I’m aware that this involves people’s lives
After the first year of his Law programme, Leon decided to have a gap year. ‘I first wanted to discover what I really liked and what my talents were before I sent myself back to school. My sister works for an employment agency and heard from other agency workers that the IND is a nice organisation to work for. Because I’m interested in law and want to make a difference for society, the IND really suited me. I intended to stop working for the IND after my gap year to study law full time, but I like it so much here that I applied for a permanent job. I would never have expected this in advance! Fortunately, I can easily do this job parallel to my studies.’
What is it about Leon’s work that is so nice? ‘Primarily the diversity and variation of the job,’ he answers. ‘No day is the same for me. I never know in advance who’ll be calling and what questions I’ll get. There are, however, certain trends. For example, people often call if they want an update on their residence application: what is the status, when will I get an answer, why does it take so long? It is no secret that we’ve got a backlog. Because of this, people’s emotions often run high if they have to wait long for a decision. They are disappointed that I can’t give them clarity. This is sometimes difficult for me because I’m aware that this involves people’s lives.’ But I always strive to conclude each call in such a way that the caller feels heard and understood. I do this by listening carefully, showing empathy and explaining why decisions take longer.’
‘And fortunately, I can sometimes give positive news as well,’ Leon continues. ‘Recently, I had a woman on the phone who had called more often about the status of her application. Each time, she was told that her case wasn’t up yet. But when I had her on the phone, I could see in her file that a decision had been taken. I could not tell her what the decision was – although her application was granted – but she was incredibly happy and grateful that the wait was over. This made me feel good too.’
Other questions Leon gets are sometimes very general or very specific instead. ‘It can happen that someone doesn’t understand the text on the website or is unable to find what they’re looking for. And recently someone asked me whether they were also allowed to pick up a provisional residence permit (MVV) with a business passport instead of a regular passport. This is an example of a question where I really have to go and look for the answer. And that’s fun, because that way, I can delve into all kinds of subjects. Sometimes I find the right information in our knowledge base, but sometimes I also have to call colleagues from departments to find out the answer. As a KIC staff member, you know a little bit about everything. I know what belongs together and with whom. Very convenient if I need information from several colleagues; I can easily connect the different departments.
So, the KIC is really the IND’s central nervous system? ‘Exactly! Or the beating heart,’ Leon laughs. ‘That’s why I think the image of call centre staff is so unfair. This is no “lame telephone job”: I’m right at the centre of the organisation. On my job, I need to be able to change gears quickly: finding information, remembering it and explaining it comprehensibly. Aliens law is quite complex. In addition, I have contact with people who sometimes went through terrible things and want to tell me their story. It really isn’t that simple.’
It is not simple, but it is gratifying. ‘And fun, and challenging, and humane,’ Leon adds. ‘There’s the idea that IND staff are angry people who only reject people in their chilly offices and take a very long time to reach decisions. But everyone I meet here is working hard and is incredibly passionate and emphatic. The people who work here are young, old, and have all sorts of backgrounds. I felt welcome immediately from day one and didn’t become a permanent member of staff without good reason.’
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