The Tech Interview Behind the Scenes: Ivan Miliovsky

The Tech Interview Behind the Scenes is an HRLabs series.
Let’s take a look behind the scenes of the technical interview process from the interviewers' perspective.
Our goal is to provide candidates with valuable tips and recommendations directly from professionals who conduct interviews for various technical roles.

“Believe in yourself.", advises Ivan Miliovsky, Lead Data Engineer at ALSO Group Bulgaria.

Tell us more about your career path.

I started my career when I was nineteen years old. At that time, I was working with Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and that’s when my journey in the Microsoft world began.

Over the years, I’ve expanded my knowledge and expertise in databases, ETL processes, data warehousing, and reporting. In the last few years, I’ve been doing the same work, but this time in the cloud.

As a candidate, have you had any strange interviews? What about interviews that impressed you?

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to be interviewed by many different companies.

Each unsuccessful interview has been a valuable lesson, helping me identify the areas in my knowledge where I can improve.

The interview that impressed me the most was with the United Nations. Its format was quite different from a standard interview - the approach, structure, and overall atmosphere, as well as the people in front of me, made me feel truly valued and special. 

What skills and qualities do you look for in a candidate? How can a candidate stand out during the interview?

Out-of-the-box thinking is one of the key skills that distinguish an outstanding candidate. I also value strong soft skills - they’re just as important as technical expertise.

Before anything else, people need to be able to communicate effectively and respectfully, taking cultural differences into account. Once that foundation is in place, everything else in the interview naturally falls into place.

What questions do you typically ask in technical interviews? Do you have specific tasks or problems that you often use to assess candidates?

It depends on the candidate’s background. Based on their technical skills, I select different sets of questions.

Usually, I follow a specific strategy: I start with simple, foundational questions and then gradually increase the complexity depending on the candidate’s performance. This approach helps me accurately assess their level of seniority and depth of understanding.

I always finish the interview with a few soft-skill questions, such as:

“If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be?”

or

“If you had a conflict with a colleague, how would you handle it?”

These questions help me understand the person behind the technical skills.

How important are good communication skills for a candidate? How do they impact the overall interview?

Clear communication is extremely important, especially when you work with people.

A candidate should have strong communication skills and a rich vocabulary to ensure an effective exchange of information — both within the team and with stakeholders.

How important is cultural fit when making a hiring decision? How do you assess whether a candidate will fit well into the team?

Nowadays, people are more open to cultural differences and are used to working in multicultural teams.

What matters most is that team members communicate effectively and support each other in challenging moments. When there’s mutual respect and collaboration, cultural diversity becomes a real strength rather than a barrier. 

What are the most common mistakes candidates make during an interview? What advice would you give candidates on how to prepare for an interview?

Most of the time, candidates are nervous during interviews, and this often leads to mistakes. When people doubt their own knowledge, it shows - and confidence plays a big role in how they perform.

My advice is to prepare well, but also to believe in yourself. Review the fundamentals, practice answering questions out loud, and don’t be afraid to share your thought process.

Interviews aren’t only about giving the “right” answer, they’re also about showing how you think, communicate, and approach problems.

What advice would you give to candidates who want to improve their technical skills? Are there any resources you would recommend?

Learning through practice is priceless.

Candidates should continuously expand their knowledge base, but most importantly, they should follow their passions. It’s essential to love what you do - when you’re genuinely interested in a particular field, you’ll naturally keep learning and improving on your own.

Today, there are many great platforms that make learning accessible to everyone. Some of the most popular are Coursera, Udemy, and the official learning portals provided by technology vendors. Each of these offers valuable courses that can help candidates strengthen both their technical and practical skills.

Share more about the best (or worst) interviews you've conducted.

Each interview is unique, and every candidate brings a different atmosphere to the conversation.

The best interviews are always the successful ones - when there’s a genuine exchange of ideas and positive energy.

The worst interviews, on the other hand, are the ones where the candidate simply doesn’t show up.

What would you like candidates to know about the interview process in your company? What could be helpful for them in their preparation? 

I would advise candidates to be honest and not to exaggerate their experience in their CVs. It’s always better to say, “I don’t know the answer to this question,” or “I’m not familiar with that technology,” rather than trying to impress with something that isn’t true.

Honesty builds trust. No one expects a candidate to know everything, but sincerity and a willingness to learn always make a strong impression.

Share a funny story from your experience as an interviewer :)

During one interview with a candidate from India, something completely unexpected happened - a monkey suddenly jumped into the candidate’s room and started a fight with him!

It was both shocking and hilarious at the same time. Needless to say, that interview is one I’ll never forget.