Vol.23 – Turning Experience into Opportunity: A new chapter in the Netherlands
In this Meet the Teams article, we met with Sayuri Takao, who joined our Netherlands office in November 2025. After spending 6 years in Japan as a Newspaper Reporter covering crime stories in Nagasaki, she moved to the Netherlands in 2022.
Briefly, how did you get started in recruitment?
“I graduated from my master’s course in the Netherlands and I knew I wanted to stay here longer, so I started my job search. By coincidence I knew about Centre People and found that there was a position available. I read the job description and felt it was very related to my previous job, and I was confident I’d be able to do it.”
How are you finding the work and life culture in the Netherlands compared to Japan?
“I feel that there’s much more flexibility in the Netherlands for work choice compared to Japan. Not just work-life balance and hybrid working, but I was surprised how many companies, even Japanese companies, will hire part-time employees for corporate roles, as it’s quite rare in Japan.”
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
“I quite enjoy going to film festivals, as I like films a lot. Recently I’m into Asian films and indie movies. In the Netherlands there are a lot of activities such as festivals for documentaries, international films, and I really like the International Film Festival in Rotterdam in February. Right now I have a friend that I go to the film festival with every year, I really like it.”
What’s something your clients and candidates might be surprised to learn about you?
“Usually people are surprised by my previous experience as a Newspaper Reporter. I worked for 6 years covering criminal topics, like the police, as well as the US-army, US-navy, and self-defence forces. It seems totally different to my current role, and it’s quite an interesting job. It was very exciting, but I find similarities in recruitment that are equally exciting.”
As you previously worked as a reporter, what aspects of our job have been easy for you to pick up?
“As a reporter, I often had to respond quickly to fast-changing situations and prioritise what needed immediate attention. In CPA, when new vacancies come in, we also need to act quickly as a team and reach out to candidates. In that sense, both roles require fast decision-making and adaptability to changing priorities. But generally, it’s helpful with candidate interviews, and I’m not hesitant to meet with people so for networking and business development, I’ve quickly picked this up. I feel in recruitment, we’re the mediator and translator to understand clients and candidates and communicate their needs quickly.”
On the other hand, what has been the biggest challenge so far?
“I think it’s my presentation skills, like explaining the company information clearly and confidently. This is both for clients and candidates, and I feel these skills need developing because I didn’t really have to present in front of other people before. So, I’m still working on this.”
What’s the best advice you’ve received while working at CPA?
“So I remember one time when I had a candidate that was unsure and hesitating about taking an offer. It was ultimately unsuccessful, and my manager told me it’s important to support and encourage candidates to move forward with confidence and not doubt their own abilities. As a consultant, I would like to continue developing the ability to give the right words of encouragement.”
What has been your best experience working at CPA so far?
“What I appreciate most is the supporting environment – whenever I face difficulties, management is very helpful and motivating. More importantly, everyone is very proactively supporting me and quickly responding to my needs. So that kind of support makes me feel welcome, and I enjoy every day here! I would also like to contribute to the team in return and support others as I grow in this role.”
We’re lucky to have Sayuri on our team, bringing a unique expertise to our growing company! Feel free to connect with her here on LinkedIn, and follow us to meet more of our fantastic consultants!
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