If you thought a 100-day plan was only for presidents, Simone Tabor has news for you. Because at CFP, all new hires also draw up such a plan. And because Tabor just recently started as Senior Consultant at CFP, we wanted to ask her some questions about her plan while it is still fresh in her mind.
As Senior Consultant at CFP Green Buildings, Simone helps companies with a variety of sustainability issues. She discusses the services that CFP can offer both online and offline, depending on the wishes and needs of the client. We look back with her on her first months at CFP.
Before joining CFP, I worked for many years in the financial services industry in various roles: I have focused on private banking, and I’ve also worked closely assisting foundations and director-major shareholders. The discussions with this target group are always interesting – there’s nothing like the feeling of helping a DGA of a family business further in his succession issue. What really drives you as an entrepreneur, and what makes you happy? The answers often go far beyond the financial concerns.
At the end of 2020, I decided to quit the bank and take some time to think about my next step. But by January I was already itching to get back to work. [laughs]
I have always found the banking world interesting, but after such a long stint in that industry it was time for a new challenge. I was looking for a smaller organisation, not so much a corporate one. I had noticed that with about 80% of my work, I felt like I had seen all this before, and it was only 20% that I found I really needed to challenge myself. It was time to switch those figures around; I wanted to be doing 80% new things. And it worked, because everything is new now! Although, of course, I do have an affinity with construction and with sustainability.
“I have a corporate streak because of my banking history. Now that makes for a great mix with the CFP sauce, which allows me to work productively with very different parties.”
– Simone Tabor, Senior consultant at CFP
My first thought was ‘HELP! How do I even start?’ But after the initial panic, I decided to dig into it and the more I looked at the assignment, the more I liked it. It prepares you much better for your job interview and know what to expect from the position. Doing it actually made me more and more enthusiastic about the possibilities that this job and this company offered.
Because there was so much new, in my 100-day plan I focused on making the new material my own. What does CFP’s total service look like, what are the differences between the online and offline services, and what does the sustainability process look like for customers? But I also want to understand the role roadmaps, BREEAM and WELL certifications play in increasing sustainability and how to get at the different needs of different customers. The most important question I ask myself is: what role can I play in this, now or potentially in the future?
In addition, my plan describes how I intend to talk to prospects as soon as possible and tap into my own network to make new connections. In addition to this external network, my goal is to have an in-depth conversation with all of my colleagues in the first 100 days. I want to get to know all the stakeholders of CFP and get to know their motivations and backgrounds.
I decided the best and fastest way to make the material and content my own would be to jump right in to a lot of different discussions with customers and prospects. That would put me to work on customer issues right out of the gate.
When I look at my 100-day plan now, I see how much it helped me. I spoke to a lot of prospects & colleagues in the first month, and that gave me a good idea of what CFP does. What I like about my 100-day plan is that it gave me focus. Sometimes you get caught up in the hectic pace of the day, but then a look at the 100-day plan shows me whether I’m still on track and doing the right things.
“In my job interview, the focus was mainly on my 100-day plan and a lot less on my CV. I liked that, because the interview immediately became much more substantive than previous job interviews I have had.”
– Simone Tabor, CFP Green Buildings
Absolutely. I am challenged every day and the material is terribly interesting to me. The horizontal culture at CFP also appeals to me. Everyone is very approachable so it’s easy to make things happen. The feeling that you can just get things done, it’s a real breath of fresh air.
If so, let us know! We are still looking for colleagues. How would you describe your first 100 days as Sales Manager, for example? For more information on these and other vacancies, please contact us at info@cfp.nl or by phone on +31 55 – 355 51 99.