“You’re completely free, and completely accountable”

Céline Derksen is a sales manager at Capability. She decides how her week is organised, which companies she approaches and how she works her region. There are boundaries: a region, a segment, a sector. Within those boundaries, there’s plenty of room to operate. Sparring with colleagues and her manager is part of the job, but no one is looking over her shoulder.

“No one tells me where I have to be. That may sound like a small thing, but it’s what makes every day different.” Almost six years on, she’s still doing it with a smile. This is her story.

The conversation that stays with you

What Céline values most in her work are the conversations themselves. She describes a meeting at a family-run business of 350 employees, with two HR managers at the table. An open, warm conversation about serious matters.

“That company has grown enormously and still kept its family feel. The HR managers no longer had full oversight and were open to support. They believed in early contact and quick decisions. That’s exactly how Capability works. When the client profile and our way of working match this well, you just know: we can really make a difference here.”

Finding that right match, between what a client needs and what Capability offers, is what she sees as the heart of good sales. “You’re not selling a product, you’re advising. And if both you and the client are pleased at the end of the process, you’ve done your job well.”

One focus, better results

Céline’s role at Capability is clearly defined: she concentrates purely on winning new clients. Where she used to handle relationship management for existing clients as well, she noticed her work was becoming fragmented. She wholeheartedly welcomes the specialisation that has taken place.

“In the old situation, you handled both new business and existing clients. That seems varied, but in practice it sometimes caused friction. You were involved in winning the client, but had no active role or influence in the operational side afterwards. That means you end up acting as a sort of middleman.”

She sees the new structure, with sales and operations more clearly separated, as a sensible move. “Now everyone knows their role. That makes the work calmer and more focused. And it’s obviously better for our clients.”

Sales manager for two occupational health services

After almost six years at Capability, Céline has taken on a new challenge: she now also represents De Bedrijfspoli, a sister organisation within Prevermo. Two services, each with its own way of working and its own focus area. She finds it a welcome change.

“It keeps the work fresh. You speak to different clients, you move in a different environment. And it also helps in practical terms: when I’m sitting with a prospect and I see what kind of organisation it is, I immediately know which service fits best. You can do that groundwork straight away.”

Personal accountability

“A typical working week consists of planning meetings, following up leads and running acquisition, both warm and cold. I fill my own diary, and I like that. I’m responsible for my own targets and I get to decide how I meet them. That does ask something of you, though. You need to be able to manage yourself. You have to be able to work independently and can’t wait for someone to take you by the hand.”

What she looks for in a new colleague

Whoever comes to work alongside Céline joins a compact commercial team, made up of a commercial office team and field colleagues who each cover their own region. They have a brief get-together on Monday mornings, regular one-to-ones with their manager and work to an annual sales plan.

“This is largely a solo job. You’re on the road on your own a lot, and you have to enjoy that. But drive is just as essential. The will to win. And a genuine interest in the people and companies you meet.”

“Specialist knowledge of occupational health services is a nice-to-have, but not the most important thing,” she explains. “What matters is that you’re genuinely interested. In people and organisations, in what’s going on with them. You can tell straight away in a conversation.”

Interested in working as a sales manager at Prevermo?

Prevermo, the parent organisation of Capability and De Bedrijfspoli, is looking for an experienced Sales Manager Occupational Health Services for the Randstad region. You’ll win new clients in the 250 to 1,000 employee segment, build your own pipeline and largely decide for yourself how you work your region.

What you get in return: plenty of freedom, an electric company car, a workation scheme (up to 6 weeks a year working from abroad), a sabbatical scheme and 25 holiday days with the option to buy extra. On top of that, you’ll receive an annual budget of €500 to invest in your health and vitality, plus plenty of room to keep developing through training and coaching.

Céline’s advice? “If you’re someone who likes to set their own course, who is genuinely interested in people and who finds satisfaction in bringing a process to a successful close, this job is definitely for you.” Do you recognise yourself in what Céline describes? Apply via the Prevermo vacancy page