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By Irena Bushandrova, Principal and Country Manager for Bulgaria at Pedersen & Partners: 

“A good dual-education system, together with the restoration of vocational schools, will bring results.” 

What is the best strategy for successful job-hunting? How should you discuss compensation in an interview? Where is the fine line between a request and a demand? Should you wait for an offer to pop up in your inbox, or is it better to be persistent and proactive? 

We talked to Irena Bushandrova, an expert in recruiting top professionals for key management roles. “Many people do not have a well-developed sense of responsibility, and employers and employees are in the same boat,” she says. Most of all, Irena believes that young people need to learn patience and to understand that anything worthwhile requires effort, persistence, and time. 

Interviewer: My first question is prosaic, but quite pressing. It is summer, and the tourism season is in full swing, but there are hardly any Bulgarians working in this sector, so we are importing workers from abroad. What is the reason for this – don’t young Bulgarians want to work in tourism? 

Irena: The market is hot, and the fact is that young people are hard to find. I hear this from friends who have restaurants in Sofia and at the seaside, but it is not just restaurants; all small and medium sized business are having issues recruiting people. There is a hunt for foreign labour – there is no vacuum in nature, and same goes for labour market. It pains me that we have to import people from abroad, when we have such talented youngsters here in Bulgaria. Why is this? There are Bulgarians who are scattered across Europe and beyond, and they are working there. I welcome internship programmes that are focused on bringing back young people, such as Bulgaria Wants You. We need to talk about what Bulgaria is like from business point of view– it is a great place to live in, with all its challenges. We need these young people to be able to come home and know that there are opportunities for career growth, not only as employees but also as entrepreneurs. We need to focus on our people here, in the country, on how to ensure that they are well and happy in their jobs – firstly, so that they give their best; secondly, so that they are happy to stay here rather than go abroad to work; and thirdly, to encourage those who are already abroad to come home and find their place here in Bulgaria. Of course, we would not expect them all to come home, but we hope that some will! 

Interviewer: A recent study says that young Bulgarians abroad will not come home for less than BGN 4,000-4,300. And young people in Bulgaria say “I won’t work for BGN 1,000-2,000” – you must be aware of that, too. 

Irena: I don’t like the expression, “I won’t work for BGN 1,000-2,000”. Young people need to gain experience, especially when they are fresh out of school or university. If they have not done internships, they have no work experience, and they should not expect a high salary, although of course this measure – high and low - is subjective. Some may say that even BGN 10,000 is too low a salary, because everything is relative. The reason I really dislike “I won’t work for BGN 1,000-2,000” as an expression is that you need to get experience somewhere. Fresh graduates have no teamwork skills, no communication skills, and they’ve never been in real work environment. Even if you work from home, you still need some sort of work discipline, some sort of organisation. These skills are built with practice. 

Interviewer: And work habits are formed. 

Irena: Exactly. Everything is wonderful in theory, but habits are built by practice—by doing and by making mistakes—learning by doing is the only way we learn and grow. There’s nothing wrong with a young person starting in a call centre for example, call centers accept people with no experience for what is perceived to be a smaller salary, but with the assumption that work habits must be created, and experience must be gained. It is also very important to build a network of professional contacts. Young people naturally lack this because although pupils and student have acquaintances and friends, they have to build that professional network and those networking skills in the transition to employees or entrepreneurs. For example, an acquaintance of mine recently said to me, “Reni, I want to have your contacts!” He’s only 20 years old! It takes time. 

Interviewer: Did you explain to him that as a young man he would work for his name, and then his name would work for him? 

Irena: I told him that he will gain contacts in time, but this won’t happen overnight. Connections and relationships take years of dedication and hard work. A reputation is very hard to build and very easy to break; young people need to understand that these things take time. For young people, the pace is very fast – they were born in the last 15, 20, 25 years so they want everything to happen now and immediately, which is simply impossible. My passion is working with young people. I’ve been a mentor in a formal mentorship program as well as an informal mentor to a lot of youngsters, and I’ve also helped quite a few young people start jobs and find internships. Over the years I have followed their development, and I am happy about that. Young people need to participate in mentoring programs, be proactive, and seek opportunities. Things will happen, just give a little patience and time. Patience is a great virtue. Of course one should not be too patient—meekness is a negative quality—but for young people it is vital to have perseverance, dedication, focus, and dreams to follow. 

Interviewer: Recently, a study was published that says young people don’t stay in one job for long. Is this something that you have observed yourself? 

Irena: Yes. Again, this shows their lack of patience. It’s not a bad idea for young people to try different places, to see which environment they like and what kind of colleagues they get along with best. However, this does not mean that they should leave at the slightest difficulty! I often hear this from employers in Bulgaria – one gives a young employee open feedback and constructive criticism, and they immediately hand in their resignation. First listen, hear the other point of view, don’t rush. For me, another key quality is to be able to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, to be empathic. Before drawing conclusions, analyse, see and understand your counterparty, and only then should you act. Young people who are looking for an internship should check job websites and the websites of the companies they are interested in, and be sure to do this every day. It is important for young people to know where they are heading to, to have a clear mind and a clear goal. Together with the American Chamber of Commerce, we have a project with schools; we give pupils practical advice on how to search for jobs, and how to behave during an interview, and we offer them online tools that they can use when they want to build skills. 

