Xavier de Maa - Chairman Conference Committee 2019
The TeMa Conference 2019 was a huge success. Students and companies got together at this event to socialize, exchange knowledge and find career opportunities. Through workshops, master classes, a recruitment dinner and a great overarching theme a beautiful programme was created by the Conference Committee. But what is it like to organize TeMa’s biggest event? What does it take? And what is in it for you? In an interview with Xavier de Maa it will become clear why you should organize the TeMa Conference 2020!
In which study phase where you when you started the Conference Committee?
I was half way done with my pre master's degree of Supply Chain Management, I actually started at the Holmes University doing Industrial Engineering and Management. While I was doing that I was always trying to be active either through working or committees. And during my pre master's degree I wanted to do something like that as well. This was one of the first things that came up for me, and I applied for it and did my very best to achieve it.
What's the reason you chose to do the Conference Committee?
Before the Conference Committee I did committees which were a little bit less serious. And the Conference Committee is really about trying to get in contact with multiple companies to get them on your event, and that was something that I really wanted to try.
What was the reason you chose the function of chairman?
That's a very good question. What I think is that a chairman is always trying to get things started. I think I always try to do that, for example with parties. I always like to start a party and invite people. That’s why I actually think that I wanted to try that in the same way but in a more business oriented environment. I think the chairman function is one of the most outgoing functions and I assumed it was also the most fun for me.
What is the most enjoyable and most valuable thing that you learned organizing the Conference?
So, what I think is very important, is that as a chairman you try to get everybody thinking in the same direction. This is sometimes more difficult than expected if you don’t start doing it at the beginning. It is really difficult to change that along the way. So you really have to get the mindset right from the beginning to really fulfill your function. And that's something that I learned, but it worked out anyway.
What is the less likeable part about organizing the conference, or as a chairman?
That's mostly the board. No I am kidding. I think it’s mainly difficult to pay attention to many different stakeholders, and this makes it difficult to get stuff done. A lot of things need to be checked before you can truly get going. This makes it difficult but you can also learn a lot from it.
What is the workload of the committee during the year?
What was really nice in the beginning, was that we started with one meeting with the chairman from previous year, and some people from the board. Together we took a look at the planning of the Conference Committee. They told us that time pressure builds during the year. So, they always recommend starting early. And that's what I did. I tried to divide the pressure, so we didn’t have too much pressure at the end. We already started quickly in the beginning. And then I think it is about six hours a week. And at the end, it will be closer to 10 hours a week. And last week it will be 20 hours a week, because you have to do the event.
So as long as you divide your tasks over the year and make a good planning, then it can really work out next to your pre master, bachelor or even master program.
What is the busiest thing for the committee?
Trying to find nice companies and getting in contact with them. In my committee there were two people specifically for the acquisition of companies. In the beginning, everybody does some of the acquisition. That is the part that you will be most busy with.
Why would you recommend other people to organize the Conference 2020?
Because you learn a lot of how to get in contact with companies, and how to show yourself towards companies. During the day itself, you really learn how to communicate with them. You cannot only think about yourself on that day, so you have to really combine all interest from the participants, from the company, from the board, everybody there that day. Combining the interests of all people is very interesting to learn.
Do you think that it was a good choice to do the Conference Committee?
Of course you sometimes doubt if it was the right choice but later you will have a job where you can have the same doubts. But that's not why you shouldn't do it because you also learn from that. It's also a fun experience and you get to know a lot of new people that you otherwise wouldn’t meet. So I would definitely recommend doing the Conference committee.
