I’m a People Person: Meet Ronen Werner, Customer Success Manager at Hibob

If you look close enough, you might notice a common denominator in each professional adventure you have pursued. When I look back on the career choices and jobs I’ve taken on, I almost immediately notice the one thing they’ve all had (and still have) in common: people. I guess you could say I’m a “people person.” I enjoy social interactions and mingling with anyone who likes engaging in thought-provoking conversation. This is, after all, how you learn and collect a variety of experiences that differ from one another. Life would be pretty tame otherwise, wouldn’t it?

When I was a teenager, I was rewarded with The Education Minister Prize for Social Involvement for volunteering in my local city education department as the coordinator of a magic group; throughout the school year and during Summer camp, I taught younger children how to perform magic acts. This accomplishment was invaluable to me; it felt good to make a difference and have a positive influence on a community that I had spent a copious amount of time interacting with. Looking back, it was a solid start for a future people person in the making.

After high school, my military service began in Air Force Intelligence and I was soon transferred to the 8200 unit as an Air Force representative. Then, I was moved back to the Air Force base as its lead implementation manager. When I finished the army, I packed aircrafts, flying, and its technology at the back of my mind and decided to try something new with my independence. I started working as a sound and light tech at concerts at the venue next to my house. I also worked as a photographer at bars and parties, eventually expanding into weddings, and ran a small business for airbrush and temporary tattoos for productions and party events.

Once again, I was making a positive impact on those around me, offering creative services to larger crowds and this time, people were taking home tangible, physical mementos of memories that lasted long after their celebratory nights ended. But, I had my own goal to reach; I wanted to travel the world and continue to interact with different people while exploring different places. I unpacked the aircraft knowledge I had placed at the back of my mind two years earlier and I mulled over a new-ish idea — one that checked all of my boxes:

I needed to make money — who doesn’t? I wanted to work with tourists — who hasn’t? And, I wanted to see the world — who wouldn’t? So, I became a flight attendant.

For the next two years, I worked and traveled as a business class flight attendant on El Al, and was able to meet influential people from all over the world. Prime Ministers and Presidents, celebrities and media personalities, you name it. Working as a flight attendant took me to Africa, China, and London. New York became my second home. I had never spent more than a few hours in the air before and now, I can say I actually lived in the sky.

While traveling the world, I interacted with civilians more than I could have expected. I learned how vital human connection really is. You need it to grow, to learn, and to understand what you would otherwise never encounter inside of your hometown bubble. I eventually reached my goal, though. I had traveled the world and gained a stronger sense of international culture. I needed something new to work towards. As a people person, who had officially awakened his ability to connect and work well with others, I was able to find my next career choice quicker than I thought.

Today’s labor market might as well be its own melting pot. The workforce in itself is a dynamic landscape, with people interchanging between seven to nine fields of work within their lifetime. Hiring managers appreciate versatile experience; it’s not just about studying anymore, but the skills you possess and the capacity to continue learning over the course of your employment. You no longer need to depend on a degree or diploma to advance your professional development.

I wanted to use my eclectic skill set in an environment that allowed me to exercise all of my specialties. Now that I knew I could coin myself a people person, I had learned to communicate in a transparent, yet helpful manner. I was accustomed to interacting with people regardless of their location. And, I had extensive hands-on training with several types of software. I was introduced to Hibob by a friend and considered applying for a position that could tie in my extroverted nature with the skills I had been both subconsciously and consciously harnessing for years. It was as if my people person tendencies were neatly tied into the remainder of my resume and I could practice all of my talents at once.

Now, I work at Hibob as a Customer Success Manager. When I first learned the details regarding the Customer Success position, I considered it greatly, because I knew I wanted a role in high tech that was more than just sitting in front of a computer. It seemed to be a good fit due to my interactive persona and my past experience with implementation. I also knew that if I chose to enter the high tech space, Hibob would be the best place to join because of its work culture, and the option to grow and progress.

I have fun speaking with customers who are based across the world, and like that, I work with a system that serves a greater purpose for other high-growth startups looking to connect with their people. I’ve reached a point where I feel my knowledge could be insurmountable; I’m able to answer any kind of client inquiry, I get to engage with people on a daily basis, and as the first point of contact in a support mechanism, I’m making a difference again.

Don’t get me wrong; culture is an extremely important factor to consider when joining a new company, and Hibob’s atmosphere is unprecedented. However, what the company itself preaches lies in the extension of its culture. Professional growth, development, and a reformation of your skillset that is amplified by those around you, and what you learn from each other. What I appreciate most is the ability to manage my own time with the tools I’m given to excel in my role. These tools, normally a derivative of bob and its integrations, let you decide what you want to do or become here over time.

The interaction doesn’t stop with my customer base. I get to collaborate with other teams within the company whether it’s to work on a project, check-in on a client, demo a new feature, or make cocktails at happy hour (which yes, I happen to do pretty well).

I’ve switched fields every two years and I can safely say that people are my common denominator. Each field has been different in its own right. Working as a magician taught me how to teach others. Working as an implementation manager in the Air Force Intelligence unit allowed me to get acquainted with a technology I hadn’t encountered before. Working as a flight attendant helped me reach my long-time goal while honing my dexterity as a “people person.” My role at Hibob allows me to command each of these traits as a collection of know-how. Regardless of what the next item on my bucket list may be, I’m sure it will involve being around people.