“EDU Effective taught me more than 4 years of university,” says ambassador Petr Kučera

At EDU Effective, we greatly value students who manage to balance demanding work with their studies. For this interview, we invited our MBA student, Petr Kučera, who currently works as a Talent Acquisition Specialist at Randstad. What’s his approach to HR practice, what can’t he start his day without, and how does he balance work, studies, and his ambassadorship at EDU Effective?

Ambassadorship Program at EDU Effective

Did you know that being an ambassador at EDU Effective brings many benefits not only to the ambassador but also to the EDU community? Becoming an ambassador is easy and requires minimal time commitment. Share your experience with EDU Effective within your social circle and actively influence the direction and future of EDU Effective Business School.

Why Become an Ambassador?

• You get free membership in the Alumni+ program.
• You boost your personal brand.
• You connect with people from around the world.
• You improve your teamwork, leadership, and public speaking skills.
• We support your career, write recommendations, and help you in any way we can.

Petr, thank you so much for accepting our invitation to this interview. Let’s start with an easy one – can you introduce yourself to our readers and describe what your typical workday looks like?

Hello, thank you for inviting me to this interview. My name is Petr, and I work as a TAS/Consultant at Randstad. Every morning, when I arrive at the office, I start with a good coffee – it’s a must-have for me, I can’t do without it. Then I sit down at my computer, check emails, incoming messages on LinkedIn, and on some days, I also conduct interviews with candidates. And of course, I dedicate a 15-minute session to EDU Effective!

What brought you to recruitment? How has your career journey been so far?

That’s a good question. It was probably my connection with people because I am a very communicative person. As for my journey, my very first job was in a warehouse, which was supposed to be temporary until I had another date for the Czech language proficiency test, but it turned into 2 years. The turning point was when I applied for an internal HR position and wasn’t selected due to lack of experience, so I joined a recruitment agency, where I helped with hiring seasonal workers and later transferred to the branch in Ústí nad Labem, where I was responsible for recruiting administrative staff. I’ve also worked on external projects across various sectors (retail, customer service), and now I’m considering moving to internal HR to compare the differences.

What do you enjoy and find fulfilling about your current position?

Definitely the diversity. Some might say it’s purely about recruitment, but I meet different types of people every day, each with unique experiences and stories. I’m not the type of recruiter who follows a prepared call script; I let the conversation flow naturally – I find that candidates are more relaxed and I get more information from them.

You’re currently still a student at EDU Effective; what has your study given you so far? Are there any specific study modules that you enjoyed?

Honestly? Studying at EDU Effective has given me much more than 4 years of university. I love that I can study a specialization in Human Resources, which I can then use in my career. As for my favorite module, it’s definitely Effective Recruitment and Recruitment and Maximization of Talent, which is the main focus of my job. But each module has its own value.

Why did you decide to study at EDU Effective Business School? What attracted you the most about our school?

There were quite a few reasons, but the main one was that I wanted practically oriented studies with a strong focus on Human Resources, which was lacking at a traditional university. Then, of course, the flexibility – being in the office from Monday to Friday and sometimes spending the whole weekend in school is really demanding, and I don’t have any commitments yet, just a dog, but I always found someone to take care of him. And last but not least, English – the opportunity to improve a language that I use quite often in my current position, as I work on an external project where I communicate with people from abroad.

How do you apply the new knowledge gained from your studies in practice and in your current position?

Immediately after graduation, I revamped my strategy for finding new talent. I set deadlines with clients for when they want the positions I’m working on to be filled. I’m mainly absorbing information and experience for the future when I want to move towards internal HR, where the responsibilities and job content will be different.

You are one of our new ambassadors. What motivated you to become an ambassador for EDU Effective?

You have to try everything. I already have experience with ambassadorship – I was an ambassador for my current employer for a year, but due to capacity, I had to give it up and focus more on my main job. Of course, at that time, I didn’t have the equipment I’ve invested in now. The main reason I became an ambassador is that I strongly resonate with EDU Effective’s mission. For me, quality education at a good price is a win-win situation, and I’m in a bubble where most of my peers are now finishing their master’s studies, and some are considering further studies and have questions, so I gladly answer them and enjoy it.

Do you follow current trends in HR and recruitment? Is there anything that has caught your attention recently?

Yes, because I need to know what’s trending and how to target the right audience. On LinkedIn, I follow a few newsletters that focus on recruitment. One of them is by Matěj Matolín, and the other is by Martin Jánský, our CEO, who regularly comments on various changes and trends in HR and recruitment.

What are the biggest challenges you face when recruiting new talent, and how do you overcome them?

The most common challenge I encounter is dealing with rejections from candidates who have the necessary experience but, for some reason, don’t accept our job offer. After four years in this field, I’ve gotten used to it. What still surprises me, though, are the unrealistic demands on candidates (apologies to all hiring managers), because sometimes I feel these demands and the offer are not entirely balanced.

Do you use social media for recruitment? If so, what is your experience with it?

In recruitment, I’m active on LinkedIn, which allows me to find the right profiles I’m looking for, and with an extended license, I can target my outreach more effectively. I also tried to promote the use of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok within the ambassadorship project, but more for brand awareness. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I had to step away from it.

Where do you see your career heading in the future? What are your professional ambitions?

I definitely want to combine my experience in recruitment, but in recent weeks I’ve become actively interested in marketing, so I’d like to aim for a role where I can unify these two fields. But I know I still want to work with people. Sometimes they are the energy boost I need in my job.

How do the education and experiences from EDU Effective help you achieve your professional goals?

As a Talent Acquisition Specialist/Consultant, I can only use the knowledge and experience in recruitment because I don’t have a team of employees to lead or motivate. In the future, I think it will be a great asset because, as I’ve mentioned, I want to move towards internal HR, where the competencies will be different compared to a recruitment agency.

What projects or initiatives do you plan for the future, either at work or for personal development?

I definitely plan to continue educating myself. One never loses by learning, and I’ll keep searching for what I enjoy. I also plan to expand my presence on social media, where I’ll focus on EDU Effective studies so everyone can see what studying there looks like and what it entails.

What advice would you give to people considering studying at EDU Effective Business School?

If they’re considering studying at EDU Effective, I’d suggest starting with the DEMO version, as I did, but after about 14 days, I paid the tuition. The way the EDU Effective program works really suits me, and even with a full schedule, I always find 15 or 30 minutes to study. Thanks to the mobile app, I can study from anywhere. And if they’re worried about studying entirely in English? There’s an option for quick translation or automatically generated subtitles, but over time, you get used to it and even improve your English. If they have any questions, they can contact me on LinkedIn, where I’m happy to answer any questions from a student’s perspective.

Petr’s story serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to succeed in their career. Thank you for sharing your experiences, Petr, and we wish you continued success in your professional journey.