Job seeking is undoubtedly a demanding endeavor that can feel like a full-time job in its own right. We can all relate to the process of sending out numerous tailored applications, eagerly awaiting responses for weeks or even months. Yet, this is merely the beginning of the recruitment journey. As candidates, Patryk, Konrad, and Agnieszka shed light on their adventures through uncharted territories of interviews, tasks, and discussions, offering valuable insights into their experiences, expectations, and the challenges they encountered along the way.
Experiences, Expectations, and Challenges During the Snowdog Interview Process
We want you to avoid all of that. If you’re interested in applying to Snowdog we want to make the process as smooth and easy-on-your-mind as possible for you. From the moment we receive your application, we do our best to keep you in the loop with regular and transparent updates regarding the process itself and any possible delays that may come along with it. You’ll receive an overview of what steps to expect in the very first email and an even more detailed heads-up before every next stage. We’ve all been candidates before, so we know how energy-consuming and even frustrating recruitment can be!
One thing we always try to keep in mind is that we are all humans. Who hasn’t had unexpected last-minute emergencies or hasn’t felt so overwhelmed with stress that they could barely articulate their ideas? That’s why we always keep a very flexible approach to communication, deadlines and interview planning, and do our very best to create a friendly, stress-free atmosphere at every step of the process.
But hey, maybe it’s not really up to us to tell you about this — instead, here are three stories of our recent hires — Patryk Połeć, a Junior Android Developer, Konrad Baran, a DevOps Engineer, and Agnieszka Taradejna, a Junior Marketing Specialist.
What was the whole recruitment process like for you?
Patryk: I started off with a technical task. I had a bit of a setback with it, but that wasn’t a problem for Sasha, our Recruiter. I was in close contact with her and she agreed to give me more time without any questions. After I completed it and got accepted further on, I had a Zoom conversation with Sasha, and then, on the same day, a more interview-style talk with my future team, where they’d ask job-specific questions. Lastly, I had a chat with Kuba, the CEO of Snowdog.
Konrad: I was looking for a job through justjoin.it. I uploaded my CV and picked several companies to apply to. Sasha contacted me with a recruitment task on the very next day — I was shocked at how fast all of it happened! After submitting my task, I waited a bit longer for a reply. My first thought? I must have done something wrong! Turns out the guys checking it were crammed with work that week, which I completely understand. I also appreciate the transparency. Next, I had a chat with Sasha in English, which was a really pleasant one. This was just to get to know me and check how proficient I was at that language because we’d often use it for communication with clients, or for documentation. Then, I had an interview with Wojtek, our team lead and Michał, our DevOps. It was more of a technical talk, with questions concerning the specifics of the job. Lastly, a talk with Kuba, which although I stressed about, was genuinely enjoyable. He also made the final decision to hire me! To finish it all off, I got an email from Kasia, our Head of People with onboarding details, and suggestions of salary and forms of employment.
Agnieszka: My recruitment process consisted of three stages. I started off with a recruitment task, which consisted of four smaller components testing my marketing and communications skills. When I received a reply from Snowdog, I was shocked at how much detailed feedback I got! Then, I had a talk with Sasha and Agnieszka, our Brand Manager. I could choose whether I wanted to do it remotely or in-person — I chose the second option. Sasha asked me some questions about my teamwork skills and past experience. Agnieszka, on the other hand, focused on marketing issues. I also had a small task to finish — it was making a preparation plan for a case study — and could ask as many questions as my heart desired. Lastly, I had a talk with Kuba, which was incredibly pleasant and personal — we even talked about my Bachelor’s thesis! He also confirmed that I got the job!
What was the most challenging part of the process?
Patryk: Definitely the recruitment task. There were some aspects of it that I didn’t know about, so I had to spend quite a bit of time to get some information on them. On the brighter side, it made me realize that I am capable of learning something new quite quickly.
Konrad: For me, it was also the recruitment task! I mean, it wouldn’t be hard for someone who had already worked with SD’s software, but someone new would have to do some exploring on their own. A huge advantage is that you can learn and receive feedback even before joining the company.
Agnieszka: I haven’t worked in the eCommerce sector before, so preparing for the interview was definitely the biggest challenge for me. I had to learn all about the trends, challenges and vocabulary of the industry. Moreover, I did some extensive research on SNOW.DOG itself. It all paid off during my interviews. I could not only show off my knowledge but also ask thoughtful questions.
How long was the entire process, from sending out the application to receiving a job offer?
Patryk: I received the first response from Sasha on 28/02/2020 and got my offer on 1/04/2020, so it was a little over a month. It would probably be shorter by a week or so, but as Sasha informed me, everyone was shifting to remote work at that time, so the whole recruitment got stretched in time. I think a month is still pretty short considering all the things going on back then.
