Alumna Hester Noord

Hester Noord (MA IRIO, 2020) works for the International Police Cooperation (IPS), The Hague unit.

Tell us something about yourself?
I have been working as an international adviser at The Hague police unit since December 2020. I am involved in non-operational international cooperation, and this mainly concerns the exchange of knowledge with foreign countries on certain crime themes. So I don't work on ongoing operational police cases.

What kind of student were you?
I really enjoyed student life, I always had a part-time job and I did committee work for the study association Commotie during my Bachelor’s studies: Communication and Information Studies. I was a part of the rowing club Gyas, where I became chairman of the External Contacts committee. During exam periods, but also during lecture weeks, I could often be found in the University Library.

Did you have a particular area of interest, a specialization if you like, during your studies?
During my BA, I studied for a semester abroad in Geneseo, New York State. There I became more interested in the International Relations and International Organization (IRIO) course. I then chose the pre-master’s programme IRIO, and then naturally did the Master’s IRIO.

During lectures, I noticed that the topic of international security interested me the most. Initially, I followed the broad International Relations programme, but within this programme, I chose the 'International Security' specialization by following specific courses and as a topic for my thesis dissertation. After I completed my thesis research on 'Government communication about terrorism', I did an internship with the police. During my internship, it became absolutely clear that I was very interested in the topic of international security.

How did you get your placement/internship?
I saw a vacancy on the Career Tab on the Student Portal of the University of Groningen. I immediately found it interesting, and did not wait for the application deadline, but applied right away. They called me a few days after I applied and asked if I wanted to come for an interview, I really liked that. It turned out that I was the very first student to have applied, and that gave me a head start.

What did you do during your placement/internship? What is the difference in your opinion between being an intern and an employee/being actually in the workforce?
I deliberately chose to write my thesis first before starting a placement/internship. I did this with the idea that if I receive a job offer through the internship, or via the network of the internship, I could make use of it straight away. My internship went very well. My placement supervisor was very pleased with my work, and they offered me a job. I really liked working there and was very happy with the opportunity they gave me. Because my interest lies in international security, this was a good start for me.

Personally, I see the difference between a placement/internship and actually being in the workforce in the different roles I have. I now have a leading role and take on projects independently. As an intern, you are under supervision, and you are never ultimately responsible for the end result of your work. That’s very different now.

What do you like/dislike the most about your job?
I actually find the transition from being an intern to being an employee very easy.This could be because of the Covid pandemic and I am used to working full time. What I like the most is that I have many responsibilities and there is room to give my own input on different projects. I certainly don't miss the stress of handing in essays or doing exams. When you work, you have the chance to show your worth every day, and it no longer comes down to specific moments, such as an exam. Something I find less fun about having a full time job is that you no longer have room for spontaneity, you have to plan almost everything further ahead. I often plan my weekends full of activities.

Who or what inspired you during your student years?
The exchange semester I spent in New York was very inspiring. There I talked to peers from all over the world and learned a lot about how education and politics work in other countries.

Do you have any tips for our students?
The most important tip is: to do a placement/ internship. Then you can really discover what suits you and what doesn't. This will give you a great advantage before you actually start working. If I had done an internship during my Bachelor's studies, I would have been able to choose my Master's more easily.

Finishing writing my MA thesis before starting a placement/internship has proven very helpful. After me, six more IRIO fellow students went on to do a placement/internship with our team, many of them still work for the police (as analysts, as part of the investigation team, or as detectives). They still had to finish writing their theses after the placement/internship, and I heard they regretted not having done this the other way around.