Kačka started out as a receptionist at a security agency; now she works at TITANS and looks for IT experts for banks, telcos, and consulting firms — and she doesn’t simply ‘shower them with CVs and hope something sticks.’ She treats each project like a watchmaker, where every detail counts. This allows her to give the candidate so much information during the first contact, which they appreciate much more than a regular phone call from another agency. And the results? A record-breaking four-day time to fill and candidates who contact her again just to say how happy they are.
How did you get into recruitment? ‘It was a complete coincidence. In 2018, I moved to Prague and joined a security agency as a receptionist. Sometimes I helped the recruiters with simple things, then one recruiter quit and my boss asked me if I want to try it out. I learned how to work with CVs and ads and started looking for people, e.g. for industrial sites.’
Do you have any funny stories from your early career? ‘One evening before an assessment centre selection process, my friend and I were playing with the automation settings on our iPhone, just to make the phone make a sound when it’s put on the charger. She set something up for me and I completely forgot about it the next day. In the morning I prepared the meeting room, and the candidates started coming. Two minutes before we started, I put my phone to charge and the whole room heard: “Siri, I’m the best!” I think that really helped ease everyone’s nerves.’
Transition to IT: a completely different ball game
What’s the difference between looking for security guys and IT specialists? ‘It’s an entirely different league. Today I mostly work from home looking for experts for banks, telcos or consulting firms. It’s not just about finding someone with the right skill set, but about understanding the context — the team, type of cooperation, specific requirements, and sometimes even difficult situations.’
How does cooperation with the sales department help? ‘A lot; 95% of the time I receive perfectly described projects, not only the technical requirements, but also the broader context of the business and team. That’s a great advantage. The candidate receives a quality package of information upon first contact, and they appreciate that. They often tell me that they didn’t get all the details from our competition.’
Record-breaking time to fill: 4 days
What was your fastest placement? ‘Four days. This was a position for one of our top clients. Patrik from the sales team told me we don’t have much time. I spent two days searching and calling until I found a candidate who met all the requirements, could start immediately, and was also a good fit in terms of personality. On the fourth day she received an offer. It wasn’t luck, it was focus and hard work.’
Resilience and mindset
What’s your strength? ‘I’m not afraid of challenges. When a difficult task comes up, I’d rather do it right away than think about it. I’m stubborn and when I put my mind to something, I won’t let go until it’s done.’
Why do candidates want to work with you?
Have you ever had a candidate favour you over the competition? ‘Yes, several times. They told me that I was more likeable and gave them better information about the project. That’s exactly what makes the difference: the quality of information and the individual approach.’
Do you also get feedback from people you have placed?
‘Sometimes candidates contact me repeatedly. Not because they want to change jobs, but they like to let me know how much they enjoy working on the project. They often thank me for my work, and that really makes me happy.’
It’s not just the recruiter behind every fast job placement, but also the sales department.
Read our interview with Patrik and find out what recruitment looks like through the eyes of our sales person.
