Yvonne and Bianca's top tips!

Yvonne van Rees Vellinga-Leenders, Group Director People and Facilities at Eurofiber, and Bianca den Elsen, Managing Partner Valcon Netherlands, recently delivered keynotes at the Grand Finale of this year’s RightBrains Digital Talent Programme. They shared their career highlights and some profound lessons – and here’s an exclusive summary, available to the RightBrains Community.

Champion each other

As we strive to create more gender balance in the IT Industry, it’s crucial to help celebrate and validate each other’s efforts and to not view other women as direct competition. See how you can uplift others in your own journey!

Network relentlessly

View networking as a serious tool in your toolkit and don’t feel guilty about the time spent on cultivating contacts. Connections you establish today can be hugely beneficial in the future -- and can significantly enforce your professional support structures.

Seek and offer mentorship

Women who are currently working in Digital Technology are all role models in their own right – and it’s an important responsibility towards future generations. Pay it forward by not only seeking mentoring opportunities, but also by offering them when you are ready. To Yvonne, mentoring has been the cornerstone of her career success.

Embrace continuous learning

Bianca is currently studying towards an additional master’s degree in psychology, and is a great supporter of continuous learning to supplement your current skills. Yvonne agrees: When you come to new insights and learn new things, it cannot be unlearned!

Be bold and visible 

Yvonne’s advice to younger women in tech is to be vocal and advocate for themselves. Why be modest when you have something to say?

Family is everything

For Bianca, it was a fantastic experience to take a sabbatical to spend quality time with her two children, and she urges others to be mindful of what gives them energy. To each his own, of course, but it’s great to hear that someone working at such a high level can still enjoy their family lives and find balance.

Go for it!

You can rest assured that your talents and skills are sought-after within the industry – and your inputs are of value to organisations. Bianca feels that there is major opportunity for women to explore their ideal careers. “Do what you love to do, and the rest will follow.” When Bianca was offered a new position earlier in her career, she didn't feel ready or like the perfect candidate for the role. However, she said yes anyway and tackled the job to the best of her ability. This challenge pushed her beyond her known capabilities, and looking back, she realises she grew significantly by taking risks and venturing into the unknown.

We are grateful for Yvonne and Bianca’s insights! Which tips would you like to add?