a board year at Asset | Accounting & Finance – Luc van den Hurk, External Affairs

I realised that my time as a student would end soon when I was about to sign the contract for a thesis internship. I would have only been 22 years old if I graduated for my Master Accountancy at that moment, and from that point onwards I would have to focus on my postmaster. I felt like my study time had just started and was coming to an end too soon. However, at that moment I was asked whether I was interested in doing a board year at Asset | Accounting & Finance. This would be the perfect opportunity to extend my time as a student with another year. Besides that, I knew a board year would bring me a lot of experience. This was the most important reason for me on deciding to do a board year at Asset | Accounting & Finance.

Once started, it became clear to me what a board year looks like. It depends very much on your function, but in my function as External Affairs I am, among other things, responsible for communicating with more than 70 business contacts, together with the other External Affairs. Furthermore, I have to organise various recruitment events and I am also a coordinator of a few committees. In my opinion, the variety of tasks is what makes a board year so great!

The most important task as External Affairs is to maintain relations with current partners but also to acquire potential new partners. Since our many partners are the strength of our association, I think it is an interesting challenge to maintain these contacts. You have a lot of business meetings during which you will learn how to approach new contacts and how to maintain these in a formal manner. You need to make clear to your partners what we, as an association, have to offer and it gives a huge boost when companies decide to work with us!

As External Affairs you will also attend the weekly Acquisition Meeting (AM), together with all other External Affairs of Asset. This organ focuses on presenting all departments in a uniform and professional way towards companies. The Acquisition Meeting can decide on all acquisition related topics that concern all departments. Since every department has their own interest, we will have to go into debate with each other and based on this we will have to make the decisions. The way we represent Asset | Accounting & Finance is crucial so we can make the cooperation between departments as nice as possible.

Getting a lot of responsibilities, making business contacts, and taking a critical view on the work is all that contributed to my personal development.

Besides managing our network of partners and representing Asset | Accounting & Finance in AM, I am also responsible for setting up events. For example, I have been responsible for the FinanceDay, which I have worked towards for a couple of months. I was main responsible for this, but on all important affairs we decided together as a board. Which businesses will be invited? Where will the event take place? It is the decision we make together, but I have to make overviews of these points before the decision is made.

Next to organising events myself, I am also responsible for events which my committees organise. I coordinate the Accounting Expedition committee, the Activities committee and since a couple of weeks also the Accountancy Cycle committee. As coordinator you do not carry out committee tasks yourself, but you have to make sure that committees are fulfilling these tasks in the right way and support them if necessary.

All mentioned above is why doing a board year gives you such a unique experience. Getting a lot of responsibilities, making business contacts, and taking a critical view on the work is all that contributed to my personal development.

At this moment, I only have half a year left, although I can already look back on moments which I can be proud of, as well as moments that were a little bit disappointing. All these moments together make a board year what it is; a year consisting of only fun and instructive moments together with your fellow board members. For this reason, I have never regretted my choice of doing a board year at Asset | Accounting and Finance.

If you want to know more about my board year after this article, visit room E1.07 and ask your questions during a cup of coffee!