Career Journeys in Talent Acquisition: Karolina Sokolowska

Thanks for reading! This series is designed to shine a spotlight on Talent Acquisition professionals and highlight their career journeys and learnings so far. Today, we're joined by Karolina Sokolowska. If you'd like to be next, please reach out to a TTC Community Manager.

Introduce yourself:

Hello! My name is Karolina Sokolowska, and I am a senior recruiter with 11 years of experience. Gained in agency, RPO and internal recruitment among various industries and roles. My recent years of career were dedicated to technology recruitment in Amazon Web Services and Meta.

Can you walk us through the key milestones in your career in the talent acquisition space? What were some pivotal moments or decisions that shaped your journey?

The very first pivotal moment happened before starting my career. During my studies, I met a person who was working in recruitment, and their stories convinced me that this was the career I wanted for myself. The second big pivot was in my first job. Like many recruitment professionals, I started in a recruitment agency where I was progressing my career rapidly. Once I became a team lead, I decided I wanted something else. I put in my resignation and became, once again, an individual contributor, but this time in an RPO environment. That exposure gave me a lot of insights into the internal processes of the companies I worked for. It also helped me understand that working as an internal recruiter is exactly what I need for my next career step. Fast forward, and 3 years later, I was working not only in a different country (relocating from Poland to the UK) but also for one of the most recognisable companies- AWS. The biggest lesson I learnt was to take risks and strive for my goals, even if it sometimes means taking a step back. 

In this rapidly evolving industry, what strategies or practices have you adopted to continuously enhance your skills and stay ahead of the curve? Do you have any resources or learning methods you'd recommend to others?

Nowadays, we have access to many resources like YouTube, blogs, webinars or groups like TTC, where we have almost unlimited and free knowledge. So, it is not a lack of information but more the attitude you have towards learning. First of all, don’t try to be good at everything, as you will end up being good at nothing. Find your niche. Is it diversity? Is it sourcing? Or maybe something else you are passionate about? Once you have “your field”, you will find it much easier to learn and stay up to date with the latest trends. 

As a general approach, I always find it easier to learn from my colleagues and the people I work with. I was lucky enough to meet many incredible talent acquisition professionals as well as hiring managers who taught me a lot. When I am struggling with something, I always try to understand the topic and do the required research before seeking someone’s help - that saves them some time :) 

The last advice I would have is simply DO THINGS! Don’t be afraid to volunteer, even if you think something might be beyond your current abilities. One of the greatest skills I gained in my life happened when I was doing something rather than just reading about it.

What has been the most challenging aspect of your career, especially when you were actively seeking work? How did you overcome it, and what advice would you offer to others facing similar hurdles?

It happened to me when I moved to the UK 8 years ago, leaving my stable job in Poland and not having any job in London. It took me a few months to find a new role and lots of persistence to keep going even though the “happy ending” was nowhere in sight. I even rejected one offer during this time as it wasn’t aligned with my goal to continue my technology focus. 

I won’t lie, it is not fun, waking up and looking for a job every single day or facing rejections from roles that seemed like a perfect match. My tip is to focus on things you can control and don’t treat these rejections personally. Access your skills, prepare a good CV, connect with people, look for various ways to identify opportunities and focus all of your attention once you land an interview. 

Bonus advice would be to just use this free time and enjoy it! This is something I DID NOT do 8 years ago, and I really regret it. I was so stressed and focused on finding a job that I didn’t have any energy to just develop my passions and look for some other cool things to do. Now, after being laid off from Meta, I decided to take my own advice and give myself a well-deserved career break before my next move. 

The recruiting world can be fast-paced and demanding. How do you strike a balance between your professional commitments and personal life? Are there specific routines or rituals you follow?

A bit of a disclaimer before sharing my secret behind work-life balance. I am, and always have been, a dedicated employee with great results, whether in a “normal” or fast-paced environment. I truly enjoy recruitment, and I think I am good at it. But there is one sentence I heard years ago that really stayed with me: “ as recruiters we are not saving lives like doctors, we don’t have to be available 24/7”. It really resonates with me, which is why when it’s time for work, I give 100%, but when the work is done, I close my laptop and enjoy my free time. I do not open it again during the evening or weekend, and I never check my emails on my phone. You think it is only a minute of your time to see what is happening, but in practice, it is not! You see an urgent email or something that will take a second to do, and all of a sudden, you are working again! Value your free time as much as you value your work, and switch off when it’s time to do so. 

Sometimes, it might be difficult to completely and quickly move on from work to “life”, so I usually try to do something specific after work. This can be exercising, cooking, reading or maybe just taking a walk with my husband. It gives me that separation between the two worlds. 

As someone involved in talent acquisition, you've likely witnessed various technology and trend shifts. Which technologies or trends do you believe have had the most significant impact on the industry, and how have they influenced your role?

Working in a few different companies gave me exposure to different levels of technology in the recruitment field. What I learnt over these years is that not many companies invest proper money into their recruitment set up. It doesn’t mean your performance will be impacted, but it certainly means you will have to work harder. Proper ATS, reporting software, sourcing tools, and automatisation can save so much time and energy. It can not only help you to be more productive but leave you space to also innovate and be more creative. 

I am curious to see what the AI boom will bring to the recruitment field. I personally think what we see and can do with AI now is just the tip of the iceberg, and I am hopeful that companies will also use this technology to help our efforts in recruitment. 

For those entering the talent acquisition space or those looking to pivot within it, what's the one piece of practical advice you'd give to help them thrive, especially if they are actively job-seeking?

For those who are just starting their talent acquisition journey, my advice would be very practical: go to the recruitment agency first. Nothing will teach you more than working in such an environment, and it will build your network massively. 

Looking for a pivot? Learn what skills are required in your dream job and see if there is anything you can learn in your current company that would bring you closer to your goal. Connect with people around you and be open to new experiences. 

I know it is difficult to start something new or to learn something from scratch but think about it long term. Eventually, the time will pass, so it is your choice how you will use it. Taking even small steps at your own pace will eventually bring you to your final goal. You just need to focus and stay resilient.