Serdžan is one of those people you can’t help but notice in a room. It's his gravitas for sure; he says he may not be the most handsome person in the room, but he’s aware that he attracts attention because he always smiles from the heart and makes instant eye contact with others. Whatever it is, the fact is that he has quickly gathered a large number of people around him in tershouse.
I ask how he feels most comfortable introducing himself, whether he first mentions his personal or professional persona. 'I used to build my whole persona around my career, and I would always start with that. Over time, I realized that doesn’t matter as much. Today, it looks like this: ‘Hi, my name is Serdžan, I’ve lived in X number of countries, this is what I enjoy doing, this is what I’m good at, and this is why you should be friends with me. I think it became about selling myself as a person rather than selling myself as a service.’ Serdžan says he’s one of those people who has learned all the lessons in life the hard way. ‘I think that when we’re younger, we’re prouder of our accomplishments, and later we become proud of ourselves. For me, a personal achievement was moving back to Sarajevo. I packed my whole life and moved to a place I’ve never lived, and I’m happy here now. So I think this is a great way to introduce myself: ‘Hey, I’m Serdžan and I just moved to Bosnia.’ He adds with a smile that if you want to hang out with him, you should also know that he loves memes, pop culture, and iced coffee.
Serdžan works as a Talent Acquisition Manager for a company that provides communication solutions. I was curious about what exactly this role entails, as it initially seemed like it might be related to headhunting. Serdžan explains that his role is part of a much larger picture because he doesn’t only just search for the right candidates with specific skill sets; he also works on long-term talent strategies, including employer branding, succession planning, and even creating major components like compensation to ensure market competitiveness. ‘My role is a big one; I manage a team and work with them on where to find the right candidates for the right roles. This can look very different because some roles are straightforward, like tech roles, but others, like business development manager, are more fluid, where you can learn the role if you have the right communication style, gravitas, and ability to work with people. It’s harder to find these candidates because we’re taking into account skills that aren’t easily quantifiable—we’re testing character, communication skills...We use different methods for these candidates, like talent pools, but we also take active initiatives by attending events, etc."
This all sounds like a very responsible position where even the smallest mistake in judgment can lead to significant consequences. I ask him how many times he has made a mistake in assessing candidates. ‘I learned the hard way to never judge a book by its cover. Why? Because we’re all human, and we believe in the idea of first impressions. There’s a quote, ‘You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.’ Reading people is based on physical appearance, the way they walk and talk. But once you’re able to judge the answers they give you (that comes with time), that’s when you can reduce the risk of making a bad decision. I learned relatively quickly how to ask the right questions, and it’s not always about getting the right answers, but about the impact of those answers. What we’re looking for is what good vs. great looks like in an answer. That comes with experience.’
Before the current company, Serdžan worked for some of the biggest tech companies in the world, like Amazon and Meta. He says he learned the most about working well with others in the context of empathy. ‘When you’re in an organization with 17,000 employees, everything you do has a direct or indirect effect on someone you work with. When I joined the big tech world, like when I started working at Amazon, it was very intense, and you had to have a certain caliber, but you sometimes forget to be empathetic. It’s about focusing on the destination and figuring out how to get there, whereas when I worked for Meta, which is focused on human experience and connections, the ideology there was: ‘This is your destination. Let’s go on this journey together.’ When I first started at Meta, the feedback I received was, ‘You’re really good, you’re awesome at what you do, but you have to be nicer,’ meaning I needed to be more empathetic toward others, take into account that I had to mirror my communication style to make what I was saying understandable to others. Personally, for me, Amazon was the best school because it was intense and tough. But when I joined Meta, I blew them away because I was doing things they weren’t used to.’
Another of Serdžan’s passions is public speaking, which is a weak spot for many people and something they invest a lot of energy and time into mastering. He believes that either you’re born for public speaking or you’re not. He says it’s not about being a showman, but about being confident and passionate enough to speak about a certain topic. ‘I love sharing my knowledge with others, I think I have that natural gravitas where I’m just comfortable speaking to other people. If I walk into a room, people don’t necessarily notice me because I’m the most handsome, but I smile and make eye contact.’ I asked him if he had any advice for people who struggle with public speaking and performance. Serdžan says it’s important to speak about what interests you, what means a lot to you, and about topics you have enough knowledge about, because then people will naturally believe you.
Serdžan’s optimistic spirit is also reflected in his realization that happiness is what matters most in life, and that you’re the one responsible for changing things if you’re not satisfied with where you are. ‘The older I get, the more aware I become of how exceptionally important it is to be happy. I remember the quote from my best friend’s father: ‘If you don’t like where you are, move! You’re not a tree!’ You take yourself wherever you go, and that resonates with me so much. So, if you’re not happy with yourself, you won’t be happy with your job or your personal life.’ Another thing that has made him happy after returning to Sarajevo is his involvement with the BH Futures Foundation, where he helped with the human potential side, from preparing students to write CVs, to preparing them for interviews, teaching them how to be the best version of themselves, and building their careers. He says this experience has been significant for him for personal reasons. ‘My whole life I considered myself a ‘Sarajlija’, but I never had the opportunity to do anything about it. For me, helping this foundation means having the chance to contribute directly, to have an impact. Here, I can see people’s faces, and I can be sure I’m giving 110% of myself.’
As we're wrapping up our conversation I realize that exactly this is one of Serdžan's life mottos; living life to the fullest and giving 110% in every segment.
