First month at Macaw
How would you describe your first month at Macaw in one word and why that word?
I would choose the word welcoming. My first month gave me a clear sense that people here genuinely want new colleagues to succeed. Guidance is offered in a natural and supportive way, and the environment encourages questions without judgment.
What was the first moment you thought: “Yes, this feels like the right place for me”?
It was when my buddy Tido told me not to be afraid of asking any stupid questions. I liked the fact that I could ask questions no matter how basic they were. In Taiwan, new hires usually receive a bulky employee handbook or an overwhelming amount of training in the first two weeks. Management then expects them to master everything immediately, and people sometimes get blamed for asking a second time or for making mistakes when they are afraid to ask. I always tried my best to catch up. Nonetheless, I appreciated that people at Macaw were willing to explain even the most basic things.
Did you feel welcomed and supported during your first weeks?
Bram, my manager and Tido, my buddy supported me a lot. During the first week, Tido talked to me often and gave me many tips that helped me navigate the company. He invited me to sit with him during lunch, so I didn’t have to sit on my own. It felt good to have someone who looked after me.
What was the most fun or surprising difference between Macaw and your previous employers?
The atmosphere felt lighter and more human. People laughed more, expressed opinions more freely, and showed genuine curiosity about one another. This surprised me because I was used to environments where conversations stayed formal and hierarchical. Macaw showed me that work could feel relaxed while still maintaining high standards.
“Macaw showed me that work could feel relaxed while still maintaining high standards.”
Working in the Netherlands vs. Working in Taiwan
How does working at a Dutch company compare to working at your previous company in Taiwan, an American company?
This is my first job in the Netherlands. I have been surprised by how quickly freedom is given at Macaw. My previous company in Taipei was considered a freer company in Taiwan. Nonetheless, managers there still tended to micromanage employees. For example, a person might be notified if they took a break longer than 10 minutes or if their cursor had not moved for 10 minutes. They had a system that calculated every employee’s computer idle time.
Regarding working hours, my previous company in Taipei required 8 hours every day. If someone worked for a regular Taiwanese company, they might even be forced to work extra hours while being paid only for 8.
What do you like most about the Dutch work culture so far?
I like the transparency. In Taiwan, a lot of information is blocked if a person is not in a specific position. Some of my former colleagues at my previous company worked on projects that I had no idea about. They told me I did not need to know because I would not be involved. At Macaw, people openly share what they are working on and how they are doing it. This creates clarity and trust.
What is something typically Dutch at work that you are still getting used to?
Colleagues have more flexibility when it comes to arriving at the office. In Taiwan, not necessarily at my previous company but in many other companies, we had to check in and check out at work. If a person was late even by one second, HR would deduct money from their salary.
Colleagues here also allow you to take your time when replying to messages. In Taiwan, some managers at my previous company expected replies within 10 minutes. People were also expected to respond to managers during weekends. I always felt fed with fear in Taiwan. The Netherlands is the first place where I feel like I am treated as a normal human at work.
Hong’s background
What did you study, and how does it help you in your role within Cloud and Managed Services?
I have a master’s degree in data science. I was specifically looking for a role in cloud engineering because it allowed me to build on the expertise I gained at my previous company. In the network and cloud engineering world, certificates are far more important than a degree. I saw that many Dutch companies on LinkedIn only interview candidates with certifications. Therefore, I believe my certificates, such as AZ 104, AZ 500, AZ 700, and CCNP, helped me the most.
What motivated you to choose Macaw?
I had several reasons. I had a very good impression of HR, Ivanna. A few months ago, I was rejected when I applied because the position was already filled. She told me that she would notify me when a new vacancy opened, and she did. She approached me proactively in September and said she had a cloud engineer role that she wanted to interview me for before opening it officially.
Then I met Bram and Franco during the interview. Bram mentioned that he was learning to be a good listener. I value a harmonious working environment more than anything else.
Macaw is a dedicated Microsoft partner. I learned all my expertise with Microsoft Azure and I like it a lot. Although it is easier to adapt to AWS or GCP if someone has cloud experience, I personally prefer Microsoft Azure because its portal integrates features in a clear way.
What do you hope to learn or achieve in the coming months within our organization?
I am targeting to deepen my DevOps knowledge. I want to gain experience in migration projects, CI and CD pipeline design, and infrastructure management. I am also taking a Dutch course every week, and I want to reach the point where I can host a meeting in Dutch and communicate smoothly with colleagues.
Future Macaw employees
If you could give one tip to the next new colleague joining Macaw, what would it be?
Get a mentor. A good mentor can guide you through the parts of the job that are not written in any handbook. A mentor can teach you small tricks or shortcuts that make daily tasks smoother and more efficient. These are not shortcuts in a bad sense but rather insights that come from experience. A mentor can also help you understand how to approach problems with clarity, how to structure your learning path, and how to communicate with confidence.
What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming months?
I look forward to reaching the point where I can handle a project and a customer fully on my own. I want to put my cloud engineering knowledge into real practice and see myself move from assisting tasks to taking full ownership. My goal is to gain enough confidence and technical depth so that I can design solutions, manage expectations, and deliver outcomes independently. This is the milestone that will show me I am growing in the right direction and building the foundation for a long term career in cloud engineering.
Macaw: Your Guide in the Era of AI
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