Professionals | Meet Our People | Miodrag – HR Services

Meet Miodrag in HR Services

Miodrag in front of the Random House building in New York City.

Name:	Miodrag, "Mio"
Company:	Bertelsmann Recruiting Services North America, Bertelsmann, Inc.
Title:	Director
Location:	New York, NY
LinkedIn:

My life in a nutshell:

I was born in Romania, and came to the United States when I was five years old. I've lived in Manhattan my whole life!

I have a strong passion for detail, quality, branding, and efficiency. My favorite newspaper is the Financial Times.

I love traveling and culture. I'm a total beach bum, and I love the Caribbean islands—out of which the best sunset in the world can be found in Negril, Jamaica.

I also enjoy food and trying different foods and wines.

My goal in business is to focus on the issues at hand, deliver quality work, and always focus on one thing, which is doing the right thing!

Describe your educational background. Where did you study, what degrees did you receive?

I studied international marketing at Pace University's Lubin School of Business. I also have a minor in business law. I am currently halfway through my MBA.

Describe your career history. What have been your professional experiences prior to your current position?

I have been working at Bertelsmann since the age of 17, when I began as an intern at the Bertelsmann Foundation. I then moved on and worked as a receptionist, office coordinator, purchasing specialist, as well as other special projects. Over the past six years I have been working at Bertelsmann Recruiting Services.

What are your current roles and responsibilities?

I am responsible for managing our North American activities and have been instrumental in introducing several levels of process automation, including the build of Bertelsmann's state-of-the art applicant tracking system known as the beRecruiter. Some of my other current responsibilities are to manage the current North American product and service portfolio, grow the external customer base, continue to invest in R&D, blueprint future offerings, and grow strategic partnerships with other quality players in the recruiting and technology marketplace. I continuously look for innovative ways to reduce costs, improve processes, and save the client valuable time. My team manages this website, in addition to several other Bertelsmann company Jobs & Careers websites.

Describe a typical day at your job.

Chaos, in a good way. I am responsible for managing a big portfolio of technologies, all custom tailored to individual company needs.

There is no such thing as a typical day; in our business we have learned to adjust to a constantly evolving business environment, customer needs, and being proactive in the sense of detecting issues before they become problems. We pride ourselves in this approach; to this day we continue to find process improvements and help our customers improve their business through the use of technology and good providers.

What attracted you to your company and position? What is your favorite thing about your job?

My team is priceless.

Bertelsmann is one of the top media companies in the world! Some of my most favorite things about my job are the people that I work with, my customers, and the diversity and complexity of our products!

What has been your most memorable moment (so far) in your job?

I have had many memorable moments at Bertelsmann, from launching our internal job board to drinking champagne with the former CEO, Thomas Middelhoff, but also meeting individuals like Joel Klein (NYC's Chancellor of Schools) and bumping into P. Diddy in the elevator—every day has been a different one, and I look forward every day to coming to work!

What qualities do you feel are necessary to be a successful employee at your company?

Leadership, an understanding of the big picture, and willingness to fight for what you believe in.

I feel that the highest levels of detail, honesty, integrity, attention to service, and focus on quality are essential to any business function! On my team, we eat, breathe, and drink this stuff as the products, systems, and tools that we deal with require extreme focus and support to ensure the utmost levels of customer satisfaction.

Have you had the opportunity to travel as part of your job?

Yes, I have been privileged to visit Germany, Canada, California, Florida, Kansas, and other parts of the United States to meet with customers, manage projects, and gain exposure to the various operations that Bertelsmann has all over the world.

Do you feel you have a good understanding of Bertelsmann and its corporate culture?

Yes, and I am a solid believer in one of Bertelsmann's key essentials, "entrepreneurial freedom." This place is about a solid community, having fun, taking responsibility, and making a difference in people's lives!