Here at Opinov8, our people are the heartbeat of our culture, and the Cover Stories series shines a light on the unique individuals who bring that culture to life. In every edition, we celebrate the diversity, experiences, and personalities that make us who we are.
In this edition, we caught up with Catalina, our dynamic Talent Acquisition Lead, to discuss her approach to recruitment, the challenges she faces, and her tips for job seekers. Beyond work, Catalina shared how she balances her professional life with her passion for ballet and her incredible journey from Colombia to Ukraine!
Get to know Catalina a little more through this Cover Story, and discover the vibrant community at Opinov8. Don’t miss your chance to join us on this gr8 adventure!
As a recruiter and interviewer, I've noticed the challenges in terms of talent acquisition are finding the right people at the right moment with the right skills for a project. 👀 While it might sound 'easy,' it’s actually a complex balance of several factors coming together all at once.
First of all, English proficiency is a significant challenge 🙄. In Colombia, we face considerable difficulties with English. Colombia isn't the most fluent country in Latin America when it comes to English, and the general English level is quite low. Interestingly, I've also searched for candidates in Poland and Ukraine, and English is a major barrier there as well.
The second challenge is that technology moves incredibly fast. You could be mastering one technology, and suddenly a new one appears, and then another, and then another. Keeping up with these changes is tough, and finding candidates who are up-to-date with the latest technologies is even harder. For instance, four years ago, React JS was still relatively new and not well-known. Today, it's everywhere, and now we have frameworks like Next.js, which are even more specific and make things more complex.
The third aspect that's challenging is finding a balance between technical and soft skills. I think this is also a challenge that you will always face over time. You can find a candidate who is technically skilled, but they may struggle with soft skills such as teamwork, communication, or being results-oriented. It's quite challenging to find someone with the perfect mix of both technical and interpersonal abilities. Since I started, I've found that achieving this balance is a consistent struggle. Sometimes, you find someone technically amazing, but you know they may not perform well within the team environment or fit the company culture, and that's a dealbreaker.
When it comes to understanding if a candidate is a good fit for the team, I like to use competency-based questions. I don't just ask about their technical skills or how long they've been working with a particular technology. I also ask them to describe challenges they've faced or conflicts they've had with their team. This helps me gauge their approach to teamwork and communication. It's a red flag when a candidate doesn't share enough details, has vague answers, or doesn't clearly express their active role within the projects. This makes me doubt their technical expertise and the fit with the team.
With the emergence of Artificial Intelligence 🥸, it sometimes becomes more challenging to identify a good candidate, since the answers are readily available; however, the lack of details, eloquence and coherence in the answers is the turning point to know if a candidate is possibly good or not.
Finally, during interviews, you can always tell when a candidate is lying or pretending 😑. There are always subtle details or inconsistencies in their responses that give it away. It could be the way they mix up their answers or the lack of specificity. Over time, you develop a sense of these things, and it becomes easier to tell when someone is being dishonest.
Overall, to be successful in recruitment, you need a lot of experience to figure all of this out. You need to be a good listener, ask the right questions, and be attentive to details. It's about understanding both the technical and personal aspects of each candidate and ensuring they are a good fit for the company and team. Developing these skills takes time, and it's a process of continuous learning and improvement. 🤝
When it comes to CVs, there are several common mistakes that candidates make. Here are my top tips to help you avoid them and create a CV that stands out:
🤓 Relevant Keywords: One of the most common mistakes is not thinking about your CV in terms of keywords. When applying for jobs, you have to consider how the recruiter or hiring manager will interpret your experience. You need to be mindful of keywords that match the market's reality, needs, and your value. For instance, if your company used an internal job title like "Rockstar #2," that wouldn't mean anything to someone outside your company. You should translate it to something the market understands, like "Software Developer." This way, you're ensuring your CV is easily understood and relevant to potential employers.
🧐 Be Concise: Recruiters receive hundreds of resumes every day, so we don’t have the time to read each one in detail — we scan them quickly. Make sure your CV is concise, to the point, and able to capture attention within those crucial few seconds. A well-written headline and a brief summary section can capture attention quickly. Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs to make your experience easy to scan. Highlight your key skills and achievements, ensuring the most relevant information is at the top of your CV.
