Give some thought about the place you would like to be at in your career. What does it take to get there and what are the specific skills you would need? Carving out your own career plan is highly encouraged by Avanade. Instead of leaving it to external circumstances, you will get more out of your career if you really think about what gives your work meaning and a purpose. If you are willing to take the next step, possibilities come along for you.

In this series, we will be highlighting the careers of Avanadi. Exploring what steps they have taken to get where they are now and how they see the further development of their careers. This entry spotlights Joost te Molder, Solution Architect at Avanade. He lives in Zaandijk with his family.

Developing career interests

Joost graduated from the Saxion University of Applied Sciences with a bachelor’s in business informatics, before applying to Utrecht University for a two-year program leading to a Master of Science degree in Business Informatics: “During this period I became interested in business informatics, technology and supply chain management. I learned everything from software to data to processes and ICT entrepreneurship. For my master’s degree I wrote a thesis on the effects of openness of software products and software producing organizations on business models. My focus was on business-critical systems within the supply chain.”

ERP consultancy

From graduate student researcher to full-time employee. Joost started his career at a global player in software, BPO, staffing and IT outsourcing: “My paper on the effects of openness on business models was published and I started out as an ERP consultant, advising companies on supply chain management processes with the Dynamics solution. Due to workplace learning I developed my skills as a consultant and gained insight in different customer situations and issues. ERP is a software system that manages and integrates all company's core processes. It must always work perfectly and seamlessly - which keeps it challenging.”

New challenge

After specializing in Warehouse Management Systems and implementation projects, Joost searched for a new job opportunity: “Avanade is also a Microsoft partner and I met with a former colleague who was now working at this company. After hearing his story and doing my own research, I applied for a consulting job. Again, in ERP, but in a different work environment, with new customers and teams. Avanade creates employee growth paths through education, mentoring and more. You receive a lot of opportunities and possibilities if you are open to it, take responsibility and share your career aspirations with your peers.”

Effective business cases

When you outgrow your job, it is time to explore other possibilities: “With the help of my career advisor, challenging projects and taking on more responsibilities I started working as a Solution Architect. By writing business cases, I identify, address, and solve a specific business problem for customers and improve their business. The usual issue is having an ERP in place that keeps up with the client’s business needs. I work together with global ERP teams to create the best possible solutions to help customers make better business decisions. I am also one of the leads of the global supply chain community of practice within Avanade. We share experiences, challenges, best practices and ideas to help make daily work as successful, efficient and productive as possible. Wherever you work, we grow together.”

Click here for more information on careers at Avanade.