From Layoff Notice to Success: How Julia Built on Her Career After Spotify
Julia, 29, originally from Örebro, has had an exciting career in recruitment and HR over the past few years. After spending the last 2.5 years in New York, where she worked for Spotify, she has now settled in Stockholm with her partner Jacob, living in Södermalm. Julia holds a bachelor’s degree in human resources from Örebro University, and her career in Talent Acquisition began while she was still a student, when she worked as a recruitment assistant at Gröna Lund.
After graduating, Julia landed her first major opportunity as a recruitment coordinator at Spotify, where she quickly rose through the ranks after two promotions. After 3.5 years at the Stockholm office, she moved to New York to help build a new recruiting team within the same organization. Despite her success, however, a turning point came when she was laid off after two years. But thanks to her experience and drive, she landed the role of Talent Acquisition Manager at Viaplay Group shortly thereafter.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
One of the biggest challenges Julia has faced in her career was being laid off from Spotify after 5.5 years. When she joined the company at age 23, she had strongly identified with her work, which made the layoff both publicly and emotionally difficult. “I had built my personal brand around working at Spotify in New York, and when I was laid off, I felt an enormous sense of shame,” she says.
But this period turned out to be an important turning point for Julia. She took the opportunity to focus on herself, travel, and spend time with loved ones. After four months, she landed the job at Viaplay—a role she now sees as a perfect step in her career. “It was the push I needed to dare to try something new,” she says, emphasizing that every change has a purpose.
Innovation in Talent Acquisition
For Julia, innovation in HR and recruitment is about constantly developing and staying up to date on new trends and technologies. “I surround myself with people who know more than I do—that’s the key to growth,” she explains. By participating in courses, conferences, and networking events, she stays constantly up to date on industry developments.
One area where she sees significant potential is the implementation of AI-based tools. She has recently begun exploring these tools to streamline recruitment processes, such as candidate screening and interview scheduling.
Successful Changes
One of Julia’s most successful initiatives in HR has been developing and publishing employer branding content on social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram. By providing a genuine glimpse into the company and its work culture, she has succeeded in reaching a younger audience, resulting in thousands of visitors to the careers page and hundreds of applications every month—all from TikTok alone. “When the audience gets a natural and authentic picture of the company, it’s more convincing than when a CEO explains why people should work there,” she says.
Qualities and skills that make a difference
When Julia recruits new employees, she looks at both technical skills and personal qualities. Adaptability, communication, and the ability to collaborate are important qualities she values highly, as are initiative and the desire to continually develop. “Drive and commitment are, of course, always a bonus,” she concludes.
Julia’s journey is proof of how embracing change and seeing opportunities in challenges can lead to a successful career in HR and recruitment, both in Sweden.
