Every so often, someone else’s perspective on you says more than your own ever could. When a few colleagues recently remarked how different Mathias is today compared to when he started in early 2023, it gave him a reason to pause and look back at the road that led here.
What he found wasn’t a straight line but a series of decisions made in discomfort: stepping into sales despite social anxiety, switching careers to recruitment, and going back to school to study software development. Today, Mathias is responsible for recruitment at Teamit. He decided to share his story not because it’s extraordinary, but because it isn’t – and maybe that’s exactly why it’s worth telling. We sat down with him to talk about embracing discomfort, learning from feedback and finding the right match.
Where did your career begin?
In sales. I started in late 2019 as a sales development representative, booking meetings for the sales team. I wanted to build my social skills and learn to sell, but it was rough going for someone with social anxiety. Even so, choosing sales turned out to be one of the most life-altering decisions I’ve ever made, especially for someone who used to avoid people.
Over three years, I learned cold calling, worked across different industries, and learned to talk to decision-makers at every level. Most importantly, I worked with some of the most energetic people I’ve ever met, and many of them became close friends. Sales was a rollercoaster of the highest highs and the lowest lows. The job demands grit, resilience and a lot of time spent outside your comfort zone.
How did you end up at Teamit?
By late 2022, I wanted a new challenge. Recruitment appealed to me because it’s still about people and conversations, the things sales taught me to love. The goal just shifts from closing a deal to finding the right match for someone’s career.
Some former colleagues worked at Teamit and spoke highly of it. When a recruitment trainee position opened at the end of 2022, right when I felt the urge to try something new, I applied and got the gig.
What do you do?
I started as a recruitment trainee and am now responsible for recruitment at Teamit. We hire experienced IT professionals, from software developers and architects to data and AI experts. If you get a call or message from us, chances are it’s me.
I work closely with our sales team, whose needs shape my hiring priorities. One achievement I’m particularly proud of is defining the roles and requirements for our first data engineers and architects and then hiring them. That work laid the foundation for the AI business that’s growing fast today.
Looking back, the trainee who joined in 2023 would hardly recognise the way I work today: leading senior-level interviews with confidence, challenging hiring managers on requirements and sometimes representing Teamit at events. I think that’s the change my colleagues were referring to.
What kind of workplace is Teamit?
Teamit is a non-hierarchical IT company full of seasoned professionals. I appreciate our culture of focusing on meaningful work and cutting out anything that doesn’t move us toward shared goals. I’ve been here since January 2023, and every year has looked different from the last. Teamit evolves with the market and puts real emphasis on staying at the forefront of AI and data. That keeps the work fresh, and there’s always something new to learn.
Teamit is also a deeply human place to work. My commitment only grew stronger when the company stood by me through a rough patch in my personal life. I want to mention this because Teamit didn’t have to support me the way they did. That’s when I realised company values can be lived, not just printed on a website.
How do you develop your skills?
Two ways stand out.
The first is quick feedback loops. Whenever I suspect an interview could have gone better, I go through it with Marko, our business director, and we look at what I could have done differently. I bring those lessons straight into my next interviews. I also regularly test new techniques and structures for my interviews to see which ones lead to better conversations. It’s not about reinventing the wheel, but about sharpening the axe between swings.
The second is staying close to the market. I exchange ideas with other recruiters, read up on current topics, and use AI tools to dig into the technical side and figure out where different roles are heading.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I’m a second-year IT student. I originally planned to do a master’s, but watching our consultants’ everyday work inspired me to study software development instead. So, when the workday ends, an evening of studying begins.
To recharge, I go to metal concerts, chasing that duality between chaos and catharsis. I also keep fit through exercise and gym training, read anything I can get my hands on, and play lots of games on PS5, Switch and Meta Quest. And I go on drives and travel with my girlfriend, friends and family.
So, will you change careers once more, to software development?
Ha! We’ll see. Ideally, I see my future self as someone who can move comfortably between the technical side and the recruitment or business side. The world is full of possibilities!
Do you have any career advice for readers, from a recruiter’s perspective?
A few thoughts that apply regardless of field or seniority:
Learn to sell. From where I sit, the candidates who stand out are the ones who can clearly explain the value they bring. Knowing how to sell a project, an idea or yourself can put you far ahead of your peers.
Use AI to learn faster. Picking up new skills has never been more accessible. Use GenAI and get creative with it.
Embrace discomfort. The biggest growth happens outside your comfort zone, and failing is part of learning. There’s no shame in trying and failing. I’m living proof: the person who once avoided contact with others now makes it for a living.
Read more about Teamit and check out our open positions: Career at Teamit