The Tech Interview Behind the Scenes: Valeriya Georgieva

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.

"The candidate's performance heavily depends on the interviewer's approach." shares Valeriya Georgieva, Manager QA Team & Product Owner at Amadeus Sofia.

Tell us more about your career path.

I graduated in Electronics from the Technical University, where my technological journey began with an interest in hardware and computer construction. Later, I completed Informatics at Sofia University, which steered me toward the software industry, where I continue to work today.

My career started in May 2003 as a Junior Developer. Over the years, I've gained experience in various roles, including Senior Developer, team lead for DevOps specialists, system administrators, and database developers and administrators. Currently, I lead a team of QA experts specializing in automated testing, including regression E2E and API performance testing.

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

I've participated in well-structured interviews with layered questions leading to case studies and solution discussions. Such interviews were so well-conducted that they encouraged proactiveness and allowed me to suggest solutions instead of simply answering questions passively.

One negative experience before joining Amadeus was when the interviewers were significantly late, entering the room one by one and interrupting the flow with repetitive questions. It seemed more like a competition among them to showcase their expertise rather than genuinely evaluating my skills.

Pro tip: Don't do this as interviewers! 😊

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

I look for candidates with strong technical skills, the ability to explain them clearly, and an effective approach to tasks.

Good communication skills and positivity are equally crucial. Demonstrating potential, the right approach, and a willingness to grow often outweigh theoretical knowledge.

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

Our technical interviews are tailored to the position. The higher the position, the more complex the questions.

We assess programming knowledge, approaches to improving existing code, ideas for creating new systems, and technical task execution. The focus is not solely on familiarity with specific technologies but on problem-solving and logical thinking.

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

Communication is extremely important!

How candidates react to challenging questions, analyze problems, and acknowledge gaps in knowledge says a lot about their communication skills. Being open and analytical during such moments can significantly impact the overall impression.

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

Cultural fit is CRUCIAL! Technical skills matter, but misalignment with the team or company culture can lead to challenges. It’s also essential to evaluate whether the candidate is willing to share responsibilities and engage in collaborative work.

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

Candidates often experience stress, leading to overly detailed or unclear answers. This can distract from the main topic.

I would advise them to prepare well for the interview. This includes learning how to present themselves in the best way within a short amount of time, researching the company and its culture in advance, and being open and honest in their answers. Additionally, it is important to stay calm during the interview itself. If they are unsure about the exact meaning of a question, they shouldn’t hesitate to ask for clarification before answering.

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

Resources are everywhere, and curiosity is the driving force!
My advice: Don’t forget to have fun while you learn!

When you enjoy what you’re doing, learning becomes a passion, and improvement comes naturally. Before you know it, you’ll be better at what you do and more valuable to any employer.

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

Over the years, I’ve conducted countless interviews—so many that I honestly can’t keep track anymore.

One of the most memorable was with a candidate who was extremely proactive, offering solutions to real problems and sharing specific examples from their previous work. Their questions for me were also well-thought-out, demonstrating genuine interest not only in the role but also in how the team operated and how they could contribute to its success.

This experience reminded me of how important it is to be well-prepared and fully engaged during an interview.

How do you evaluate a candidate during an interview—based solely on their theoretical knowledge, or is their approach to solving a problem/task more important to you? What other factors do you consider when making a decision?

In daily work, we need practical solutions. What matters is how the candidate thinks and the solutions they propose. This reveals their ability to handle real-world scenarios, even if their theoretical explanations aren’t perfect.

Everything is taken into account: the level of theoretical knowledge, how it is applied in the solution, how many different solutions the candidate can come up with, which solution they identify as the best, and their reasoning behind that choice.

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

The recruitment process is entirely online, designed to be as efficient and transparent as possible for candidates. We aim to streamline the process, often reaching a decision after one or two meetings, each lasting about an hour. Our focus is on identifying both technical and personal skills, as we consider key competencies in both areas essential.

Teamwork, especially in a remote environment, and the willingness to support colleagues remain top priorities for us. Candidates can expect a positive and welcoming experience during the interview. We strive to find common ground between the skills we seek and the opportunities the candidate hopes to find in their future employer.

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

We were conducting a remote interview with a candidate, and everything was going smoothly. Suddenly, his child appeared behind them and started negotiating weekend plans—playgrounds, climbing frames, and all sorts of fun activities. We watched the candidate skillfully manage the situation while trying to maintain focus on the interview, which had us all laughing. It was such a lighthearted moment that broke the ice completely.

The candidate turned out to be fantastic, and their child proved to be quite the negotiation strategist! 😃