Welcome back! - returnee in human resources development

Lia Horsch joined the Employer Branding team in mid-September with a focus on university marketing, returning to the Human Resources Training andDevelopment service unit after a brief career interlude as a research assistant in the field of digitalization of teaching.

Hi Lia! Thank you so much for taking the time for an interview and by the way: Welcome back! How was your return to Rödl & Partner and your first days?

Coming back feels like I never left. I was excited and I am still very happy to see and work with my old and new colleagues every day. My first days at work went by incredibly fast. On my third working day, I was already able to take part in the first evening event, the Alumni Evening, and share old Rödl memories with former colleagues. That was also a nice and fun experience.

How did you decide to return to Rödl & Partner in the area of employer branding and university marketing after a short break?

After my wedding, I was very happy to receive a lovely card from my team and brought some hostess gifts on a Friday afternoon. While there, I bumped into my former and current manager Judith Moneke-Schmidt, who had alerted me to the university marketing vacancy. Our conversation and the comforting familiarity of my brief visit never left me. So it was that I contacted her again a week later.

What are you looking forward to in your new role?

I am looking forward to the opportunity to make a creative contribution to a topic of such high and acute relevance, to create and influence a new area of responsibility in collaboration with my team, and to be able to maintain an interface with personnel development and the university environment.

What makes working at Rödl & Partner special for you?

My colleagues - both in my immediate team and in the firm as a whole. I enjoy every contact, every conversation, every joint project and I can safely say that we have great people working for us. I also appreciate the atmosphere of a family business in an international environment.

What drives you professionally and what do you want to achieve in your new role?

I think it's great to be able to learn and grow through meaningful work in a productive environment and as part of a motivated team. I like challenges and the feeling of being able to "make a difference" is what drives me. I also like to be out and about, on the move, I love the action. In my new position, I want to show students who is behind Rödl & Partner and our exciting professional profiles - what personalities, stories and emotions. In this way, I hope to play an important role in attracting new colleagues who fit in with us, who want to come, grow and find their professional home with us.

What is your main motto/favourite quote that guides you in your personal and professional life?

"It is the little things in life that often bring the greatest joy".

People close to me would probably describe me as enthusiastic about the smallest things. Of course I look forward to big journeys, big life stages, big goals. However, it is the small things in life that, if you are aware of them, can make a big difference and bring joy on a daily basis.

Thank you Lia for this wonderful interview! We wish you a great start in your new role!