Q&A with Selin Songur
Most people believe hiring begins with a resume. For Selin Songur, it begins with a conversation where both sides see if they’re a good fit. She wants every candidate to leave with a positive impression of AVOW, no matter the outcome.
As Senior People and Talent Manager, Selin plays a key role in how AVOW finds, supports, and retains its people. Her team of about 80 works across countries and backgrounds, and she makes sure everyone feels connected and heard, wherever they are. Outside of work, she DJs in Berlin and spends time with her rescue dog, Belke.
In this month’s Meet the A-Team, Selin shares what makes the “AVOW magic” special for candidates and colleagues alike. She explains why curiosity matters more to her than a resume and how DJing has helped her learn to read a room.
1. As Senior People and Talent Manager, you’re responsible for finding, nurturing, and retaining top talent. How would you describe the “AVOW magic” when it comes to our workplace culture and candidate experience?
Uff, I can talk about this forever! I love being one of the representatives of AVOW because I believe so much in the magic. It’s a company where there’s real collaboration, where you get to work with people from 27 nationalities, where you have fun while working, and where people actually talk to each other, whatever their level. Like, for instance, we’re around 80 people, and you can still walk up to a founder or other management members with an idea and leave with a decision.
And for candidates, I want the process to feel like a conversation between all parties deciding whether this is a good match, not an interrogation! If someone walks away from an interview with positive impressions about us, even when we don’t hire them, I’m happy 🫶🏼
2. Tech recruitment and talent management have shifted drastically over recent years. How has your approach to hiring changed, and what is your secret to identifying candidates who will truly thrive at AVOW?
In the past, the focus was a lot more on ‘what skills do you have?’ and now it’s more about ‘how do you think and work with others?
Resumes tell me where someone’s been but curiosity and adaptability tell me where they’ll go and if they’d be successful at AVOW. My ‘secret’ is that I look for people who enjoy working in small organizations because, again, at 80 people, we still have that small organization in our DNA 🤓
This is a big focus for my team. We put a ‘culture’ and DEIB lens on every new people process or project we design. Time zones are real, but culture isn’t a time zone, so we make sure everyone gets context and fairness, not just instructions and tools. We also work hard to make sure no team’s voice gets drowned out just because they’re far from the office. That shows up in small rituals: getting together in person whenever we can or never scheduling the Town Hall at a time that only suits one continent. I feel lucky to be part of a team that values real belonging and connection, not just KPIs.
4. We know from your International Pet Day feature that you’re a big animal lover!
On the People side of things, how does that innate sense of care and empathy translate into how you look after the team at AVOW?
Haha, anyone who’s been an animal person knows that attention is a language of love! My dog, Belke, is a shelter rescue from Ukraine, and we deal A LOT with her anxiety in public. I can tell the mood swings before she even reacts, and I try to bring that same attentiveness to work. I notice when someone goes quiet over time or when the energy shifts, so I always check in and hold the space for anyone in need.
5. HR and Talent Management come with their own unique set of rewards and hurdles. What is one trend in People Ops that you’ve grown to love, and one recruiting headache you wish you could automate away forever?
Love: building better career and development frameworks. It’s good for trust, and it forces everyone to be clearer about what each role is about.
Headache: interview scheduling ping-pong. I’d happily hand that to a robot forever and focus on actual people & relationship building.
6. Beyond building great teams, you’re also active in Berlin’s music scene as a DJ! How does creating a flow behind the decks mirror how you shape candidate journeys or keep the team’s energy high?
Two points:
1) It’s all about reading the room. Behind the decks, you never play the same set for every crowd. And the same goes for people teamwork: one size doesn’t fit all, so I adapt my approach to the group in front of me/that I’m working with. That matters even more with as many nationalities as we have at AVOW.
2) A good set also has a flow: you don’t jump from one track to a completely different one; you build slowly and let people settle in. A good candidate journey works the same way, with smooth transitions and no awkward silences between steps!
7. If you weren’t building world-class teams at AVOW (or playing DJ sets), what would be your “impossible” dream job?
Probably combine my love for people, cultures, music, and rescue animals all in one place!? I’d love to create a free community space for all beings where people from all backgrounds & ages, music lovers, and dog (and really, all animals actually…) lovers can come together to exchange ideas, create music, crafts, and things, and watch dogs get the zoomies, kids & kittens play, all while taking care of plants and cooking yummy food 🥰
Ugh, ok, thanks for letting me articulate this dream a bit more! Now back to work, but also if there’s any investor out there who’d like to realize such a dream with me, you’re always welcome to hit me up 😹😻 I promise great food, good music, and cuddly dogs!
“Lightning Round”
- Direct sourcing outreach or organic inbound applications? Direct sourcing, definitely! I love the whole journey, from spotting someone who might be a match to watching them land the role and thrive in it ✨
- In-office team jam session or async remote flexibility? Hmm, tough one! I love the energy of an in-office jam session because I love being around people. But async flexibility has also been a lifesaver through big life changes in the last couple of years, so I’d say: flexibility most days + jam sessions as the treat.
- An energetic 1-on-1 catch-up or a perfectly structured team workshop? Energetic 1-1, always!
- Berlin underground techno set or chill ambient weekend beats? Haha, not surprisingly, techno most of the time! Ambient isn’t my vibe, but I’d happily take some downtempo on a Sunday afternoon as well.
Selin Songur’s last answer shows her approach well: she adapts to the people she’s with. She designs people processes with culture and DEIB in mind, pays attention when a teammate’s mood changes, and builds hiring processes that flow smoothly. She always treats people as individuals, not just numbers.
That’s the AVOW magic Selin values: even with 80 people, the company still feels small enough that anyone can share an idea with a founder. Come back next month to meet another member of the A-Team.
Want to be part of a team like this? → Explore open roles at AVOW
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