Meet the Expert: Sonja Vidović, Senior International Recruiter
Frankie Farrar-Helm is our Director of Enterprise Marketing with 13 years of experience in marketing communications, advertising, product launches, and campaign management. When Frankie isn’t working, you can find her hosting events with her golden retriever Luka, baking dog treats, or binge-watching X-Files.
Our elite employees are the heartbeat of Elite365. Their talent and passion for what they do helps us set the bar to deliver an elite experience to our clients, providers, vendors, and partners. Our “Meet the Expert” series allows us to highlight team members each month. For the month of February, we are pleased to introduce one of our talented members from the International Nursing division at Elite365.
Meet Sonja Vidović, MPA
Tell us about the career journey that brought you to Elite365.
After graduating from Miami University of Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies, I knew I wanted to find a career that allowed me to connect with people from all around the world who shared a dream of coming to the United States to change their lives. After researching different sectors of international work, I learned about international staffing and how it is a great aid to U.S. hospitals. I began working in international staffing, developing my recruiting skills, and was promoted to a Senior International Recruiter. I craved more career development and skill growth, so I started my master’s degree in Public Administration. I was searching for a role that allowed me to not only work with international nurses, but to also collaborate with U.S. nurses who are just as passionate about helping immigrants change their lives. Tracy Clark, the CEO of Elite365, reached out to me at the perfect time… almost as if he knew I was searching for a new opportunity for growth and change. After discussing what my goals and aspirations were, he connected me to Laura Tuttle, the Vice President of the International Department. From day one, Laura understood my passion for helping immigrants and my desire to keep growing my personal skills as a leader. Soon after, Elite365 offered me the opportunity to join their International team! Now, I am lucky to partner with nurses and other individuals from all walks of life as we develop Elite365’s international department together. I am honored to spend each day helping immigrants achieve their American dreams.
How many years of experience to do have in this discipline?
I have been in recruiting for four years.
What was your first job?
My first job was working at an amusement park when I was 16 during the Halloween season! I worked in a haunted house as a frozen sorority girl. It was a very fun job, but I learned that I was really bad at scaring people, as they usually ended up scaring me instead. Luckily, I did discover that I could use my humor. If I couldn’t scare them, I could make them laugh and still have a memorable experience. I still use this mindset whenever I’m presented with a challenge. If I can’t overcome a challenge due to my weaknesses, then I can overcome the challenge using my strengths!
What is your home state?
Ohio!
What is your favorite activity outside of work?
I love spending time with my family, especially my nieces and nephews. I also enjoy yoga, reading, and taking my dog, Atli, on walks. I also enjoy traveling to new places, and I am a huge fan of history! My goal each year is to visit more museums than I did during the previous year!
Do you have a favorite sports team?
As I am from the Balkans, I am a HUGE soccer and basketball fan! I love the Denver Nuggets, Real Madrid CF, and Red Star Belgrade FC.
Do you have a favorite TV show?
I’m a big Game of Thrones fan. I’ve read all the books and watched the show multiple times, and yet, there is always something new to discover!
Who are your favorite musical artists?
One Direction!!!
Would you like to share any details about your family?
As a Bosnian Serb, my family and my community are extremely important to me. We spend a lot of time together, and will use anything as an excuse to get together and eat delicious food! My nieces and nephews are my world, and I take my duty as the “Fun Auntie” very seriously! While I don’t have any children of my own yet, I love spending time with my nieces and nephews, and giving them everything I wanted as a child. I have one older sister, who is my best friend.
Tell us one fun fact about you that you’d like people to know.
I am a refugee; I came to the United States with my family when I was a child. I am passionate about helping immigrants and refugees achieve their goals and dreams, as someone once did the same for my family and I. I love giving people the opportunity to change their lives and hope it leads to a brighter future for us all!
What would you like to say about your experience working at Elite365?
My experience working at Elite365 has been one of a kind! Every day, I get to meet new nurses from all over the world and discuss their goals and aspirations. I get to partner with a team who is passionate about career development and providing the best opportunities to international nurses. I’m enjoying learning new things about international staffing and how I can positively impact the lives of others. I can’t wait to see where my journey with Elite365 will take me.
