Dream Job pursuit.
Ukraine. 2021/3
Act 2: Getting Ready for the Interview
The golden rule of interviews: even if you don’t get the job, every interview is a valuable meeting and connection.
Why? Because each one offers:
Insight into which skills and expertise are currently in demand.
Free practice in presenting yourself confidently.
Experience crafting and delivering your career pitch.
A chance to learn more about companies and their hiring needs.
A fresh perspective on the job market landscape.
An opportunity to reflect on your professional portfolio.
Valuable networking — you never know when someone might remember you and recommend you for a future project. And let’s be honest, connections often come through when you least expect them.
A bit of therapy — where else can you talk about yourself uninterrupted for an hour? Half-joking, but still true!
Since Olya wasn’t in a rush to find a job, she applied only to positions that genuinely sparked her interest — roles that felt like a challenge, were well-written, attractively designed, and free from any discriminatory language.
Her first leads came from private messages on Facebook, thanks to the network she’d been carefully building for years. And that’s something she wholeheartedly recommends to everyone. Even if you’re a hardcore introvert, social media makes it easy to expand your professional circle without stepping out of your comfort zone.
Olya’s Interview Prep Tips
(a.k.a. Friendly Advice).
The second golden rule of interviews: Your presentation — both form and content — must be flawless.
Form:
Dress sharp in business casual. Olya’s signature style is polished yet comfortably professional, projecting confidence without being overly formal.
Prepare everything in advance: neat hair, subtle makeup, a pen and paper, a printed or digital copy of your resume, plus a list of thoughtful questions for the employer. These essentials are non-negotiable.
Prioritize quality tech and environment: invest in a good camera, microphone, and set up a tidy, distraction-free background. Avoid cafes (unless you have noise-canceling software), cars, parks—these locations aren’t reliable for such an important meeting. Both you and the interviewer should feel comfortable and focused.
Even if your answers are brilliant and your charm shines through, background distractions like the hum of a shisha pipe or clinking wine glasses won’t impress a recruiter. And you definitely don’t want your car being towed during the call!
Always be at your best for an interview. Why? Because it’s a chance to test your limits, gauge your current capabilities, and gain valuable experience — all while life offers you this mini-exam for free.
Content:
Revisit the job description—repeatedly. Fully understand the role requirements and clearly map how your skills align with them.
Research the company thoroughly: Review the top five Google search results, starting with the company’s official website and social media channels. Be prepared to casually mention impressive facts or reference a recent CEO interview. Showing you’ve done your homework scores you extra points!
Avoid negative reviews: Skip job review sites and gossip forums—they often reflect bitterness and biased opinions. Instead, form your own perspective. Give the company a fair chance to showcase its strengths, just as you’re presenting your best self.
The third golden rule of interviews: Form your personal opinion about the company.
Assess your abilities using the four stages of competence:
Your conscious competencies.
Your conscious knowledge gaps.
Your unconscious competencies.
Your unconscious knowledge gaps.
For the latter two, consult with a career coach, mentor, or a trusted colleague—someone who knows you as a professional.
The Reality of Interviews.
Olya’s first interview with a major retail company came through a recommendation from someone she’d met a year earlier. To say it was a bizarre experience would be an understatement.
The company’s HR Director showed up 15 minutes late, struggled to log into Zoom, and spent several minutes fumbling to turn on her camera. When it finally flickered on, it felt less like a professional interview and more like a blind date—Olya could barely see her interviewer.
Things didn’t get better when Olya confidently began discussing her competencies, only to be interrupted with, “What do you mean by ‘competency’? Can you clarify?”
In the end, Olya shrugged it off as a useful connection but briefly wondered if she even wanted to keep looking for a job.
Coming Up Next:
The unexpected twists and turns of job interviews, including gems like this dialogue with a Director of a Recruitment Agency:
You’re 40 and divorced? How do you manage?”
“I’m like a multitasking Shiva.”
“No, seriously.”
“Well, as you can see, I’m still alive.”
“Where do you live?”
“….”
Stay tuned for more thrilling episodes!
To be continued…
May 30, 2021.