Boomerang Interview with Anouk Kat
Written by: Els Oosthoek, October 2025
They left, grew, and came back: these are the stories of our boomerangs.
Then Anouk Kat during her sstudy Work and Organizational Psychology to VU Amsterdam at search went to her first job, was Rvdb actually not on the schedule. “A girlfriend had a time ago applied for for the traineeship and I deight then: late I it also once try. I had to write thesis still finish and I wanted then on a trip. But at Rvdb said she just: “Which month want you start?’ In June have I signed, in January am I started.”
Her first assignments got her off to a great start right away. “In 2.5 years, I completed seven assignments—all projects from which I really learned a lot. I didn’t want to limit myself to a single industry; it was the variety that I enjoyed. And through that traineeship, I discovered just how many interesting organizations there are beyond the well-known names.”
Already on her second assignment, Anouk ended up at an international company. “I found that exciting—suddenly everything was in English. But precisely because I did that right away, it now feels completely normal. At Rvdb, you really get support with that. In the beginning, you have a lot of contact with your talent manager; they help you discuss situations or reflect on the choices you make. And in the peer support group, you really get to know each other—not just professionally, but on a personal level as well. It’s less about how you do your work, and more about who you are in that work. That personal development is truly central—and it’s absolutely essential if you want to continue growing in your profession. I believe you first have to be able to manage yourself well—before you can manage a team.”
Anouk quickly advanced in her assignments. “With each assignment, I took another step forward. At Albelli, I felt I was ready for the next step.” That opportunity came through an external recruiter, who presented her with a great opportunity. “I left Rvdb on good terms, but we’ve always stayed in touch. Every year there’s a party, including for former Rvdb employees—it’s a fun way to stay connected.”
After Rvdb, she worked at two companies during a dynamic, sometimes unpredictable phase. “One was a same-day delivery service during the pandemic—a unique and intense period. Among other things, we implemented a collective bargaining agreement and set up all kinds of HR processes in a short amount of time. After that, I moved to Levin, where I worked in an international HR management role supporting colleagues in the Netherlands, Germany, and Singapore. That was also a learning experience, especially in terms of how to provide direction in a changing environment and bring people along with you.”
After a brief period of traveling, she realized she wanted a new challenge. “I had applied for a permanent position through Rvdb, but I just didn’t quite make the cut. Then the recruiter said, ‘Wouldn’t you like to come back to us?’ And that felt right away.”
In May last year Anouk Anouk returned to Rvdb. “The felt right away familiar — the culture, the energy, the way from collaborate. At the same time it was company at a new phase ended up: more professional and sharpthere in cowrs. There wasg een nouw training programMon, een clearke strategistie and the focus on Human Experience (HX), Tuee echt throughkt in how we worken en communicateand. What me opvalt, is how openn Rvdb deelt waar it to mee bezig is. That i s importantjk, juist omdat veel colleague’s magpien workand; Tuee connectng houd je allen aif je consciousst portfolio companyrt in contactt en transparentie.”
Since February, Anouk has been working as an HR Partner at Accenture through Rvdb. “I joined a project focused on a new occupational health service, integrated with technology. The Health & Wellbeing Lead went on leave, so we looked into whether I could temporarily take over that role.” She now leads a new team of case managers and works on projects related to wellbeing. “It’s really nice to have a specialized HR role for a change, because it’s truly about the human side of HR. And what I’ve learned at Rvdb about personal leadership is helping me tremendously now in managing and guiding my team.”
What drives her? “It’s about seeing opportunities for yourself and seizing them. Accenture didn’t contact Rvdb about this specific role; I arranged it myself. That’s what I love about interim work: if you’re curious and show initiative, new opportunities naturally arise.”
With a smile: “I’m really happy that this assignment has changed so much. It’s exactly why I joined Rvdb in the first place—because you can grow, discover, and keep learning new things about yourself.”