Interviewer: Where is the fine line between a request and a demand? What are the most important guidelines to follow when looking for a job? 

Irena: Good question! The difference between a request and a demand is subjective and depends on individual norms. For example, if you ask for fresh fruit to be served in the office at the employer’s expense, because there are companies that provide free fruit as a benefit, this may be normal for one employer, but another might say “how come!” When looking for a job, be sure to thoroughly research the employer – what the company is like, and how stable it is. You can also check its financial reports, which are public information. It’s imperative to be aware of what position you’re applying for and how well you meet the requirements that are set. At that point, you should also prepare answers to the most common interview questions. Help can easily be found online, and there are many videos out there, so you have no excuse to be ill-prepared. But if you’re an active jobseeker, you need to be proactive and persistent. A job offer won’t pop up in your inbox out of nowhere – you must look for it yourself!

Interviewer: What is the best way to dress for a job interview? How should interviewees talk about compensation? 

Irena: Don’t dress for the beach. Dress well, but not like you’re going to a wedding; your look should be decent and presentable and should present you well. And be friendly – a smile immediately makes a good first impression, and that’s important! Don’t shy away from the subject of money, but have a response prepared in advance. My advice is to give the desired salary for which you would change jobs, or your minimum requirements if you are interviewed for your very first job. Whether your requirements meet the employer’s budget is another matter, but you must state them, and they must be reasonable. Again, you can do research to get a realistic picture. I like the transparency that some retail chains have – have you seen those billboards with the starting salary? 

Interviewer: Yes, they specify the pay rise that you can expect after the first year, and then the second. 

Irena: Yes, that is a very good approach – they are clear about the compensation budget, so you can be clear about whether it suits you. But it’s also good to directly answer the question at the interview. If you don’t know exactly what you want and you don’t want to rush the answer, you can always say, “I’m flexible, let’s discuss it and leave it as a topic for a later.” That’s an acceptable response. 

Interviewer: You have told me (with a smile) that a job interview is like a date between the job seeker and the employer. 

Irena: Yes, because the process is two-sided. The employer sells its brand to the candidate, and vice versa – candidates must highlight their advantages, added value, and unique qualities. The more candid the conversation, the better. I don’t recommend lying or making up achievements during an interview, or saying yes to every question that the employer asks, even if you know you are not being truthful. In an interview you can mislead and leave a good impression, but what will that lead to? Even if you successfully fool everyone and get hired, you still have to succeed in the job. 

Interviewer: Have you personally encountered such attempts to lie in interviews? 

Irena: If so, it was a long time ago and I don’t remember it. This is because in Executive Search, we only work with candidates for middle and senior management positions who have a proven track record of success. My advice is to have candid conversations with employers as potential business partners – I believe employers and employees are in the same boat, so they should work in partnership. The employer must ensure the conditions under which the employees will give their best and enjoy going to work. Employees should go to work with an attitude of giving their best and ensuring their employer’s success. It’s important to leave prejudice behind; when I interview on the projects we work on, I treat each person as a blank sheet of paper. Of course I’ve read the resume, but to me each person is a blank slate, so I have no preconceived notions. 

Interviewer: You say you have no prejudices and in your position, you will hardly face this problem, but ordinary Bulgarians of fifty or older have a tough time finding a job. Age is considered a down-side, so what is the right approach? 

Irena: The right approach is one’s positive attitude. Fifties are the new thirties, and as the retirement age increases, a person of fifty is still active. That person has decades of experience, which could be valuable to an employer in that they can pass on knowledge and train the next generation. I recently watched a film about the great opera singer and music professor Raina Kabaivanska, who is ninety years old. Her masterclass at New Bulgarian University is a superb initiative that has taken place for 23 years, and is still going strong. With her amazing personality, Kabaivanska is a great example of someone who has the opportunity to share and pass on her many years of experience and expertise. When you’re looking for a job and you’re in a situation where you have a lot of experience, you should have confidence and demonstrate that you’re willing to develop young people. That way there will be continuity as well as give and take. Unfortunately, I have observed that most people do not have such a well-developed sense of responsibility. It doesn’t matter what commitment you have made and how much money you get – once you have agreed to a specific job offer and signed a contract, results are expected. If you are dissatisfied, it is better to look for new opportunities than complain about your current job. 

Interviewer: To quote a prominent politician from memory, “Everybody wants to become an IT specialist, nobody wants to become a shepherd”. Apparently, nobody wants to become an elevator technician either – soon there will be no one to fix the elevators! Sofia University has several fee-exempt majors such as Computer Chemistry and Engineering Chemistry, and there are Ministry of Education and Science programs with EU funding. But why do we hire welders from abroad, despite high salaries of BGN 3000-3500? 

Irena: Maybe these majors seem more difficult at first glance, but I’m optimistic. What we need is a good system of dual education, with the restoration of vocational (formerly technical) schools, with the MES programs, with more apprenticeships for the students of these specialised schools. It is easy to say “see, this doesn’t work” and give up. We may not have all the answers, but the ultimate goal is clear to us as Bulgarians, and we need the vision to see how to make it happen. With a lot of effort, hard work, and some external know-how, we needn’t reinvent the wheel. We can easily draw up models, adapt them to the circumstances here, and things will happen. But just like the young people, we need patience and perseverance.