The 10-minute break ended faster than Mika expected, but once they got back to the room where his interview was being held, Mika got up to speed and managed to solve the task that Aleksandr gave him without any mistakes. 

Those few minutes they spent on the terrace helped Mika not only catch his breath but also clear his mind. It was almost like he was reborn, and nothing could stop him. He was also happy that he took Aleksandr’s advice to see the terrace and step outside this conference room.

The change was visible outside: his once shaky strokes became as precise as an arrow, and his voice grew louder.

In those very few moments when he wasn’t sure which direction to follow, and to avoid getting stuck, he confidently asked clarifying questions, which Aleksandr was happy to answer for him.

He was proud of himself because he took into consideration a few edge cases* - if he hadn’t done that and rushed to provide the solution, the final outcome might have been quite miserable and far from good. 

Compared to other interviewers, Aleksandr was the only one who didn’t sit comfortably all the time throughout the job interview, while Mika was trying his best to solve the coding tasks he was given.

Instead, he often came to the whiteboard, picked up the marker himself, and wrote the code together with Mika. In the meantime, they took a few quick pauses to discuss and exchange their thoughts on the given questions:

“What would you do if the data set became larger?”

“How would you test your code?”

“If a more senior engineer told you your solution was wrong, how would you prove you’re right?”

Aleksandr’s gentle voice, as he offered suggestions and encouragement, made Mika feel like he was talking to a colleague, and that they were working together on finding the best way to handle that particular case, rather than to an experienced Software Engineer who was checking if he was suitable for a role in their team and company.

They were now both standing in front of the whiteboard, doing the final checkup of the code that Mika wrote.

“You did well. I like your way of thinking while solving this problem. You were also fast to pick up on my hints,” Aleksandr said, smiling softly when Mika finished explaining his piece of code. “You know that I cannot give you the final answer now, but I think you have what it takes to be a good Software Engineer.”

Mika put his marker down. That was it. The final interview and his very long day were over. Mika could now stop being nervous and relax. He had given his best, and there was nothing more he could do at this point. His facial expression brightened, and he could feel the tension leaving his body.

“I know that I’ll have to wait for a final decision. I appreciate the fact that I had a chance to interview here and... I wanted to thank you for being such a nice interviewer. Thanks to you, I was able to calm down a little bit.”

“That’s my role as an interviewer - I'm not here to take advantage of this situation, as I understand how stressful it might have been for you. You’ve come a long way, and the fact that you made it to the final round speaks for itself. And now, let me show you the way out of this labyrinth so you don’t get lost.”

Mika took all his belongings and once again followed Aleksandr. As they were going downstairs and passing by the people, he noticed that almost everyone either waved their hand or said a short ‘Hi’ to Aleksandr.

Mika knew from his research that Aleksandr was not an ordinary Software Engineer, as he was also representing the company as a speaker at both local and international events, but he was surprised at how everyone greeted him warmly.

Apparently many people working here like him. Should I feel lucky that he was one of my interviewers?

Once they reached the ground floor, Mika saw a familiar person standing near the reception. He couldn’t hide the huge grin that appeared on his face.

“It seems that someone is waiting for you?” Aleksandr asked, looking in the same direction as Mika.

“Yes, that’s my boyfriend,” Mika replied without any hesitation in his voice. He was so happy to see Chris that he wanted to run into his arms at that very moment. He didn’t care what others might think of them. All that mattered was the fact that his second half was here.

“Then I’m not going to keep you longer. It was great to meet you, Mika. Wait for a call or email from the recruitment team, they should contact you within a week with the final decision,” Aleksandr said while extending his hand.

“Thank you as well, it was a true pleasure to meet you. I enjoyed all of the interviews, but the one with you was the best!” Mika replied while shaking his hand. Then he turned around and almost ran into the arms of the man who was waiting for him.

Aleksandr didn’t move. He stayed in the same place, observing a happy couple whose laughter filled the ground floor. They left the building holding hands.

He glanced at his watch before heading back upstairs. I better get back to work. It’s been a long day.

***

“What do you think about Mika, Ken? Do you see him as part of our team?” Natalia asked, resting her chin on her hand. Her big hazel eyes sparked with curiosity, and her short brown hair with bangs framed her face perfectly. She was wearing a gray dress with classic black shoes. The room fell silent as everyone shifted their attention to Ken, who adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.

“I think…he is communicative and asks good questions. During our interview, he never jumped to conclusions and always took time to clarify questions. When it comes to technical tasks…” Ken paused, taking a sip of water, his brow furrowing. “Well…I’m not sure here. He did solve it…but not as fast as I expected him to.”

Natalia leaned forward, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Taking the time aside, if we only consider the fact that he was able to come up with a good solution, would you want to work with him?” she probed, seeking clarity.

Ken hesitated, then added slowly. “I think so...Yes. If we focus just on this, then it’s a ‘hire’ from me.”

Natalia smiled, a hint of relief in her eyes. “Great! We have one ‘hire’ from Ken. Anthony, how was your interview with him?”

Anthony’s grin was as wide as a rainbow’s arch, and he didn’t miss a beat. “I loved his energy, and he did manage to solve the coding part, so it’s a clear ‘hire’ from me.”

Natalia’s smile widened. “Okay, that makes two ‘hire’ now. As for my interview with him, I focused mostly on behavioral questions*.  To be honest, I didn’t see any red flags. He has potential, and while he’s relatively new to the coding world, I think with the right guidance and support from our team, he’ll be a good engineer.” She looked around the room, seeing nods of agreement.

“Aleksandr, we have three ‘hire’ now. What’s your opinion of him?” Natalia’s question hung in the air, the room growing tense as everyone awaited Aleksandr’s reply. Known for his high standards, his opinion carried significant weight.

Aleksandr took a moment, his expression thoughtful. “To be honest, that was one of the best interviews I’ve ever had. He is passionate about his coding career, has a good mindset, and came up with an answer within the timeframe. I agree with Natalia that he might need a bit of support initially, as he’s never worked in such a large company, but I don’t think it will be a problem considering his non-technical skills. ‘Hire’ from me as well.”

The tension in the room disappeared instantly, replaced by a collective sigh of relief.

Natalia clasped her hands, beaming. “Fantastic! It means he is the only candidate who passed all our interviews, and we have all agreed that we want him in our team. That’s amazing! I’ll let the recruiter know that we have made a decision and just need a little bit more time to figure out the level*.”

------
Dictionary:

- Edge cases that Mika took into consideration are special or non-common situations that might not always happen, but omitting them can cause your code to fail. (If you can think about them during the stressful interview, while being under the pressure, congrats!) 

- When Natalia mentions "behavioral questions" it means non-technical questions. They can be related to e.g. collaboration or communication.

- Figuring out the level - Level at which someone gets hired. The higher the level, the greater the responsibilities are (and higher salary 😉)