From the social media agency to recruiting
About Nadin Bruns
Transitions have always been fluid for Nadin Bruns: While studying German and Media & Communication Studies, the trained marketing communications manager worked part-time at a social media agency, which immediately offered her a full-time position as a community manager after her graduation.
But even though Nadin’s career quickly took off, she felt something was missing in her daily work routine: “I was dissatisfied for a long time, but I didn’t know exactly why. So for a while, I wasn’t sure what I could actually change,” she recalls today. In her search for meaning, she thought not only of herself but also of other people in the same situation: “We all spend so much of our lives working. Why should we do it in a job we’re not good at, don’t enjoy, and can’t fulfill our potential?”
Her own search for professional success sparked a passion for recruiting in Nadin, which she wanted to apply directly to her social media job. She took on initial HR responsibilities and took care of employer branding, but soon followed the call of the challenge into the next stage of her career.
My experiences with Riverstate
- Fast networking despite remote work
- Early success through close support
- open learning culture and participation in the strategy process
- many opportunities to realize your own ideas
The desire to be close
Riverstate was an outlier among Nadin’s applications: She primarily conducted her job search in corporate HR departments, and Riverstate was the only recruitment agency on the shortlist. “What I liked about Riverstate was the personal approach,” Nadin said. “Working closely with clients, but also with candidates, and not having to do any new client sales—that sounded like a good combination.”
Her initial impressions were confirmed during the interview, where she learned more about the Riverstate process. “When I learned how close you are to everything because at Riverstate you work closely with clients and get to know them on-site, it quickly became clear that it was a perfect fit,” Nadin says. “The interview was less about specific qualifications and more about my motivation, my aspirations, and my professional dreams. I quickly realized that the energy was right. I was offered the job the next day, and I didn’t hesitate for a minute.”
Fast networking despite remote work
When Nadin began a new chapter in her career at Riverstate in early 2020, the COVID-19 crisis was turning familiar working environments upside down. Thanks to the dynamic nature of the Riverstate team, which has embraced flexible working methods and hours long before the pandemic, she quickly felt integrated into the team, even from her mobile office: “I was truly fascinated by how quickly I became well-connected within the company, even though I barely knew anyone at first and we all worked remotely,” says Nadin. “I hadn’t experienced this level of collaboration at other companies.”
Even as a newcomer to the recruiting field, Nadin soon became a go-to person for her colleagues, who were interested in her experiences during her studies and her previous professional life. “I was able to contribute my knowledge of social media right from the start; many even approached me directly with questions,” Nadin recalls. “I was quickly able to take on responsibility and work independently, naturally with constant coordination and support.”
With motivation and experience to success
With her very first client, which she worked with an experienced Riverstate recruiter, Nadin’s social media experience made the decisive difference: In just four weeks, she was able to complete the search for a senior mechanic by finding the perfect candidate on Facebook. Even better: The former candidate is now the company’s managing director and has hired Riverstate again.
“It was, of course, a dream come true: Finding someone so quickly, and through a channel I’m very familiar with, was a real success right from the start,” says Nadin. “And that only happened because Riverstate truly believed in me and encouraged and supported me every step of the way.”
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes
Step by step, Nadin took on more responsibility in the Riverstate recruiting process and learned about every aspect of the process, from setup day to the search itself, before taking on the tasks herself. Knowing that Riverstate embraces a learning culture where mistakes are simply part of the equation also eased her nerves.
“I was incredibly nervous before my first setup day, but as always at Riverstate, I also felt like I was allowed to make mistakes,” says Nadin. “If you forget something or don’t do it quite right, we work on it together and always have the chance to grow and learn from the situation.”
As an integral part of Riverstate, she’s currently experiencing what it means to grow together on a completely new level: “I’m always amazed at how transparent Riverstate is in its communication with us employees,” says Nadin. “During the strategy process, we all sat at the virtual table and were able to contribute our ideas about how we want to position ourselves as a company. More employers should really do this, because it’s incredibly empowering when you not only see the common goal in sight, but also have a say in where it’s headed!”
Realizing dreams with tailwind
Today, Nadin is once again faced with the decision of which direction she wants to take. But at Riverstate, the question of where she should go professionally is no longer a cause for uncertainty—quite the opposite.
“There’s no pre-determined path here at Riverstate, and I see that as a huge opportunity,” says Nadin. “Especially in performance reviews, we’re truly encouraged to think big and dream big, and every time, five more doors open that I never even knew existed!”
Want to help build a social media department? Lead your own team? Develop new content formats for Riverstate? Knowing that she can forge her own path at Riverstate, Nadin is calmly focusing on the basics for now.
“I can’t say 100% where I see myself yet because there are simply too many options and I’m still at the beginning,” explains Nadin. “My current goal is to become a very good consultant at both the client and candidate levels, and with Riverstate’s support, I’m well on my way to achieving that. What’s next? I already have a few ideas, and I know that at Riverstate I’ll have the support I need to implement them. And that’s incredibly exciting.”
