Lily van Eeden, Senior Research Expert

After my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I completed a master’s degree in Economics and Consumer Psychology at Leiden University. When I finished my studies, I wanted to work as a market researcher on the agency side. Working for many different brands instead of just one was something that really appealed to me. I started at a large agency where I worked for 2,5 years. I liked my first job and learned a lot, but I lacked control over the process and my work because many sub-tasks were done abroad. This caused delays and less flexibility. I found that I would much rather be responsible from A-Z for both the content and the process. If you then decide to go the extra mile for the client, you are not dependent on others. It led me to look for a new job, and I started working at DVJ Insights as a Research Expert in December 2020.

A fast-growing organisation in times of crisis

I didn’t know DVJ at first but was approached by a colleague on LinkedIn once before. I thought, who knows? Maybe I’ll get in touch in the future. When I got that feeling of wanting to get a new job, I went out looking for opportunities. The international character of DVJ Insights appealed to me, and I like that everything is done ‘in-house’. Like many others at the time, I would switch jobs in the middle of a pandemic and was therefore unsure about making the switch. Seeing that DVJ Insights had won an FD Gazelle Award for one of the fastest-growing organisations in the Netherlands for the third consecutive year, reassured me. It is always exciting to make that switch, but I found that DVJ suits me to a T, and I have not regretted that decision once!

Proud DVJ’er

DVJ’ers work hard, are ambitious and always go the extra mile. I’m proud to be a DVJ’er! We listen to clients, engage in conversation and always strive to deliver the highest quality. Raising the bar comes naturally to us, which regularly surprises our clients.

The intensive cooperation with clients makes the work exciting, as we enter into a long term partnership. As a research expert, you are fully responsible for the research, analysis, and recommendations of your projects. And by working together with a consultant, you create added value and synergy together. It is up to you to take charge, structure, prioritise your work and manage expectations. I like having that kind of responsibility, and it makes me feel accomplished at the end of the working day.

With various project optimizations, I hope to improve efficiency, leaving more time for fun or innovation.

Working for Unilever and Rituals

Together with my colleague Sonja, I work for two large companies, Unilever and Rituals. As a Client Consultant, Sonja is responsible for the beginning and end of the process, in between is where I come in. Together we write and present the insights and recommendations to the client. With so many projects and therefore data, you can also make overarching analyses and give recommendations, outside of the specific projects. I find it especially interesting to uncover those insights, and it is great to see the appreciation from clients.

Journey to Senior Research Expert

And then you suddenly become a Senior Research Expert. Why I got this role? I think because I have mastered the processes, including more complex analyses, inside and out. In concrete terms, this means that I have become a ‘specialist’ in campaign evaluations and project programming. But also because I work proactively, always strive for improvement and support colleagues in their work. With various project optimizations, I hope to improve efficiency, leaving more time for fun or innovation.

What do I want to pass on to future colleagues?

Haha, who wouldn’t want to work at DVJ? We are growing fast and working for cool brands. We are always looking for ambitious colleagues who want to learn and grow every day and advance their careers. So, are you looking for a versatile job, where you can regularly see your recommendations come to life in, for example, a commercial on TV? Then get in touch with us via the career website. And if you want to speak to me personally, feel free to send an invitation via LinkedIn. I look forward to meeting you!