It’s 3 PM sometime during the holiday season that Adir, Joost, Romek, Temirlan, Ally, Gijs, Lennart, Tarik, Jessica, Gabriel and Denise gathered for this “Xomnia-wrapped-like” meeting. The most ideal time for a meeting? Maybe not. But there simply wasn’t any other time available that suited everyone’s agendas, and especially there were barely any meeting rooms available. “Welcome to Xomnia Fridays!,” Ally, Data Analytics Engineer, laughs. It’s not odd that Fridays are a little chaotic. “But you really don’t want to miss them. Everyone is there to work, socialize and catch up”, says Denise, Employer Branding Marketer. “But scheduling meetings with big groups is therefore a challenge,” she continues. “Luckily, this meeting is a fun one and perfectly suitable to end your workweek with”.
The room is buzzing. Some of the eleven have been here almost a full year, navigating (client) projects and learning the ropes. Others are just four weeks in, still figuring out where they can find the soda cans and milk needed for the cappuccinos. But everyone shares something: that first-day feeling hasn’t quite worn off yet. We wanted to capture it: the good, the challenging, the surprising moments that defined their first year.
Every journey to Xomnia starts differently. For Danielle, Analytics Engineer, it was a friend connection. “A friend of mine was already working here and really enjoying it. I reached out and he invited me for coffee. This was almost exactly a year ago now. When I walked in at the office, everyone was dressed in full suits, looking very professional. I thought, ‘Okay, the dress code here is serious.’ But then someone quickly explained they were all heading to the Christmas party.”
What made her decide to join after that coffee? “My friend described it as this young, fun, inspiring environment where smart people challenge each other and learn together. That resonated with me. I wanted to work somewhere I’d be pushed to grow.”
For Lennart, Data Scientist, the connection started even earlier. “I actually went to a Data & Drinks event hosted by Xomnia two years ago. I wasn’t looking for a job at that time, but the atmosphere really stuck with me. The knowledge sharing, the openness: it felt different from other companies. I started following people on LinkedIn and kept seeing Xomnia’s Data & Drinks events pop up. When I decided I wanted to move into something more AI-focused, Xomnia was the first place I thought of.”
What comes through in these stories is consistency. People describe the same qualities that drew them in: smart colleagues, real technical challenges, a culture of sharing knowledge. It’s not polished marketing language, it’s what they actually experienced before they even signed the contract.
Ask about the recruitment process and the assessment comes up immediately. It’s technical. It’s thorough. And opinions are honest.
“The assessment was way different than what I encountered at other companies,” Jessica, Analytics Engineer, says. “Most places give you something fairly surface-level: how does data flow, what would your analysis look like, and can you present findings?. This was different. I actually sent it to a friend and asked, ‘Am I reading this right?’ I may have over-prepared, but it really made me think. And, to be honest, it was actually nice to be thinking about this on a deeper level.”
The technical depth isn’t the only thing that stands out. The flexibility during the assessment process does too. Danielle elaborated: “Because my assessment took place during the holiday season, it was totally fine to take extra time. ‘Don't feel like you need to work through Christmas’, Xomnia mentioned. That consideration meant a lot to me.”
Tarik, Machine Learning Engineer, also had a good experience with his assessment: “Compared to other assessments I’ve done, this was actually reasonable. I’ve had situations where a company says ‘this should take eight hours’ but it ends up taking way more, or they expect things that weren’t clearly outlined. Here, the time estimate was accurate and the expectations were clear.”
The focus isn’t just on whether you can code. “It felt more about how you think through technical problems,” reflects Joost, Data Engineer. “Rather than evaluating your technical skills in isolation, the assessment centers on how you approach a real business problem, how you structure your reasoning, and how clearly you communicate a solution. That felt far more meaningful than simply testing isolated technical skills.”
Starting a new job can feel chaotic. Too much information, too many faces, not enough clarity on what you’re supposed to do next. At Xomnia, people describe something different.
“The efficiency really impressed me,” Ally says. “You arrive, you get your laptop, you sit through an onboarding presentation about the company. Then you have dedicated time to set everything up, configure your machine, get your accounts sorted. The same day, you take your company photo. I remember thinking, ‘This is a lot for one day,’ but it worked. You could actually see what the next few days and weeks would look like.”
The structure provides a proper foundation, but people remember the human moments more. “What stood out was how genuine everyone was,” Jessica reflects. “People wanted to get to know me, not because HR told them to schedule a meeting, but because they were actually curious. Every conversation felt authentic. I left every day that first week with a smile.”
Coming from a remote work background, Temirlan, Machine Learning Engineer, noticed something specific about the physical space. “I’ve been working from home for four years and I was actually worried the office would be some corporate space. You know: rows of identical desks, lighting that is too bright, no character. But walking in, it felt like a living room that happens to have workstations.” We all joked a little about the uneven Amsterdam-style floor, but for Temirlan that’s exactly what gives it personality. “It’s real. It’s lived-in", he says.
What works about Xomnia’s onboarding isn’t one single thing. It’s the combination: clear structure so you know what's happening, genuine human connection so you feel welcomed and enough flexibility that your first week can include both productive setup time and fun times with your new colleagues.
Landing your first client project is a milestone. For most people in the room, the Xomnia name made that transition smoother.
“The brand reputation really helps,” Tarik observes. “When clients hear you’re working at Xomnia, there’s already a level of confidence there. You’re not starting from zero trying to prove yourself. They trust that if Xomnia sends you, you know what you’re doing.”
