I tried to make a meaningful email address based on that.

WUP 20/6/2020
by Anesca Smith
©WUAS Press