HI JESSE, CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?

Hi, I’m Jesse Schlienkamp! I live in Eindhoven with my girlfriend. I love watching movies, so I have a Cineville pass and try to go to Lab 1 in Eindhoven as often as I can.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE IT FIELD?

As a kid, I was obsessed with making things. My favorite subjects at school were physics and philosophy…an odd combo until you realize both are about figuring out how things fit together.

Engineering runs in the family: my grandfather was a thermodynamics engineer for VEBA (a predecessor of E.ON, of which Essent is now a part), and my dad is also an engineer. I loved the problem-solving aspect of physics, but it started feeling too operational, too much engineering and computation, so I pivoted into philosophy because I just wanted to read and think. Ironically, I ended up right back in the engineering part.

At the end of my Master’s, I joined a company building interactive knowledge environments. Basically, we were trying to make information more accessible through apps and websites. We wanted to implement our designs and ideas in code, but found that telling a programmer to build something for you is expensive and pretty tedious. So, I DIY-ed everything to save some money, building prototypes, testing, fixing, repeating. In the process it kind of escalated and I ended up building the IT backbone of the whole organization. Turning our ideas directly into working prototypes was magical.

HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING AT ESSENT?

After five years at the startup, we’d completed the first phase, and it was ready to scale up. It felt like a natural moment to look for something different, and I realized I wanted to work on something that millions of people would end up using, something big enough that my code could have an impact at scale.

I applied to different places and learned a lot through the interview process. It became a testing ground where I gained information not just about jobs, but also about myself. Then I came across Essent. What struck me was how genuinely they communicated. The vision was consistent across every channel. Once I read the ad, I knew that I would work here, and it was a perfect fit.

COULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES?

I work in Meter Collection Management (in the I USE ART). Essentially, we make sure that customer meter readings are established correctly, so that they can be trusted to be billed correctly. We also support various processes around meter readings, like Stalled Meters and Blocked Meters.

HAS YOUR ROLE EVOLVED SINCE YOU STARTED?

Unrecognizably! At first, it was all about writing code. Now it’s about building systems that last. Code is just one small piece of that. A huge shift for me has been realizing how important shared language is, whether it is between teammates, communities, and the business. Coding, I’ve come to believe, is really a reflection of communication. When the communication is good, the code will follow.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING ASPECT OF YOUR JOB SINCE YOU STARTED?

Just how much goes into running an energy company! You imagine a switchboard, some wires, and a few servers. But in reality, it takes an entire office full of people to make sure everything runs smoothly.

CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT A SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU FEEL HAS BEEN PIVOTAL IN YOUR CAREER HERE?

Honestly, the humbling part is knowing that millions of people’s data flows through our code, and it works! Writing software at scale is a completely different game compared to hacking away at something solo. It’s not just bigger, it’s deeper.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CULTURE WITHIN YOUR TEAM OR DEPARTMENT?

Our work carries pressure, no doubt. The code handles a lot of traffic and could break in countless ways. That uncertainty can be stressful. But the team itself? Fantastic. We support each other, depend on each other, and that makes all the difference.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS IN YOUR ROLE?

I would have to say clear communication is essential. Being able to say the right thing at the right time, whether in code or in conversation.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE?

Essent is evolving into a mature tech company, which means growing pains are inevitable. It’s easy to get lazy, but like athletes, we need to keep performing at a high level.

One metaphor I keep coming back to is “building the cathedral.” On the outside, everything may look perfect and the craftsmanship shines through. But if every little piece is built in isolation without the larger purpose in mind, the result can become a cacophony. To build something lasting, we all need to work together toward a shared purpose.

WHAT PART OF YOUR JOB DO YOU FIND THE MOST REWARDING?

Delivering something that works. And if it breaks, fixing it properly so it doesn’t break the same way again. Striving to get it right the first time around…that’s deeply satisfying.

ARE THERE ANY HABITS OR ROUTINES YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR EFFECTIVENESS?

I keep it simple: going to sleep at the same time every day, getting regular sleep, punctual routines. It might seem challenging, but it’s much easier than planning new routines all the time. It’s a slippery slope once you start improvising and end up cheating on yourself and the things that matter.

For me, about 80% of my life runs on predictable rhythm, and 20% I leave open for radical newness.

CAN YOU SHARE A FUN FACT ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW?

In the year I was writing my Master’s thesis, I ended up reading 100 books! I wanted to keep it up, but I slowed down in speed and read about half that each year now. I use tools like Notion to track my goals…it keeps my inner philosopher and my inner engineer happy at the same time.

Here you can check out my Notion tracker to discover more about the books I read! 

ARE THERE ANY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT YOUR ROLE YOU'D LIKE TO CLEAR UP?

That there’s a strict split between “the user” and “the engineer.” That cultural divide is unhelpful and we need to bridge it. Working together is no doubt the way forward.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF JUST STARTING OUT?

That you’ll be alright. It might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes the best advice is simply to keep going. Through all of the uncertainty, trials, and tribulations. Have faith that everything will work out!

A heartfelt thanks to Jesse for sharing his story and perspective with us!