Having colleagues already embedded at the client makes a tangible difference. “There were already two people from Xomnia on my team when I joined," Tarik further explains. “Whenever I had questions about processes or tools or even just where to find things, they were available. That support in those first few days was huge.”
We asked everyone to describe Xomnia’s culture in a few words. The responses came fast: driven, supportive, open, social, flat, diverse, accepting, trusting, dynamic, and the list goes on.
"Flat" came up repeatedly. Tarik explains: “When I found out early on that I was going to meet the CEO and CTO, I panicked a little. I thought: ‘What do I even say to them? I'm brand new here.’ But the “meeting”, which was just a casual coffee moment, was completely normal. They're accessible. They want to hear what you think. There's no real hierarchy in how people interact.”
The diversity makes an impression. “We have people from over twenty countries,” Denise notes. “That’s not just a nice stat for the website, but you actually feel it. Conversations pull from so many different perspectives and experiences. We’re constantly learning from each other.”
Ally points to something cultural that goes beyond nationalities. “There’s that question about whether you work to live or live to work. At Xomnia, it’s clearly the first one. You can tell people have priorities outside of work: they’ve traveled, they’ve taken career breaks, they’ve made choices that prioritize life. It’s people-oriented rather than just work-obsessed. We do good work, but everyone understands there’s more to life than just work.”
We gave everyone paper and asked them to write down their highlight from their first Xomnia year. The responses ranged from major trips to tiny daily rituals.
This year’s company trip to Berlin dominated the papers. “And then specifically the Saturday lunch during the Berlin trip," Jessica says. “We were all sitting together, and on one side of the table you’d hear this intense technical discussion about some architecture decision. Then you’d turn your head and the other side is debating what kind of beer to get. Everything just mixed together, serious and silly, work and life. That captured what I love about working here.”
Social events also came up repeatedly. “In my first week, someone mentioned we were going for karaoke on Friday,” Denise remembers. “I expected a small group, but we ended up with twenty-five people packed into The Duke of Tokyo.”
Joost remembers it well too. “Everyone was singing and doing the Macarena,” he says. “It felt a bit awkward at first, but the atmosphere was very open and positive, which was perfect for a first week.”
Small gestures also left impressions. “I got married during the year and the company sent us flowers,” Gabriel, Support Engineer, shares. “It seems like a small thing, but it meant a lot. It felt very personal.”
And some highlights can be super simple. “Honestly? The free snacks and the warm Wednesday lunches,” Ally says with a smile. “And I always go and grab a chai latte with my colleagues. It sounds small, but it's part of what makes you want to come to the office.”
For Danielle, a highlight is also in the tiny things. She captures a specific memory: “The first time I saw the doors to the canal open and people sitting on beanbags, working in the sun. I just thought: ‘Yeah, I made the right choice to work for this company.’”
Xomnia is known for its professional development opportunities, but you have to be proactive about taking them.
“I really recommend joining the monthly learning sessions,” Adir, DevOps & Security Engineer, says. “Even if it's not directly related to your current project or main expertise, you learn so much. And the company actively encourages it and funds it, so take advantage.”
The culture of sharing works both ways. “If there's something you want to teach, speak up,” Ezra, Recruiter (who has been here for just over a year), continues. “We love when people volunteer to give sessions on topics they know well.” Adir, for instance, gave a Security training recently and several people mentioned it as a highlight.
As a final question, we asked our new-joiners what they would tell someone starting next month. The advice is specific and warm.
“Schedule coffee chats with everyone,” Jessica mentions. “I was really active about this in my first few weeks. Every introduction turned into a walk around Amsterdam with a cup of coffee. You get back exactly the energy you put in. I felt at home quickly because I knew so many people already.” Everyone agreed on this.
Lennart offers unexpected advice: “Bond with the sales team.” Tarik agrees and immediately takes over: “The Sales team messaged me about a lead recently and referenced something I had mentioned during my first week about what I wanted to learn. They really pay attention and try to match opportunities to your goals.”
Practical tips emerge too. “Bring good shoes,” Denise says with a laugh. “You’re going on a lot of introductory walks around the city!”
Temirlan encourages participation: “Attend the social events, especially when you’re on the bench. Friday drinks, team outings, whatever's happening. That’s how you build connections.”
And a cultural note: “Dress casual,” Ally adds. “This isn’t a typical consulting company where everyone comes to the office in suits. Just be yourself. Put in a little effort, but stay comfortable.”
Eleven people, different backgrounds, different starting points, different projects. But listening to them talk, the threads are remarkably consistent.
Our 2025 new-joiners describe a place where technical challenge and personal support can exist at the same time. You’re expected to be excellent at what you do, but also trusted to manage your own time and development. Where colleagues are genuinely smart and curious, but don't take themselves so seriously that they can’t enjoy a Friday karaoke session.
If you’re considering joining Xomnia, this is what you’re walking into: Real Data & AI work that will challenge you. Real autonomy over how you approach it. Real people who’ll welcome you during the Friday drinks and then expect you to show up ready to learn on Monday. The crooked floor is part of the charm. The “haver cappus” are genuinely good and the beanbags by the canal on a sunny afternoon are as nice as they sound.
And if you’re the type who wants to work on meaningful projects with people who know their craft, who values both expertise and humanity, who wants to grow while helping others grow, well, these people would tell you it’s worth taking the leap.
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