“Sorry, I’m going to start working at STAR.” This was the gist of the email Henk Zwaak sent to his employer at the time on January 1, 2008. He couldn’t resist the allure of the fledgling STAR. For Project Manager Rob Tienstra, a friend of STAR founder François Claeijs, things turned out differently. One day, Rob simply told François, “Okay, I’m coming to work for you.” Together, the two of them have nearly forty years of experience at STAR. And what began with a handful of enthusiastic callers in an office that was too small now, across all its brands, counts more than 2,500 active specialists in the field. Henk and Rob witnessed it all from the inside.
Henk, who has since risen to the position of Business Manager Construction, started at STAR just like many others did back then”: with a printed list of names and the advice to just start making calls. “I didn’t even know exactly what those people did, but I just got started.” He learned the hard way. You never forget those lessons. His attitude has never really changed over the years: he’s committed to being the link between the specialist and the client. “We now know our specialists inside and out. And the client wants two or three suitable resumes and the feeling that you understand exactly what they’re looking for.” Rob, a specialist from the very beginning, recognizes this from the other side. As a Project Manager at Vopak Terminal Vlissingen, he also frequently works with temporary staff. “As a Project Manager, you don’t want to spend the whole day arranging people, which is why it’s nice to be able to rely on the people at STAR.” A key word has been mentioned: trust. Because, as Rob himself adds shortly afterward: “One misstep and you have to start all over. That was true in the beginning, and it’s no different now.”
“Go the extra mile with every request that’s how you get a little better every day” – Henk
Don’t push; attract instead
The years of growth revolved around one thing: building relationships that lasted. Not through sales pitches, but through being present at Friday afternoon drinks, dinners, and legendary evenings. “Anyone who was there eventually became an ambassador,” says Rob. Henk illustrates this with an anecdote. A young work planner, identified early on by STAR as someone with potential, went on to become the head of all turnaround managers at a major client. Years of effort, not coincidence. “It’s about the person, not the company,” says Henk. “Someone gets a feeling about you, and they don’t forget that feeling.”
“Go the extra two or three steps, because that’s how you build something that lasts”—Rob
Beyond the Netherlands
STAR is constantly evolving and always exploring new opportunities for specialists and clients, which is why we’ve expanded into Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and France. The energy transition is also opening up new markets: CO2 capture, electrification, hydrogen. “It’s a win-win,” says Henk. “I want to see my children grow up in a clean country. And it’s creating a huge amount of work.” Rob is specific about what the future demands: being willing to go the extra mile. Working late into the night. Building your network without anyone asking you to. Making yourself indispensable. Those who do that build something that lasts: nineteen years, twenty years, or forty years in total.