Get fooled

Well, it just so happens that we're currently looking for people to fill the following positions:

• PHP Developer
• .NET Developer
• Frontend Developer
• Ruby on Rails Developer

I won't bore you with how great it is to work with us, because you can just check out our website or one of our social media channels to see for yourself. It's just great, that's all. And I'm not just talking about the coffee and the Pigicorn. Instead, I think it's a great time to refresh the topic of joining EENGINE, because the last time we talked about it was over two years ago, and let's be honest - in the IT industry, two years is a lot. Not that what Ania and Maciek said about recruitment to a software house can be considered outdated, I still recommend watching their video before applying to us - why reinvent the wheel? I'm writing this because I understand that when you're sending your tenth (heaven forbid your hundredth) CV in a row, your motivation may be, let's say, low; you don't see the deeper meaning in getting to know yet another company that you probably won't become a part of, not to mention talking about the reasons for applying.

And that's where I come in to help - part human, part Bronx donkey, and one-third mother, giving you this post that is a recipe for the success of your recruitment. Going with culinary associations, I'll mention that of course, the quality of ingredients matters, but if you follow my tips, the end result will be roughly edible and hopefully digestible 😉

• Read the announcement. It may seem obvious, but as reality shows, it's not really. If something is listed as a required skill, it's not because we want it to look nice - we simply need someone who knows how to do it because the project requires it. And I'm not just talking about programming skills in a particular language. Speaking of languages, you need to know one thing: the language of EENGINE is Polish because most of the team and clients communicate most effectively in it. Sure, English is also useful, but Polish is an EENGINE must-have (and it's stated in the announcements!).
• If you don't have X years of documented experience in your CV, don't apply for all the positions we offer. Not that this situation completely excludes you from the pool of candidates, but think about what goes through the recruiter's head when they see someone who knows literally EVERYTHING and has mastered it in three years. Do you ever sleep? I don't trust people who don't sleep... The same goes for clicking the "Apply" button multiple times. We will receive the notification the first time, and all subsequent ones introduce chaos and give us a disturbing sense that you may not know how to use recruitment portals...
• Continuing on the subject of CVs: I'll throw another cliche out there, but if you're applying for a developer position, regardless of whether your specialty is PHP or .NET, make sure your CV is organized. Typos in your CV can lead to typos in your code, and you know what that means for the project. You can come to work in your beloved high school t-shirt, but your code must be good. That's it.
• Another issue is CVs that absolutely tell us nothing. NOTHING. Are you applying for a mid/senior position? Please don't send me something like this:

I would like to know where you gained your experience, what you have accomplished so far, and what your passions are. This will provide a starting point for our conversation and help me determine if we have the potential to work together. The only thing I am wondering about is whether the person sending the message knows PHP and JavaScript frameworks or not, but if I don't find out, it won't keep me up at night.

• This survey is your second opportunity to showcase yourself, after your CV. You can tell us about your passions, plans, and expectations. Above all, you can catch our attention. Don't write what you think we want to hear. We already know what we like. We want to know what you like. We want to get to know you and see what's on your mind. Don't ignore this stage; put in a little effort. We really do read this, and often the content of the survey will determine whether we will meet in person. Also, make sure to inform Robert that the survey is ready.
• However, if your survey sounds like an adventure, you will receive tasks. We will send you a set of tasks before the interview. Complete them, send them back, and let us know. If you don't do them perfectly, it's okay. We want to see how you think and solve problems. On the other hand, if you don't send them (or the survey), you will send us a clear signal that you don't take us seriously. And as we know, action leads to a reaction, in this case in the form of not being invited to collaborate. Permanently. Therefore, once again, I emphasize: let us know that the survey or tasks are ready. This will be a signal to us that we are a partner for you and that you want to talk to us, in case the email falls into SPAM or disappears in your drafts.
• Don't make me be your mother. Despite my kind nature, I will tell you one thing: you are an adult. You are participating in the recruitment process to do what you love (hopefully!) and make money from it. Real money, not bottle caps or matches, but Polish Zlotys. As a result, don't ask me to extend already reasonable deadlines "because you can't keep up," don't tell me that your dog ate your computer, and don't send me corrections to tasks after I have already received and sent them for evaluation. Don't get me wrong - I know that things happen in life, but if you don't have exceptional bad luck, they are usually incidental. Furthermore, we all try to be responsible, like adults. We ask you to do the same. Because if you don't deliver tasks on time, someone else will, and we will continue the process with that person instead.
• If you've decided to really apply yourself to the recruitment process and watched the material prepared by my colleagues (which I mentioned in the introduction), you already know that it would be good to learn something about us before clicking "Apply". And not to impress us with knowledge of our projects, because although it's a nice addition, you'll have time to get to know them, and we know they're good. The point is for you to be able to orient yourself as to who we really are, whether we look good (as a company) in your eyes, and whether you feel that working with us will be THE thing. If the answer to the last two questions is "Yes", natural curiosity will lead you further. And further, and further, until there's no turning back .... Also, while looking for information about us, you may come across some very helpful surprises.
• Don't lie. Neither in your CV nor during the interview. Every time you deviate from the truth, a small cute fluffy animal disappears, and we really like animals. Seriously, it will sooner or later come to light and be like in that joke: "the bad taste will remain".
• Ask. I won't say there are no stupid questions, because I once worked on the hotline of a large corporation. However, we appreciate those not stupid questions doubly, because they show that you observe the world around you, want to learn, and can reach for that knowledge.
• If you're not very active, have a coffee before the interview. If it's an online recruitment, make one for yourself, and if it's at our headquarters, make one too - we'll show you where the kitchen is and all the goodies, and coffee in the kitchen makes for better conversation, doesn't it? Why? We plan to spend about 60 minutes with you. That's a lot, especially if you're dealing with someone who looks like they're about to fall asleep. Make sure that hour is an adventure after which we'll say, "I want more!" We'll do our best to keep you from getting bored.
• Come. And if you can't, let us know in advance. My friend, who had been through recruitment in the logistics industry, couldn't help but be amazed each time someone who had a choice of several dates and the ability to suggest their own chose one and then simply didn't show up. Don't be like them, call. And not just because not showing up and lack of information automatically puts you at the top of the blacklist. You'll simply save the time of many people and trust me - they'll be grateful for it.
• Relax!🙂 I recently left a job interview weirdly bouncing because the candidate was clearly so nervous that he kept jumping up and down and talking at machine-gun speed. We're really not scary. I won't encourage you to imagine us in our underwear, because post-traumatic stress takes a long time to heal, but think that besides the obvious advantage of being employed in EE, we're just people like you, we sat in your place (not once) and we understand perfectly that the recruitment situation is a very special phenomenon. Treat it like a normal conversation during which we'll get to know you and you'll get to know us. A bit like a date. Without candles,...

Instead of a kiss, there will be feedback during and after the conversation. When I was recruiting for EENGINE, two feelings accompanied me after the interview: that I knew less than I thought, and that I had learned a lot during that hour. Seriously! Even though, for example, I didn't know what user stories were (seriously), after the conversation with Paweł and Maciek, who are frequently mentioned here, I already knew. Moreover, they made me aware in such a way that instead of feeling stupid (well, at least not too stupid), I wanted to deepen my knowledge. Of course, we won't constantly repeat "You're doing great," but we will try to ensure that your doubts are not left unanswered. And after the conversation with us, you can count on something that rarely happens after a date: you will always receive feedback, regardless of the outcome. If you want to share your feelings or comments with us - don't hesitate, constructive feedback from candidates is an increasingly better recruitment, which I wish for both you and us. See you later!