Life at Proprium: Matej Crnković

I joined Proprium as a student in my final year of graduate studies. Since my field is Business Informatics, the positions of Administrative & Project Management Assistant and Implementation Assistant appealed to me as exciting new challenges in my career path. Although I started at Proprium as an Administrative and Project Management Assistant, my journey took a turn toward implementation, and I spent most of my time developing client solutions and collaborating directly with clients.

​At first, such a working principle might seem unusual, but Proprium helped me find myself and test my skills in roles I never would have encountered without internal support. Although I was initially drawn to project management, through collaborating with colleagues and working with clients, I realized what my true calling was. With the support of the CEO, I transitioned to the implementation team. Every new experience gained in both positions helped me learn something about myself and steer my future development toward my specific knowledge and potential.

​There is no such thing as an "average day" at Proprium. Every day consists of new, dynamic challenges and tasks that help develop resourcefulness in a fast-paced environment, master the balance of time across several different projects at once, and navigate an interesting workflow given the asynchronous nature of the work. From automating a simple client process to completely redesigning an internal client management system, every day brought new challenges and opportunities to learn.

​Despite this being a student position, I never once felt like I was "just another student," but rather a true member of the team. The career development support that Proprium provides is something I haven't experienced anywhere else. Your time and knowledge are respected, but that respect must be mutual. One thing I would particularly highlight is communication, communication, and communication. Nothing is a problem, and everything can be discussed. No one will yell at you; instead, you will go through various situations together and discuss what went wrong or how something could have been done better. You won't be left in the lurch if a mistake happens, because all mistakes can be corrected and serve to help you grow and improve.

​When I applied for the job, I expected just another student job in a long line of many. Working at Proprium is anything but that. This is a student job that will shape your future career path and help you understand exactly where you fit in (or where you don't). Whatever your future career path may be, you can expect guidance and support from Proprium, even if you are no longer a standard member of the team.

​It is important to emphasize that this is not a "cookie-cutter" job. Every task brings new opportunities for learning and skill development; it is necessary to think critically and independently conclude how to solve specific tasks and problems. One must also be ready to work with clients, because unless you try it, you can't be sure that it isn't your true calling and something you excel at.

​Working at Proprium will certainly help you find yourself and your career path. Of course, some days will be harder than others, and sometimes a problem will seem unsolvable, but you are not alone on that journey. You can expect support from your colleagues at any moment. Balancing work in a dynamic environment will teach you to better organize your own time and respect the time of others. Your level of self-organization will improve, as will your ability to coordinate your schedule with other colleagues.

​Anyone who decides to apply for student work at Proprium can expect the experience to be impeccable and to learn how to work in a dynamic environment. Perhaps this type of work isn't for everyone, but even in that case, you will learn something about yourself, realize what attracts you in a career path, and be guided in the best possible way.