HR Project Career: Thomas Rudel
What stations have you already passed through as an HR professional?
Thomas: Well, since I started in HR consulting in IT recruiting and then as an HR Expert at HR factory, I have already gotten to know six different companies to date. To list all the tasks I have taken on in recent years would take a while. Ultimately, this also shows that I have really experienced a lot of variety in my previous stations – whether directly at HR factory or via their placement.
In this respect, I also see myself as an HR generalist and absorb everything I have to deal with in my day-to-day work as an HR professional. With recruiting, I have nevertheless found a clear focus that has been a common thread throughout my career to date.
What role do you take in your projects?
Thomas: Most of the time, I take on the role of advisor. I work closely with Hiring Managers and Executive Management to provide in-depth requirements analysis.
This means I clear all tasks, developments, critical events and more for the posts. I bring structure to the information and create clear job postings. In doing so, I also conduct in-depth interviews with the parties involved in order to carry out aptitude diagnostic methods and select the right candidates.
What challenges are you dealing with?
Thomas: The biggest challenge often lies in analyzing the strategic direction of a project. Sometimes the strategic component is so strong that the operational roles have to take a back seat. It can be difficult, but it’s still fun, especially in consulting.
Finding the balance between strategic consulting and operational action is definitely challenging. Sometimes there’s so much operational stuff flying around my ears that it’s not easy to keep an eye on the long-term goals. But that is exactly why it is worthwhile to bring a project to a successful conclusion.
What personal lessons have you learned in your career?
Thomas: One of the most important learnings is the importance of a healthy distance as a consultant in HR. When you see yourself in an advisory role, you develop professionalism and protect yourself from the ups and downs in the business. From this perspective, it is essential to maintain a certain distance in order to develop clear strategic options. Keeping the freedom to analyze objectively and be pragmatic at the same time is simply important for me personally.
Because I sometimes tend to be a perfectionist, I have also learned for myself to be more pragmatic in certain places. For example, I partially use AI to have texts created for me. In the end, I am more productive if I then just correct the texts instead of having to fill a blank sheet.
What do you enjoy do you enjoy most about your job?
Thomas: Definitely the diversity of my role. Every project and every day bring new tasks and new challenges. For me personally, this variety is extremely important.
I also enjoy working with people in general. Here, too, I appreciate the variety of people in their different positions with whom I have to deal on a daily basis. This broadens my horizons and challenges my adaptability. If things then also work out well and my initiatives and ideas are valued, I’m really satisfied with my career path as an HR professional.