“I’m Gerald van Lopik, 27 years old, and I work as a Senior Assistant Accountant in the Compilation Practice. I currently live in Haaften, but my girlfriend and I recently received the keys to our new home in Best. There’s still quite a bit of work to be done. We’re outsourcing a lot of it, but we’re also helping wherever we can. Renovating is tough, but fortunately, I get a lot of freedom and flexibility from Wesselman. That’s really great!”
“Football is my biggest passion. Whenever I get the chance, I enjoy going to Ajax matches. I played football for years at the local club in my current town, but had to quit due to injuries. I’ve now started playing tennis and hope to participate in matches next year.”
How was your time as a student? And how has your career been so far?
“I’ve come a long way,” Gerald says with a smile. “I started in pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO-T), moved on to intermediate vocational education (MBO), and then continued with higher professional education (HBO). During the final year of that program, I started to question what I really wanted to do. One thing I did know: I wanted to get the most out of my education. That’s why I decided to continue with the (pre-)master’s in Accountancy in Tilburg after my HBO degree. Shortly after, I began the master’s program, which I completed in January 2023.”
“During my studies, I did internships and gradually took on more tasks and responsibilities. I started with booking invoices and eventually worked on compiling small annual accounts.”
“I wrote my thesis at a Big Four firm. After graduating, I was allowed to stay on and work there. Even though I already had a good amount of experience in the Compilation Practice, the Audit Practice was new to me. I wanted to gain experience there too, but I soon realized that I found more challenge and satisfaction in the Compilation Practice. The human interaction really appealed to me.”
How did you end up at Wesselman?
“During my thesis and work period, I gained a lot of experience with interim and year-end audits, as well as working in the Audit Practice. Still, I began to question my future. I talked about it a lot with my parents and friends. Eventually, I spoke with Rick Louwers, who works at Wesselman. He was very enthusiastic about the company, so I decided to have an introductory meeting. I quickly knew that this was the place for me.”
What makes the company so enjoyable?
“I get a lot of freedom and am sufficiently challenged, but the human aspect is also really important. At a Big Four firm, I didn’t feel quite at home. Working at a smaller office with an interesting client portfolio is much more appealing to me. I now work for both small and large clients, nationally and internationally. That makes my work really dynamic.”
“I also have the freedom to contribute my own ideas. I like that because it allows me to be myself,” Gerald says candidly.
How important is career development to you?
“It’s very important to me. I want to continue growing, both personally and professionally. I believe you’re never done learning, and that you develop best when you’re in the right place. Wesselman invests heavily in the growth and development of its employees, and I keep gaining valuable insights from that.”
“At Wesselman, I not only get a behind-the-scenes look at the client’s operations, but my colleagues also involve me in everything. That means I come home happy and full of energy after a long day.”
Why would you recommend someone to work at Wesselman?
“Wesselman is a great workplace where you’re given a lot of trust by your colleagues. Employee development is taken seriously here, and there’s never a barrier to asking someone for help. At larger firms, that’s often more difficult in my experience. Wesselman is a personal organization, and I really appreciate that!”
