Myrthe - MSc Tourism, Society and Environment - Start Up and researcher HZ Knowledge Centre for Coastal Tourism Zeeland - August 2020

Hi everyone! My name is Myrthe and in July 2020 I finished the master program Tourism, Society and Environment. Also for me it was not easy to find a job in the midst of the corona pandemic. Therefore, shortly after graduating, me and my two partners decided to create our own jobs. We founded the Reis Naar Morgen, a company that supports the sustainable transition in the tourism sector through research and advice, knowledge sharing, and inspiration. Currently we are working on our second project, which is focussed on recycling plastics in hospitality on the Dutch island of Texel.

Recently, I also started working as a researcher/project employee for the HZ Knowledge Centre for Coastal Tourism in Zeeland. In this role I contribute to projects focussed on climate adaptation, water reduction and sustainability (finding balance) in the local tourism sector. I really like that it allows me to further understand and tackle related issues in collaboration with colleagues and partners.

My best advice is to understand what jobs fit your wants and needs. From this position, you focus on those applications that genuinely appeal to you. In addition, it will be easier for you to explain your reasons for applying, which is likely to increase the quality of your application. Although it may be challenging at times, I believe prioritising this quality over quantity is way more sustainable in the long run. It makes the process a bitt more interesting and relaxed because it allows you to really explore opportunities and you probably deal with less rejections too.