To start, we’d like to know a bit about you and your background. Where are you from?
I am originally from Austria, from a small village at the Millstättersee to be precise. I’ve been living in Berlin for over six years now, back when I came here for a mandatory internship in a human resources department as part of my studies. Then I decided to stay in Berlin – that’s how much I felt at home here in Berlin.
Like this, I can combine two worlds: My home is the colorful big city, but to relax and enjoy peace and quiet, I can visit my family in the Alps.
I got into recruiting more by chance than anything else. However, it quickly became clear to me that it was exactly the right thing for me. I find it exciting to talk to many different personalities and to accompany them in such an important decision, namely where their next workplace will be.
How did you join us?
After working in the staffing industry for almost 4 years, I also wanted to explore the in-house recruiting world. I applied directly to PAIR Finance, even before Covid-19 was an issue. I then started at PAIR in August 2020.
From my first contact with PAIR, I always found it totally exciting that the company is shaking up the traditional debt collection industry and changing the entire market with innovation and a customer centric approach. Ever since my own application process, it has been the team and the associated openness and friendliness that make me feel so comfortable at PAIR.
How has your career at PAIR been since then?
I joined PAIR Finance as a Talent Acquisition Specialist and gradually took over recruiting tasks from Maja, our Head of People & Organization.
I am now a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist and recently two more colleagues joined our recruiting team, Jasmin and Ekaterina. I am now their first point of contact for technical questions.
What are your responsibilities as a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at PAIR Finance?
I take care of the entire recruiting process. This includes checking requirements with hiring managers, creating job postings, reviewing applications and, of course, conducting initial interviews. I also actively approach people with exciting profiles on social networks and want to inspire them to have a first conversation with me.
The purpose of these (mostly) video calls is to get to know the applicants better and to find out whether they fit in with us both professionally and personally. In the same way, I want to convince the candidates of PAIR Finance and give them the best possible insight into working in our team.
Afterwards, I continue to accompany the processes, am the first contact person for the applicants, organize further interview rounds and agreements between colleagues and, in the best case, I prepare the offer and can deliver the good news to the candidates.
What is the best way to apply to PAIR Finance? Is there anything one should pay special attention to when applying?
There are several ways to get the application process rolling at PAIR Finance. The most direct way is via our job board, where candidates can simply apply for positions that interest them.
For applications, we do not require more than a meaningful CV that clearly presents the relevant experience and knowledge. A cover letter is not necessary, unless candidates would like to express their special motivation to work at PAIR Finance.
The Talent Acquisition Team is always available via LinkedIn or email (jobs@pairfinance.com) to answer initial questions about PAIR Finance and the single positions.
How can you tell in the application process whether someone is a good fit for us?
That depends on many different points, and I could probably talk about that for ages. But I pay particular attention to the ability to work in a team: Do they enjoy working in a team? Do they like to share knowledge? Are they motivated and willing to work at PAIR Finance?
Although there is hardly a “wrong” answer for these examples, or for questions about soft skills, this gives you a good feeling of whether the applicant would feel comfortable working in our team.
I also try to find out as much as I can about the role and its requirements at the beginning of the recruiting process with the help of the information provided by our hiring managers. In this way, I get a feel for what knowledge and experience is required for the position in question.
What do you think of the trend as an employer to completely dispense with cover letters from applicants?
I am an absolute fan of applying without a cover letter. Cover letters are often a standard letter that tells me as a reader nothing new about the motivation or suitability of the person. I don’t mind not having a cover letter.
However, there are of course cases where a short cover letter can be useful: for example, if you have a very special motivation for working at PAIR Finance. The best way to highlight this is with a short text.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The best thing for me is to see the development of candidates and colleagues, to see how they move forward.
I see a great responsibility in my role, because the first contact with PAIR is definitely decisive when it comes to deciding whether or not someone will change their employer.
And what is your life like outside the office?
I enjoy spending my free time with my two cats, Morty and Flora.
I like to do sports, but also watching sports passively, especially Formula 1 in the summer and alpine skiing in the winter. I also like to stay up to date with both sports and exchange information about them with friends.
What is your favorite place in Berlin?
There are many beautiful places in Berlin. But especially the Victory Column is one of my all time favorites. The view from up there over the Tiergarten, after you have climbed the many steps, is just amazing.
What was the most surprising moment of your first weeks at PAIR Finance?
Good question, that was really a bit time ago! I think I found it most surprising (in a positive way) to see how much all team members at PAIR Finance see eye-to-eye with each other.
In general, the team is the biggest plus for me at PAIR Finance, because it’s fun to work with so many talented, smart, motivated and fun people.
Thank you, Judith, for the interview!
Ready to help us challenge the financial industry?
Would you like to work with Judith on the future of finance? Then we are looking forward to getting to know you.
