(opinion article)

A job interview at a Ukrainian company is, without a doubt, a separate genre. Not quite a drama, not exactly a comedy, and not a thriller either. It’s something between stand-up and a rite of passage into corporate brotherhood. What is an interview in our business culture, after all? It’s when you try to prove you can do everything from Excel spreadsheets to walking the director’s dog after a party while looking like you just dropped by to pick up your Nobel Prize.

Let’s start with the dress code. The dress code in Ukrainian companies is often determined by eye: “not worse than the secretary, but not better than the owner.” If you wear a blazer you’re too formal. If a T-shirt “we’re looking for someone more serious.” And if you show up in jeans but with a laptop case, they might mistake you for an IT guy and ask if you’re here for the interview next door.

Next point is punctuality. Theoretically, Ukrainians love punctuality. Practically “oh, we’re running a bit late, the boss hasn’t arrived yet,” or “wait a bit, the coffee machine is down and we can’t start without coffee.” But heaven forbid you be late! That’ll earn you a glare capable of melting concrete and a note in the HR’s notepad: “doesn’t respect others’ time.”

But the real fun starts with the questions. The classic “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can easily turn into “Are you planning to go on maternity leave anytime soon?” or “How do you feel about working on Saturdays… and during power outages?” Some companies will even throw in a logic puzzle that could crash Google’s servers. All this with a smile, ending with: “So, why do you want to work here?” (Just so they can say, “We’re actually looking for someone with a different background, but thanks for your time!”)

And yet, there’s something oddly charming about all this. A Ukrainian job interview is a test of flexibility, humor, and the ability to stay sane in chaos. And if you walk out alive, smiling, and with a homemade pie from the secretary, consider it your first win in the adaptation process.

Because, in the end, it’s not just about finding a job. It’s about not losing yourself in the process. And remember: even in the most serious company, someone once nervously sipped water outside the HR office just like you.