Konrad: I think it was around two weeks in my case. I did my task in four days and then I had all the interviews the following week.
Agnieszka: My recruitment process got a bit stretched as well. In my case, it was because of Christmas — many people took time off work. I applied around mid-December and got my job offer in February.
What attracted you to Snowdog in the first place, and what made you accept the offer?
Patryk: Honestly? The logo and the name. I love dogs, so it immediately caught my eye! Then I started actually reading the listing and liked that, for example, I wouldn’t just be doing mobile Android apps, but also looking for similar solutions for robots. As to what made me accept the offer, it was definitely the atmosphere that I could feel from the very first conversation I had with Sasha. It was like they wanted to get to know me and grow together. The best thing — it wasn’t just something they would do during the recruitment process — it’s actually like that every day I’m at work!
Konrad: For me, it was the recruitment process, actually, and that would be my answer to both of the questions! It was clear and fast. Sasha was in contact with me all the time, informing me about any delays and answering any questions I had. It created a powerful and very positive first impression that just kept on going. Oh, and one more thing. I really wanted my job to not just be about work — I also wanted a friendly atmosphere. Basically, I wanted to be able to go out for a beer with my teammates. I shared it with Sasha and she sent me a link to a Facebook album, filled to the brim with photos of guys from Snowdog drinking beers and building pallet furniture on the very previous afternoon! That sealed the deal for me. I feel like the job market is filled with companies who say a lot, but then these lofty words don’t really translate into real, tangible actions! They say all the right things when you’re interviewing with them, but when you actually start working there, they never materialize. It’s not the case with Snowdog. I knew there was genuine honesty and enthusiasm from the get go!
Agnieszka: What attracted me to Snowdog was the fact that the position they described in the listing covered 100% of the things I wanted to be doing in my professional life. Why did I accept the offer? When doing my research, I noticed that people at Snowdog were more than just coworkers. They like each other and enjoy hanging out together after work, which is what builds the incredible vibe. The interviews have only built up my confidence. Talking to the people who already had experience working at Snowdog, I fully realized that this was a place where I’d be respected, given opportunities for growth and working on projects I want to be working on.
Finally, what were your expectations walking into the office on the first day? Have they materialized?
Patryk: I expected to only work on simple and non-significant tasks for a long while. I haven’t had much experience in the field before joining Snowdog and that’s just what happens to newbies right? The reality was quite the contrary, as I found myself thrown ‘into the deep water’. From the very start, I was given exciting tasks that taught me a lot. Soon, I was prepared to handle big projects.
Konrad: I was stressed, but excited before my first day (who isn’t?). That stress dissipated as soon as I stepped into the office. From the get go, I didn’t feel isolated. People would actually come up to me to introduce themselves and have a chat, which can be such a relief for more reserved and introverted individuals. My expectations were 100% fulfilled and I couldn’t wait to come back to the office the following day!
Agnieszka: I wanted to handle various and fascinating tasks that would allow me to learn as much as possible. I hoped to not be bored with my work and for my voice to be heard and acknowledged, despite me being a Junior. Most of all, I wanted to come to the office every day with a smile on my face. They have all materialized!
Bonus question — the ‘human factor’
Patryk: I remember getting my recruitment task with a week to finish it. Something came up during that time, though and I messaged Sasha asking if I could send it a bit later. She replied saying it was not a problem and if more time meant the task would be done better, then I could prolong the deadline a bit. The whole process across all the people I talked to felt more like a conversation than recruitment. It helped alleviate the stress that’s usually present in such situations.
Konrad: The anticipation for my talk with Kuba cranked up my stress levels to 11. Luckily, it went back down to 1 after we actually started talking. He wouldn’t grill me about any specifics but rather wanted to learn more about me, my approach to work and whether I’m easy to get along with. He talked a lot about SNOW.DOG’s mission and the atmosphere at the office. Kuba is a really positive, open-minded and to-the-point guy, definitely left a good first impression on me. Before that talk, during my interview with my future team, I got some technical questions I didn’t know the exact answer for. The thing is, they weren’t looking for correct, to-the-letter answers. They wanted to find out what my thought process was like in such situations, which I think is a very smart way of approaching an interviewee.
Agnieszka: My talk with Sasha and Aga was really pleasant — they made me feel confident and relaxed. It didn’t feel like an interview, more like a conversation. I also appreciated the opportunity to meet Kuba. A CEO is a position that often feels so distant from normal employees, so it felt really good to get to know the ‘big boss’!
We are hoping this article was helpful to you and shed some light on what the recruitment process looks like at SNOW.DOG. Do not hesitate to contact us in case of any additional questions — we’ll be happy to help you!
Check out our open roles page for current vacancies.
You can also read about the experiences of SNOW.DOG’s new joiners during their first weeks with us.
