Leadership Journeys: Meet Sinisa Topic from the Leaders4Tomorrow Program

We kicked off this year’s Leaders4Tomorrow Program at the Talentor Global Summit in Warsaw in October 2024, followed by an intensive leadership camp. Over the year, the group took part in global keynotes, two company challenges, and many learning opportunities. In June 2025, the second group, including talents from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Austria, successfully completed the program. We’re proud to have run Leaders4Tomorrow for two years now!

One of the top talents within the Talentor Community who participated and recently culminated the second cohort of the Leaders4Tomorrow Program was Sinisa Topic.

With almost a decade of experience in recruiting across various roles, Sinisa Topic brings both depth and leadership to his position as Team Lead at epunkt, Austria’s leading recruiting company. His focus on IT and tech recruitment makes him a key player in connecting top talent with the right opportunities, especially in Upper Austria.

During the Talentor Leaders4Tomorrow global development program, Sinisa worked on refining an operational briefing matrix designed to streamline communication between recruiters and clients. The matrix is almost complete, with final adjustments underway.

“Our goal is to create briefings that are clear and effective without slipping into micromanagement. It’s about empowering the team while making sure client needs are fully understood.”

Sinisa highlights the self-leadership focus of the program as a standout feature, helping him grow personally and professionally. The blend of online and in-person sessions, with minimal preparation demands, made the experience manageable and engaging.

“The sessions on AI in Vienna were particularly impactful, showing various leadership approaches in today’s tech landscape. The group’s enthusiasm made the program enjoyable and stress-free.”

Sinisa’s career journey shapes how he leads his team and approaches recruitment:

• You’ve gained deep industry experience in IT and worked on recruiting projects at all levels. Now, as a leader, how has your foundation as a recruiter shaped your leadership style?
  Balancing the different expectations and pain points of clients, candidates, and recruiters—while maintaining a high standard of quality - is no easy task. However, my background enables me to take a holistic view of our service and to consider all perspectives involved.
• Why should clients call your team? What are the core positions and expert skill sets your team offers in the market?
  My team specializes in placing IT professionals and executives. Succeeding in this field requires a unique blend of technical understanding, deep recruiting expertise, strong advisory skills, and (above all) excellent communication. Everyone on the team is committed to excellence - it’s no longer about simply doing the job; it’s about doing it exceptionally well.
• What do you see in the talent market now that IT companies in Austria should especially consider?
  The IT talent market in Austria is currently shifting slightly back in favor of employers. There are many skilled specialists available, but they’re facing fewer opportunities. This creates a prime window for companies to attract and hire true experts. We witnessed something similar during Covid. Those companies that hired these experts during the recession had a competitive edge when the economy recovered.
• How do you balance operational efficiency and giving your team room to grow and innovate?
  In my view, a well-functioning team needs clear goals and openly communicated expectations to define the framework. Within that framework, there should be enough room for individual contribution, so everyone can play to their strengths.  
  

This works best when the team shares a unified understanding of quality, making overly detailed rulebooks unnecessary.  
Through individual coaching, each recruiter can be supported in setting personal focus areas and growing in their own way.

• What advice would you give to new recruiters entering the tech industry today?
  IT is an incredibly fast-paced industry. New technologies, tools, and applications emerge every month. To engage with both candidates and clients as a true expert - and communicate on equal footing - it’s essential to stay continuously up to date.  
  Even though a certain amount of activity is necessary in the recruiting business, it's important to remember that strong IT professionals are still relatively rare. That means every single interaction counts, and quality should always outweigh quantity.

Thank you, Sini, for the outstanding collaboration throughout the Leaders4Tomorrow program. Your initiative to design and implement strategic initiatives in a simple, clear, and guiding way. It’s fantastic to see how you’re now ensuring your team is on a constant growth path, while your clients experience firsthand the power of deep and thorough questions that drive successful recruiting outcomes.

To learn more about the Leaders4Tomorrow program, click here.