We are thrilled to share the story of one of our most valued team members, HTEC’s Head of Talent Acquisition and Branch Manager of the Novi Sad office, Predrag Pivarski. Among his team members, he is considered the most charismatic leader and, both professionally and privately, a person full of understanding and compassion for others.
Inspired by the company’s vision, he is eager to share his knowledge and motivate others, and today he is sharing his perspective on where HTEC stands and where it’s heading.
Almost a decade ago, Predrag got into his first managerial role, which was only the start of his professional development. Around five years ago, he had his first encounter with HTEC and was introduced to its vision. Even then, he was fascinated with the goals and the opportunities that lay before the company. The possibility of accomplishing any portion of the dreamy idea with his new colleagues sounded exhilarating to him. Together with the company, Predrag and his team grew to become one of the defining pillars of HTEC. Nowadays, you can find him in the company’s Novi Sad office drinking coffee with his fellow early risers, conducting interviews, or planning new hiring strategies with his ever-expanding team.
Everlasting energy and vision
In 2016, Predrag was invited by a friend – and former COO of HTEC, Andrija Bednarik – to run the company’s new office in Novi Sad. When he reflects on the encounter now, the predominant feelings were those of enthusiasm and fascination with the energy and vision of how the company could look in the future.
“Now, after so many years, when HTEC has practically become seven times larger and has gathered so many great people, I can say that this energy and vision still exist, and they motivate us to continue growing into something even bigger. That energy thrills me the most.”
A new office in a new city was an offer he couldn’t resist. The possibilities were endless, and everyone who has met Predrag knows he is an incurable optimist. Although a lot has changed over the years, he says some things will always be the same. He firmly believes that what has always set HTEC apart from other companies are its people and the culture they nourish. At the risk of sounding cliché, he points out that the company cares about its people and says,
People are our biggest asset and our core! HTEC culture is built on transparency, democracy, and equality – as simple as that.
From the first coffee to the last meeting or interview
Even though his tasks and days may seem repetitive, Predrag believes that each is different and brings new perspectives.
After his first coffee, which he usually has with his fellow early risers, he steps into a day full of meetings and interviews, whether with colleagues or candidates.
“It is very dynamic since I usually get to meet several new colleagues each day and try to draw as much as I can from each experience.”
Before he wraps up his work, he likes to summarize all of his activities from that day and prepare a plan for the already opened tasks, which should be carried over onto the upcoming days and weeks. How things are organized usually reflects productivity, and in his team, these two things are always at their highest.
Optimized processes for smooth growth
Predrag admits that one of the most challenging moments in HTEC, so far, was when he joined the Talent Acquisition team two years ago. What made the transition to the new role easier was definitely his previous experience in managing positions.
“The Project Management practices and procedures in our day-to-day organization have helped significantly to motivate the team and foster the overall team performance.”
After the successful alignment, the team started growing, the energy levels elevated, and Predrag was sure that only positive outcomes would follow.
“Getting to know the team and their individual metrics helped me identify the gaps and room all of us had for improvement. Together, we managed to optimize our processes and set the path for excellent results. The performance of the team quickly picked up, and the amazing achievements just followed.”
It might sound fascinating that HTEC’s Talent Acquisition team managed to hire 232 new employees in 2020. However, Predrag believes that more important than the numbers is the fact that they managed to optimize the process, which consequently enabled HTEC to hire 40+ colleges each month.
To illustrate the impact, I’ll add that we started 2020 with 282 employees, and only through employment we achieved a growth of 83%. I have to emphasize that these results wouldn’t have been possible without each of our team members’ excellent motivation and outstanding performance. One of our main goals is to continue partnering with our Engineering and Delivery team to support the organic growth while empowering TA team members to continue their personal development and growth within HTEC.
Favorite tools for everyday work and a must-read
The essential everyday software tools in HTEC’s Talent Acquisition team are Jira and Excel/Google sheets, but Predrag admits he is still using the old-school pen and paper method.
The team is always looking for new tools and resources that could increase their productivity and overall performance. They would all agree that there is a lot to learn from Predrag, who always has excellent suggestions on his sleeve.
One of the books he always recommends is “Work Rules” by Laszlo Bock, which he believes is a mandatory read for anyone in TA, and here is why:
“Laszlo Bock was the former VP of the People Operations in Google. The book was very popular a couple of years ago since it brought numerous experiences from the expansion of Google as a company. Laszlo played an active role in the company’s growth, and he decided to share his overview of the challenges and the experience he gained in the process. The noteworthy and my favorite part is definitely the one when he explains how culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
“The book is perfect for all managers in People Departments since it talks about the approaches used to solve different issues on the road. The conclusion is that for most of the complex challenges in fast-growing companies (like HTEC), there is always a simple rational solution.”, he adds.
Opportunities for those who want to seize them
The advice Predrag has for everyone interested in HTEC is very straightforward – if you want to be a part of something big, this just might be the place for you.
“If you are looking for a dynamic job, and you are motivated by personal development; if you are fantasizing about the opportunity to participate in something big – HTEC can definitively give you the leverage to achieve all this. However, it is important to note that at the end of the day, everything will depend solely on you and your willingness to become a better version of yourself.”
Development opportunities are numerous, and Predrag knows that in HTEC, there is always someone ready to listen and help. The most important part of the process is identifying personal goals and expectations and then aligning them with the company’s vision.
“HTEC offers a handful of opportunities as it dizzyingly expands and thus opens up space to jump in, take responsibility and perform! At HTEC, I have always had opportunities I believe I wouldn’t have had anywhere else.”
Away from the comfort zone ally
Speaking about goals and achievements, Predrag confesses has learned a lesson or two throughout his career:
Always set goals for yourself and revise them timely. Think! Be consistent and work hard to achieve them. Try to make daily progress, and work to become the best version of yourself. The comfort zone is not your ally! Do not run away from temptations, and have in mind that every single challenge makes you better. However, learn to be patient and tactical – in any kind of business, this is crucial.
Finally, Predrag gave us a bit of food for thought, which perfectly sums up how he manages to keep up his excellent work and fight through the hard times.
“Never give up! When it’s hard, look the challenge straight in the eyes, so it won’t be easy for it either.”
