Written by
Todor Ranchev
Co-Founder & CEO
Interviews
Interview with Katerina Kobakova, Talent Engagement Specialist
The shining sun of Bulgarian recruitment and HR. Keep reading to discover her thoughts on one of the most pressing questions in HR today.
Katerina discovers her superpower in successfully connecting people with each other. Naturally, she chooses a career in human resources. Over the past five years, she has consulted companies such as DeepMind, Miro, and Microsoft. Today, she combines her career in human resources as part of the international company Ultimate Beauty with leading an innovative educational center called Brainland, located here in Sofia.
Katerina, in your opinion, what are the most effective strategies for attracting passive candidates or so-called "hidden talents"?
The company culture and the people who work in it. There is no better advertisement for a company than a successful, inspiring, and united team that creates innovative products. When it comes to passive candidates, I believe there is no better strategy than introducing them to the inspiring, inquisitive, and constantly evolving individuals who have chosen your team or business for their own growth.
Do you use data and AI at Ultimate Beauty to improve the recruitment process?
Yes, we use AI tools that conduct the initial screening of candidates based on predefined criteria. Currently, we are also working on integrating a so-called "smart assistant" to accompany candidates throughout the entire application and interview process.
Do you have any advice for our audience of recruiters regarding successful employee onboarding?
Yes, my experience shows that successful onboarding is a combination of several key steps:
Introducing new employees to the nature of their work through meetings and discussions with current team members.
Implementing a so-called buddy program, which allows new hires to have a senior colleague they can rely on and consult with during their first months.
Providing opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in practice by actively participating in projects, meetings, and other company activities.
And last but not least, I believe it’s crucial not to wait until the end of the probation period to provide feedback to the employee, as well as to receive feedback for ourselves and the entire onboarding process.
What is your favourite job interview question?
"What are your expectations from the position and the company?"
What would you like to wish the TalentSight team?
To continue inspiring and developing the HR industry in Bulgaria - because we need it!
