EvoTalents team has been growing continuously in recent months. We have ambitious goals and understand that the team is the key to success. Therefore, during this time, two sourcers and a recruiter have joined our recruiting family. In this article, we introduce you to Anna —a professional IT recruiter with over 5 years of experience in hiring technical personnel. Moreover, during team calls, Anna always smiles and maintains an optimistic mood, which shows her great personality and strong charisma—qualities we highly value.
We invite you to read the interview to learn about Anna's professional journey, her hobbies, and her advice for newcomers in the recruiting field!
Tell us about yourself: where you're from, your hobbies, dreams, and passions.
I'm from a small town in the Odessa region. However, I've been living in Odessa for almost 20 years now. This is where I built my family, found amazing friends, discovered my profession, and connected with fantastic colleagues I still communicate with. I love this city.
As for hobbies, I don't limit myself to just one. I believe it's better not to restrict oneself and follow the call of the heart. I'm always open to new experiences. I enjoy watching movies, TV shows, strolling in the park, along the waterfront, exploring my neighborhood. I love sports like TRX, yoga, Zumba, and I enjoy active leisure activities like kayaking, rafting, hiking, camping by the sea in summer, and skiing in winter. In essence, I love the sea, forests, and mountains. Additionally, I have a passion for traveling, board games, and spending time with people with whom I feel comfortable and cozy. I also love workshops, quests, dancing, and painting.
My dream is to travel to every corner of our country after the war. I want to revisit my favorite places, like Kinburn Spit. I dream of exploring the world, understanding the mentality of different people, and learning about their rules and traditions.
How did your journey in recruiting begin?
It all started in a pharmaceutical company where I was involved in recruiting pharmacists, pharmacy managers, and administrative staff for the office. Despite this, the IT field always intrigued me, and I had a strong desire to try my hand in this industry. A friend of mine knew about this desire and suggested I work as a freelance recruiter to help fill positions for an IT company. That was my first exposure to the IT world. Without prior knowledge of the market, roles, and everything needed to start, I began working. While I managed to send resumes of candidates to the company and conduct interviews, I couldn't close the position.
Then, one wonderful morning while sipping my coffee, I came across a post titled "How to close your first IT position." It was an advertisement for IT recruiting courses. So, I took courses at GUID, an Odessa-based IT recruiting agency. After completing the courses, I received a job offer and worked there for five years. I'm grateful for that period, the company and the entire team for the experience, mentorship, human connections, teamwork, and my professional growth.
How did you realize that recruiting was your calling?
I didn't have a clear understanding that recruiting was my calling. I gradually familiarized myself with the role and observed how it resonated with me. At the beginning, I had to learn a lot to acquire specific skills like sales and hunting. Over time, I discovered the multifaceted nature of this role. It's not just about interviews and candidates; it involves market knowledge, skill development, familiarity with various tools and resources, understanding different processes, and building relationships with interesting people. Being a recruiter has no limits; you're always growing and evolving. Moreover, the skills acquired in recruiting are applicable in everyday life. I love it when I successfully match a candidate with a company, and both parties are satisfied. That's the highest reward for me.
How did you come across EvoTalents, and how did the dream "match" happen?
I've known about EvoTalents for a long time. During the war, I purchased various recruiting courses and followed articles that were published. It's one of the strongest schools for IT recruiters in Ukraine. From what I saw and gathered impressions as a student, I realized that the company's values align with mine. When a vacancy opened up, I decided to send my resume. That's how I became an EvoTalents employee, and after a month of working, I realized I made the right choice.
What career growth goals do you set for yourself now? What do you want to achieve/learn in the near future?
I want to work on a variety of positions, both tech and non-tech, as the processes and strategies for closing them differ. I aim to work on positions of varying complexity, being able to find those "unicorns" that product companies often seek. I want to improve my personal analytical indicators and enhance them.
In your opinion, what are the top three qualities a person should have to become a great recruiter?
The ability to hear and listen, not to make assumptions but to clarify situations. This is a common problem for all people—making assumptions and believing in what they've imagined. I've learned this lesson a million times. Good sales skills, knowledge of your vacancy, and having a market orientation. Being curious, showing interest in knowledge and new experiences.
What is important for you in teamwork?
The team is a reflection of the company and its values; it's one of the crucial components of successful work. In my previous job, I stayed for so long because of the team. We were not just colleagues; we were friends. The atmosphere was like a family, and all the qualities that matter to me were present: kindness, honesty, integrity, readiness to solve issues, willingness to help, provide support, exchange experiences and knowledge, and a shared focus on results. I still keep in touch with many colleagues, and I'm glad we are acquainted. In my first month at EvoTalents, I noticed the same qualities, and it feels like I've known everyone for quite a long time.
If you could change something in the recruiting world, what would it be, and why?
I would love for hiring managers and recruiters to be one team, partners, looking in the same direction. Recruitment is not just the recruiter's job; it's a long chain of different people influencing the process. In my opinion, clear interaction among different people increases the likelihood of successful hiring. It starts with details at the beginning of working on a vacancy, candidate profiling, information about the product, transparent feedback processes, and clarifying all details during the offer. Involving the hiring manager in the process and timely responding to various situations significantly impact the result. I've had many positive cases where timely response to a situation resulted in an excellent outcome.
Your advice for those who are just starting their journey in recruiting.
I recommend taking IT recruiter courses; it will provide you with a good foundation and understanding of technologies, various roles, and the IT market. Communication with a mentor, an experienced recruiter who can help at the beginning, is equally beneficial. Courses are the foundation and start, while a mentor helps solve various complex situations during work, drawing from practical experience. Keep learning constantly—read books, useful articles, attend webinars, connect with other recruiters, and share experiences. Learn about different markets, tools, and, of course, improve your English.
Let's say "thank you" to Anna for this sincere conversation! We invite everyone to our Instagram, where we share more about our team and the values of EvoTalents.
