How Samirah landed her Data Scientist role at KPN
From "Should I apply?" to an interview in 60 minutes: Meet Samirah Bakker, Data Scientist at KPN. Samirah was at the finish line of her studies when she spotted a Tech Talent Program at KPN. She almost didn't apply: Her background was in Data Science, not Software Dev. But she decided to "shoot her shot" anyway. The HerFuture Magic: One click to apply on the app. A recruiter DM within the hour. An official interview scheduled 60 minutes later. Now, Samirah is predicting the future (literally!) by owning time-series forecasting projects at KPN. Read the full story below!
How she found HerFuture:
Samirah was nearing the end of her Data Science studies and looking for a graduate role. Through HerFuture, she went to the Women’s Day lunch and the Grand Summit career fair, where she met several of HerFuture’s partner companies in person. Because she already knew some of those faces, approaching them later felt much less intimidating.
The connection:
Scrolling the HerFuture app, Samirah spotted KPN’s Tech Talent Program. At first she doubted she’d qualify, since her background was in data science, not software development. But she decided to shoot her shot anyway and applied with one click.
Within an hour, a KPN recruiter messaged her directly in the app to ask if she had any questions. She sent over her CV and motivation letter, and within another hour her interview was officially planned.
Her role today:
Samirah now works as a data scientist at KPN, where she owns a time-series forecasting project. She builds models that predict things like future revenue and subscriber trends, and she loves the freedom and ownership that come with it.
Moving into a large corporate environment was a learning curve, but it’s also where she has grown the most. She’s still part of the community too, joining HerFuture+ events like an evening on personal branding to keep meeting other women in her field.
Her advice:
Samirah’s words of wisdom: “Make use of and start building your network: Don't feel afraid to reach out to people you know that work at a certain company you’re interested in, or even reach out directly. Companies really appreciate it when you’re proactive and know what you want. Most importantly, just go for it. We often hesitate to apply if we aren't 100% sure, but my experience taught me that clicking that button can lead to an amazing opportunity you didn't see coming.”
Congrats to Samirah on her role at KPN!
Ready to kickstart your career in tech, too? See you at app.herfuture.nl 🚀
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