Hi, I’m Darija.

Hi, I’m Darija Mesko, founder of Thrive Through HR. I’m a career coach and HR consultant with more than 12 years of experience across management, recruitment and HR. My working life began in Slovenia, before I moved into formal HR roles and later worked as a People & Culture Business Partner in Germany and Head of People & Culture in Dubai. Today, I support job seekers, companies and teams across Europe, the UAE and the wider Middle East.

1.000+

INTERVIEWS

I believe work can feel good. I want people to wake up excited about their jobs, I want teams built on trust, and I want careers that start with confidence instead of confusion.

Nobody taught us how to write a CV, how to pass an interview, or how to negotiate a salary, this was never part of school.

My job is to fill that gap, for people who feel stuck in the job market and for companies that want to build a workplace people don’t want to leave.

2008

The first steps in Slovenia

My working life started in Slovenia while I was still in high school. Through student jobs in shops, stores, reception, a casino and wellness companies, I saw contracts mishandled, promotions ignored and bullying tolerated. That was when I started questioning why HR was not supporting employees.

2014

Becoming a store manager

At 20, I became the manager of a small store. I hired and managed people with no training or guidance. It was my first experience of people responsibility, although I was still not working in HR.

The early career years

Work & study

I worked in banks and telemarketing companies, observed interviews and hiring decisions from inside, and saw how people were treated. I studied international business and wrote my thesis on emotional intelligence.

2016 - 2019

Building the HR foundation

This is where my formal, hands-on HR journey began. I worked in international companies as a freelancer where I learned about recruitment, employee relations and compliance, and built processes that supported people and the business.

2020 - 2024

Moving to Germany... a new vision of HR

I joined 2 fast-growing companies in Germany as a People & Culture Business Partner, working closely with the COO, CEO and other directors across international teams. I have we rebuilt onboarding, improved communication and collaboration, and created a culture of trust and accountability.

My biggest achievements:

Hired 80 people in the first nine months
Helped implement a four-day working week
Created workshops on communication, stress management, DEIB and imposter syndrome
Raised employee satisfaction from 65% to almost 90% in one year

2024

Moving to Dubai

During my stay in Dubai, I hired 12 people in the first 4 months and experienced the reality of one of the world’s most competitive job markets. For a single vacancy I have received form 2,000 - 7,000 applications. Working with people from across the Middle East, Asia and Africa also deepened my understanding of how culture shapes communication, leadership and hiring.

2024