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Let's catch up with Stan van Gompel [F 2017]

Hospitality at the corona test line

"One of the most important aspects that you learn at the Hotel Management School Maastricht is human knowledge!"

Stan van Gompel wanted to make a switch from hospitality to IT, but that turned out quite differently. Fortunately, he quickly found a new job at the GGD's corona test appointment line. Something completely different, temporary but with new insights. 

Alumnus Hotel Management School Maastricht Stan van Gompel [F 2017]
Stan van Gompel

Love for HR

During his training at the Hotel Management School Maastricht, Stan discovered a love for the HR profession. 

“After my Funda, I first worked as an HR coordinator at Hilton Schiphol and then I further set up the training & recruitment department at Krasnapolsky. After 3 years I wanted to do something different and made the switch to training and coaching in IT. Unfortunately, things turned out differently as I had hoped. Due to the corona crisis, the need for IT secondment decreased significantly and since last October I was suddenly without a job.” 

Making a contrubition in times of crisis

This sudden change from permanent job to nothing came as a shock. 

“I immediately deployed my network and placed a call on LinkedIn. That really worked, my message was shared by many of my connections. When Teamleiders.nu approached me for the vacancy of team leader for the Corona Line, I had to think about it as it was unknown territory to me. I soon came to the conclusion that this way I would be able to get started quickly, could develop myself further and I could also make a contribution in these times of crisis. Within a week I had a new job!” 

Stan has been working as a team leader for the GGD's Corona Line for almost three months now. He manages a team of 40 agents who answer calls from the corona test appointment line every day. 

In the deep end and online

After one week of intensive training Stan started working as a supervisor with a team of 40 agents.
 
“My team is very diverse; students, people who previously worked in the hospitality industry, but also housewives. Mostly people who have lost their job as a result of this crisis or who are now finding it difficult to find a new challenge. ” 

Stan hasn’t even seen everyone in his team in person! 

“Everyone is working from home. I already had experience with leadership, but online leadership is a different challenge, one in which I would like to grow. I have learned that you can provide good support by phone, but that you also have to stand your ground and be even clearer about expectations.” 

Human knowledge and hospitality

“One of the important aspects that you learn at the Hotel Management School Maastricht is human knowledge. Learning to know about what your guest wants, but certainly also dealing with different people. I can now put that part of my hospitality profession to good use. My team members go through a lot, especially in terms of emotion. Some people who call the Corona Line are very emotional, from scared to angry. The team has to deal with these emotions. In these situations I am there to coach my team and to listen.” 

Temporary job with new insights

Stan sees his role at the Corona Line as temporary. 

“I think everyone hopes that the Corona Line is temporary. However, this role has really surprised me and given me new insights into what I am looking for in my future job. As a trainer and coach, I have never had my own team before and have always been further away from the people in operations. As a team leader I am closer to the team and I can coach them much more directly and personally, that really appeals to me.” 

“I am proud that in this crisis, which has hit the hospitality sector so hard, I found a new job within a week. In addition to the work experience, I can also develop myself further in this job. I am also pleased that I can give something back and contribute to a small part of the solution in this crisis.”
 
Stan does not yet know whether he will return to the hospitality sector after this crisis. 

“I had already decided to take a step outside the sector and this job has taught me a lot and has given me new insights. Customer Service is a form of hospitality that really appeals to me. Directly managing a team also suits me well. Also, the work of the Corona Line is not finished yet, as we can now also make appointments for vaccinations.”

Latest update by Stan van Gompel:  "YES! From March 1, I can start again as a trainer (that is what I love to do best!). Very happy and proud that I can take on this new challenge at Coolblue. I am looking forward to working there and becoming part of this fantastic team. Rotterdam here I come!"

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