ALUMNI SUCCESS
Marina Jurić
RIT Croatia Class of 2007
Tourism, Hospitality and Service Management
Employment:Coca-Cola HBC Croatia
Job title:Supply Chain HR Business Partner for Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
A step out of the comfort zone brings miracles
The devotion to my current field of expertise began when I decided to go after my greatest passion and build my career on that enthusiasm; it was to support people to reach their full potential. By majoring in Human Resources Management, I shaped this broad enthusiasm into an area of focus, and today I can say that on this path, my passion helped inspire others.
Another important part of the story was the surrounding in which I wanted to put my intention into action. In line with my personality, I was looking for an international, best-in-class, fast-paced surrounding that supported innovation, advancement and opportunities for growth. My specific goal came down to becoming a part of the story behind the 2nd most known word in the world – Coca-Cola. It was a planned approach which took time, patience and long-term focus. It also involved struggling when everything was not going smoothly, but in the end it was all worth it. The opportunities I took before I joined Coca-Cola HBC Croatia prepared me for this one. I embraced each one of them. They involved various summer jobs, a co-op in the United States and experience in a headhunting company. Finally, I joined Coca-Cola HBC Croatia in 2008 and found a rewarding territory to expand my potential. Ever since I became a part of this successful organization it has all been about learning. There is an old proverb which says "The more you know, the more you realize you don’t”. I have been learning about processes and procedures that made this system, operating in 28 countries, so successful, and I have also learned about behaviors that have led to this success. Very soon, I also realized that a great and original idea will always find ground to flourish, because talent and strong determination are all it takes to reach higher levels. This is what I liked then, and this is what I cherish today.
I started my career in Coca-Cola HBC Croatia as a Recruitment Specialist in 2008, and today I am the Supply Chain HR Business Partner for Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have built my way up from the position of a Talent Specialist, HR BP Specialist, Learning and Development Supervisor to where I am today; I have been reaching out for, and creating opportunities along the way. Today, my field of expertise involves establishing responsive, high-quality advice and support in driving organizational effectiveness through talent management, whether through driving engagement, managing development, managing talent acquisitions or employer branding – they are all means to gain and retaining the greatest talents and supporting them to perform at their highest potential, every day.
Throughout my work, I realized that a solid ground is what I have built on. I often remember what my professors from RIT Croatia taught me: how to tackle problems when they needed tackling, how to connect little dots into a wider picture with broader sense, how to approach an unsolvable issue and use it as an inspiration for great innovations, and how to set high standards for everything I do. And yet, through all this, they taught me that it was all about being devoted, taking full ownership and changing what needs to be changed. I often knocked on closed doors, but it made me realize that I need to change myself first in order for things around me to change. Sometimes I made mistakes, but I realized that through them, I learned and grew faster. I learned how to prioritize by focusing my energy on important things within my scope of influence. And when difficult people crossed my path, I learned how to let them teach me about how I never wanted to behave. I am thankful for all great leaders; they have always been the greatest inspiration. Similar things are those that drive great potential in talents that I have the pleasure to work with.
Taking a step out of the comfort zone brings miracles. This is what I passed as an inspiration to my brother, a proud student of RIT Croatia today. Because now, more than ever, I am highly convinced that the initial idea of expanding – be it an idea, a business, a shop, a corporation, a department, a project, anything – starts with expanding oneself. By all means – there is endless potential, and we are responsible for unleashing and enjoying it, regardless of the path we choose.