Sander Janssen
Customs Declarant

Sander trained as an Independent Working Chef and was making good career progress as a sous-chef. But the long hours and disruptions caused by Covid prompted him to ‘make a switch’. Today, he is enjoying shorter hours and a more structured life at Thermotraffic while learning all about his new industry.

I worked in the catering industry from the age of 14, alongside my schooling. Then I worked full time from the age of 18 to 23. It’s a very nice profession but the prospects for the future aren’t so good and I was often in the kitchen for 12 hours, 6 days in a row. So I decided to look for a role as an administrative assistant at an employment agency.

More structure, more time

It was then that I came across Thermotraffic. There were other options but I liked everything I heard: small team, sharing customers, working normal hours. And I could start immediately, which was convenient. I fit in well with the team and working at Thermotraffic is so much more structured. I now have time for a social life and, of course, it will be much better if I ever get a family.

I started as an administrative support worker but soon took on some customs work as well. I also do some invoicing. We help each other and I know from my own experience that you can always count on colleagues who already know the job inside out.

Teamwork and accuracy

The team makes the job fun. No two days are the same and I can work independently. The work itself is very detailed. You really have to pay attention to what you are doing and work accurately. I like that and it’s little like following all the details of a recipe so that the dish comes out right.

A new role already

In August 2022 I officially became a Customs Forwarder, focused on making declarations for clients. So, I was given more responsibility very quickly and able to move up.

I have no intention of going back to the catering industry and I would certainly recommend applying for a job at Thermotraffic. It’s a good place to work. As a Customs Forwarder, you can come from any background if you demonstrate commitment.

As for the future, who knows? There are possibilities to grow here and there is every chance that I will take more training. There is a lot to learn and it changes continuously. It never stays the same.