Hard to write a page about yourself, really. Maybe I should put some customer reviews here instead, so you actually get a realistic idea about my work. Hm, I may actually do that! But for now, I’ll give you some info about myself that may help you in deciding if I’m the right person for the job.
I got out of college right before the end of the internet-bubble. At that time, my hobby-like interest in computers was enough to get met a job as a Microsoft network trainee. All it took was a three-month bootcamp course and I was ready to be outplaced as a true Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. Yeah right!
Projects proved hard to find and the company offered me a salesjob instead. I accepted gladly and even got promoted to team-manager after a couple of months. This began to look like a promising start of my career. Unfortunately the company reorganized and our salesteam fell apart. I quit shortly after.
I realized I had been missing something in my job: the opportunity to express (visual) creativity. So I decided I wanted to become a webdesigner – a job description that wasn’t as common and devaluated as it is today. I taught myself the basics through tutorials and books and got a job as a webdesigner trainee!
On this job, everything felt right and I know I had found my true calling. Too bad this company couldn’t make ends meet either and after two years it filed for bankruptcy. But this presented me and my colleague designer with a great opportunity: our clients were looking for continuity and we were there to provide!
Together with a third unemployed programmer, we set up a company and enjoyed a jumpstart thanks to the client-base we took over. Things were good for about three years but then it became clear that I had other plans with our company and I decided to leave. I got a job offer to work for another internet startup. This was a startup with some very experienced people behind it, whom I still value highly.
In the two years I worked there, I learned a great deal and I think it’s fair to say that their approach and philosophy on open source software has enabled me to “sail solo” from now on. It felt bad to leave them, but somehow I wanted to take on another adventure again and enjoy the freedom that comes with being a freelancer. And that’s what I did in November 2008.
So here we are! Hmm, it seems I ended up telling you my careerhistory instead of what you can expect from me in terms of cooperating and such. Well: expect that I want what’s best for you. If I can’t provide that, I’ll say it, too. I like transparancy. Also, expect a down to earth approach – that’s just me. Expect value for money. Expect a solution that works and will continue to work if we ever part ways. Curious what else to expect? Let’s meet!