Interview with a HR Assistant

How did you come to world4you?

Lisa: Quite the classic way. I simply looked online. I really took my time finding the job at world4you. I was looking for something where I could see my traits, my strengths, my knowledge, and perhaps something I hadn't done before. In the end, I had two jobs to choose between. I finally decided on world4you because of the flexitime, flexible working hours, and the possibility of working from home. Also, because I am allowed – or rather supposed – to go to Vienna once a week.

Which of your traits benefit you most in your job?

Lisa: I believe my talent for organization. I've heard that quite often. The fact that I can do many things in parallel and still keep track of everything. Also, that I tend to think things through roughly to the end so that I know where the path is leading. Bringing these qualities with me makes my job much more pleasant. Sometimes I have to re-prioritize my tasks several times a day. New tasks can come in by the minute via Outlook, Mattermost, or over the phone. Therefore, I believe that the most important quality is organizational ability. But certainly also the joy of doing things you’ve never done before—things that perhaps don't really fit into an existing area of responsibility, but somehow fit well into my task profile. And if something doesn't fit my profile, I’m not too proud to handle it anyway.

Let’s go back to your beginning at world4you. What do you remember most?

Lisa: The early days were definitely very intense. I had to learn to structure myself for every task that popped up and somehow find my way into the role. One part of the job is coordinating the management's schedule. I can create, decline, send out, adjust, and edit appointments, which means I also have the responsibility of ensuring the calendar is realistically achievable. That was something I hadn't done before. At first, you just click through the functions, and eventually, I found my way around.

Due to my interface function, I collaborate in many areas. Roughly speaking, my job consists of appointment coordination, travel planning, and executive assistance. Furthermore, I handle the office management part for both locations, event coordination, and I am also the assistant to the HR management, where I am involved in projects and support recruiting and applicant management.

So they certainly gave you the leeway that not everything has to be 100% perfect, especially at the beginning, right?

Lisa: Yes, exactly, and it’s still not a problem today. Of course, there are always things that get lost because it’s a "thousand-little-things" kind of thing. It also took me a while to find the right system for overseeing and sorting my tasks. Besides individual meetings, my calendar is full of tasks or reminders so that nothing gets forgotten.

You’ve already told us a bit about your daily routine. I’d like even more insights. What does a typical workday look like for you?

Lisa: Sometimes I have a plan for my day and then things turn out quite differently, but I’m sure I’m not the only one. When I turn on the laptop in the morning, I start Outlook, and in the browser, I immediately open at least Confluence, Jira, Google Drive, and our applicant management system. Those are my tabs that are always open. Then I check how many emails have come in, see if there is anything very urgent, or if it’s enough to just go through them over the course of the morning. I then also look at which documents I had open last in Google Drive, because usually those are the documents I want to continue working on.

When I’m in the office, my second look is often directed at the kitchen. Here I like to make sure everything is okay. I refill the breakfast cereal, check the fruit and milk, or empty the dishwasher. And that’s often how I start my day. It’s important to me that people feel comfortable in the office and that my colleagues have everything they need.

What challenges you the most? What do you find most difficult?

Lisa: That's a good question. I think the hardest thing is to remain calm during stressful times when a lot of things come together at once. Then it’s just a fact that not every task can be completed every day. Sometimes I carry them along with me for a longer period. And that’s when it’s hardest for me to stay composed and not let frustration get too strong. Every now and then, tasks simply take a bit longer than planned.

In return, what comes easily to you and what do you enjoy?

Lisa: What I especially like about my job is that my ideas almost always find fertile ground and an open ear, so that the idea can be implemented in a certain form or variation.

I have one last question: How do you like to spend your free time?

Lisa: I love living directly by the Danube. I enjoy reading and going for walks. I generally like sports; I go jogging and do yoga. I also like to spend time at my grandparents' place in the mountains.