On investing in juniors, workplace transparency, and misconceptions about the role.
Hi Valérie. Let’s get straight to the point: How would you describe CRANIUM in three words?
Educational, open, and inclusive.
That’s great to hear! We’re also curious about your day as a consultant. What does it typically involve?
At the moment, I’m working on one major project—a full-time staffing engagement. This is different from juggling multiple projects, and CRANIUM offers both options, which adds variety to my role. For this client, I mainly focus on following up on DPIAs, attending meetings with various stakeholders, and conducting research. Practically speaking, I spend two days a week on-site with my client, and the remaining days I work from one of the CRANIUM offices or from home, still for the same client. I enjoy having the flexibility to plan my days. In addition, I get to express myself by writing blog posts for our website, and I’m currently studying for the CIPP/E qualification. After a long workday, I like to unwind by going to the gym in our CRANIUM office.
Are there any misconceptions about your job as a privacy consultant?
Hmm… The biggest misconception is that privacy consultancy is just dull administrative work. That’s absolutely not the case. Of course, there’s some admin involved (which desk job doesn’t have that?), but my job is so much more: interviews, social interactions, knowledge-sharing sessions, awareness sessions, research… It’s actually a very varied and social role. Another misconception is that privacy jobs can be lonely. But when you’re part of a company filled with consultants who share the same interests, you’re never alone. If you don’t know something, it’s easy to ask for help from a colleague or exchange different perspectives.
Why did you ultimately decide to join CRANIUM?
I was looking for a new challenge and simply googled ‘Junior Privacy Consultant’, which led me to CRANIUM. What immediately stood out was that CRANIUM genuinely invests in their juniors. They organise large Master Classes multiple times a year, where beginners are fully prepared for the consultancy role. You receive training on the subject matter, as well as on soft skills or marketing skills, and you get to intern with a client. This way, you learn a lot quickly and feel confident enough to apply your knowledge in practice straight away. Many competitors often require two years or more of experience, which can be off-putting. CRANIUM gives me the opportunity to develop further professionally, which I truly appreciate.
In what ways have you had the opportunity to develop professionally at CRANIUM?
In several ways, actually. During my interview, they immediately asked which sectors I was interested in. When I started, I was assigned a project within one of those sectors. That’s not always possible, of course, but it’s nice that they try to accommodate your preferences. I also occasionally help create other content for our online presence, and I’ve discovered that I really enjoy doing that. It’s great that you have that freedom here.
What do you personally like most about CRANIUM?
The openness. I always know where I stand, and I feel I can ask a lot of questions. They really care about how you feel within the organisation. If you indicate that you’d like to take on a different type of project in the future, or perhaps a different weekly schedule, they try to accommodate that as much as possible. I also appreciate that, while you’re technically a ‘resource’ here, you’re not treated as such. It’s consultancy, so it’s logical that you’re a knowledge source for the client, but you’re not just a number. For example, I have a mentor who checks in with me and genuinely asks how I feel about the client work—is it enjoyable? Interesting? If there’s a problem, we work together to find a solution.
What makes CRANIUM unique and attractive as a workplace, in your opinion?
The fact that it’s a young company, both in age and presence. You don’t have to go through ten layers of management to be heard. If you have an idea, you can easily pitch it to a manager or colleague. For example, if I have a marketing idea, I can just go to Charlotte (Marketing). The same goes for HR—my questions are always answered quickly. Everyone here is super approachable and helpful.
One last question to wrap up: How do you receive recognition for your achievements?
Feedback. Lots of feedback. In some companies, you only hear from your manager if something’s wrong. Here, you also hear from your manager when things are going well, which is motivating. We also organise three major team meetings per year. Everyone comes together at the headquarters, and there are presentations on the company’s results and focus areas. Recognition is always given here. It feels great when you see positive numbers or exciting projects and know that you’ve contributed to them. Not related to recognition, but we also have fun activities after such team meetings (BBQ, Cosy Games night, or other team-building events). That’s always something to look forward to 🙂 There’s always a pleasant atmosphere in the office.
Thanks for your time and candid answers, Valérie! Inspired to contribute to a privacy-friendly future for organisations? We’re still looking for people to join our team!
