Lara Dimitrovski
‘I might just have the most cheerful job there is.’ Lara Dimitrovski works as a corporate recruiter at TNO, primarily within the Energy & Materials Transition department. Her focus during interviews? Whether someone is authentic.
‘I completed my HR studies right in the midst of the crisis when it was difficult to find work in HR. Through a staffing agency, I obtained the Practical Payroll Administration Diploma, after which I was seconded to TNO.
Once I started working, I realized the opportunities TNO offers: I was internally given the opportunity to grow into recruitment. I seized that opportunity with both hands.
I was trained for it, but I also got a lot of energy from it when I went into my very first interview with a colleague recruiter. It turned out to be even more enjoyable than expected. Maybe not very surprising, since I only meet enthusiastic people: TNO employees who are proud of their work and potential TNO candidates who are eager to pursue their careers in the field they love. Maybe I have the most cheerful job there is.’
Asking questions yourself
‘How do I know you're the right candidate? In addition to a passion for research, you enjoy collaboration, you are curious and you are creative. Together with your future manager, I assess who you are, what you're looking for in a job, and what your talents are. Technical colleagues assess whether there is also a substantive match.
I think it's very important that you also ask questions yourself. This way, you'll find out if TNO is a good fit for you. A question I often get is why I've been working at TNO for so long. My answer? it doesn't matter which building you walk through, you feel the drive in the people. And when you walk down the street, you see TNO all around you. We are in almost every field of work, and the societal relevance of our work is significant.’
Trainee program
‘In addition to her recruitment activities at Energy & Materials Transition, Lara is also involved in the trainee program. 'A wonderful program in which recent graduates get the opportunity to fulfil three different roles in 2 years. There is plenty of room for personal development. It's a comprehensive selection process where we collectively assess during a selection day whether there is a match, both for TNO and for the candidate.’