Dream Job pursuit.
Ukraine. 2021/5
Act 4. Interview with a Company and Test Assignment
After the extravagance of her last interview with the recruitment agency, Olga decided it was time to create a dedicated list of questions specifically for agencies. Being better prepared would definitely serve her well next time.
By now, Olga had a solid toolkit at the ready:
A thoughtfully crafted list of her hard and soft skills
A competency matrix based on the four stages of learning — conscious and unconscious skills
A polished CV, designed in Canva, exported to PDF, and available in both Ukrainian and English
A set of questions for potential employers
A tailored list of questions for recruitment agencies
Amidst her preparations, a job posting from Company X appeared on Olga’s Facebook feed. The description immediately caught her eye — no fluff, straight to the point, and refreshingly concise. But what truly resonated was the company’s noble mission: they were seeking someone to lead the development of an entire industry. A true training missionary.
Olga has a soft spot for lofty ideals and grand intentions. Whether that’s a strength or a flaw — we’ll let the audience decide.
The first interview with Company X was uneventful in the best way — no awkward questions about her bank account, no intrusive inquiries about personal metrics. Quite a relief.
For the second round, she was invited to the office. Despite it being the height of the pandemic, Olga couldn’t resist. She was eager to experience the company culture firsthand.
Critical thinking levels detected: dangerously low. Perhaps it was her longing for in-person interaction, or simply her curiosity, but at this second interview, five people showed up to meet her. While temporarily overwhelmed by the unexpected crowd, Olga managed to navigate the discussion with composure.
A week later, Olga received a test assignment: she had two days to create a one-year corporate learning strategy and present it in a polished slide deck.
The tight deadline and the complexity of the task didn’t intimidate Olga. Remember, the spark was lit.
In one night, she tapped into every corner of her expertise, woke the bearded sages of wisdom slumbering in her mind, and unraveled the sacred scrolls of corporate training strategy. By morning, she had crafted a presentation of divine beauty and sent it off to the recruiter.
She was invited to a third meeting, once again at the office. No, this still didn’t faze her. The recruiter framed it as “just a quick meeting.”
When you walk into a company’s office as a job candidate, it’s hard not to imagine yourself working there. It’s a bit like a second date — you start picturing them in your kitchen, mentally blending DNA for hypothetical future children, and testing how your name might sound with theirs.
Olga had a gut feeling this would be one of the final steps. Her mind was already spinning quiet fantasies of joining the team: the flowers on the reception wall seemed to bloom just for her, and the air carried hints of vanilla and Love Is... bubble gum.
“Olga, please come in and present your project.”
She stepped forward, stumbling slightly over a rogue oleander bush inexplicably tucked behind a coat rack.
What had been described as “just a meeting” turned out to be a full-fledged presentation in front of the company’s top brass: the CEO, COO, CFO, HR Director, Head of Marketing, Head of PR — and her potential future manager.
This time, Olga didn’t flinch. No. From behind her left shoulder, she heard a sarcastic whisper: “Well, you’ve really gotten yourself into it this time! Might be a setup — time to crawl out.”
Meanwhile, over her right shoulder, a little girl in a white dress, clutching a burst balloon, whimpered, “But you promised this would be just a meeting… wooo…”
“Please present your project.”
Her slides appeared on the big screen, greeting her like a supportive family at a sports event — waving pom-poms and cheering her name.
As she began, Olga tapped into presentation skills that had been lying dormant for over a year and a half. The pandemic haze lifted, and with it, her confidence surged. She felt at home — fully in her element.
But once the presentation ended and they invited her to sit down for questions, the nerves crept in.
The directors had many questions — some of which Olga couldn’t answer in full. Still, by the end, she exhaled deeply, realizing it had been an incredible experience — and a rare chance to present at such a high level.
As the recruiter walked her out, she said: “You seemed emotionally unstable today.”
“… I was nervous, yes.”
“It showed.”
The blooming oleanders and vanilla-scented air at reception vanished, replaced by an icy plunge into cold water. Olga metaphorically dove headfirst into this unexpected statement, resurfacing only when safely seated in her car, which gently carried her home.
Moral of the Story:
We’ll leave it to you, dear audience, to draw your own conclusions from this episode.
Coming Next:
“The offer states a salary that’s half of what I expected. Could you please explain?”
“Oh, that’s just for the probation period. Didn’t we mention that?”
Stay tuned.
June 2, 2021.