👨💻 Focus on the Value You Bring: Another mistake I often see is in the summary section of the CV. Many candidates write things like, "I'm looking for new challenges," or "My hobbies are dancing ballet." While it's great to know your interests, that doesn't add much value to the company reviewing your CV. Instead, focus on the value you can bring to the company. Your summary should clearly state your expertise and what makes you a strong candidate. For example, instead of saying, "I'm passionate about working in teams," you could say, "Expert in collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver complex software projects on time." This clearly communicates your experience and what you can contribute.
📝 Not Tailor Your CV For Each Application: It's important to understand the market and the key terms used for the role you're targeting. Without aligning your job title and skills to industry norms, your CV risks being missed by recruiters. I always recommend candidates have a really good one base CV that represents their skills and experience comprehensively. There is no need to tailor it for each application, except in cases where you are applying for something very specific, to ensure that your CV matches the specific job requirements. For instance, if a job posting emphasizes Java, and you have experience with Java as well as other languages, ensure that your Java experience is front and center. This helps you align your value proposition with what the company is specifically looking for.
💡 LinkedIn: LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools in terms of job applications. Your CV and LinkedIn profile serve different purposes and should be treated as such. A CV is more formal and should be limited to around two pages. It needs to be focused and professional, with clear and direct language. On the other hand, LinkedIn can be more flexible and allow you to add more personality. It’s a great place to expand on your experiences, share more details, and connect with people on a personal level. You can use LinkedIn to tell your career story in a way that feels less rigid than a CV but still remains professional.
By following these tips, you can avoid common pitfalls and create a CV that truly reflects your skills and experience, making it easier for recruiters to see your value and match you with the right opportunities.
Soft skills usually aren't the main focus for recruiters during the CV review process. However, they play an important role in whether a candidate will succeed in the interview and the role itself. Soft skills are something you need to demonstrate throughout the interview process.
I suggest including soft skills in your CV, but avoid the overused and generic ones like "teamwork" or "leadership". Instead, focus on skills that are highly relevant to your industry and role, and provide specific examples of how you’ve applied these skills.
In the tech industry, 🤝 problem-solving is a must-have skill. It’s not enough to simply follow procedures. Employers want candidates who can think on their feet and come up with creative solutions to complex challenges.
Being 🎯 results-oriented is also crucial. This means setting clear goals, striving to meet them, and having a track record of delivering outcomes. It shows that you are driven to achieve success and contribute to the company's objectives.
Another essential skill is 💡 thinking outside the box. Flexibility and unique approaches are key in many situations, demonstrating that you can adapt and find solutions beyond conventional methods.
🤠 Systemic thinking is also important in tech roles. It means viewing the system as a whole rather than just focusing on individual parts, which is crucial when working on projects involving multiple components.
Of course, being able to 🗣 communicate well is important for all candidates. Being open to collaboration and feedback, ensuring smooth teamwork and project management.
For 💼 business-oriented or C-level roles, it’s important to have a strategic mindset. This means understanding both the technical and business aspects of a role, making decisions that align with the company’s goals, and contributing to the long-term vision.
Focusing on relevant soft skills and demonstrating them throughout the hiring process, you show recruiters that you have the well-rounded abilities necessary to excel and contribute effectively to the team and company.
The first thing is to really prepare for an interview 😂. When you’re applying to multiple companies, it’s easy to lose track of details, but once you’ve been invited to an interview, you need to tailor your preparation to that company and role.
My first suggestion is to ask yourself, “Why am I the perfect candidate for this company and this role?”. You need to know what unique skills and experiences you bring to the table and how they align with the company’s needs.
This requires market research — take the time to understand the company's mission, culture, and the challenges they face, and be ready to explain how you can help solve their problems.
Second, you need to prepare examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your skills. Don’t just say, “I’m good at this.” Instead, explain how you applied your skills in specific projects. For example, if you’re interviewing for a Java Backend Developer role, you should be ready to provide examples of projects where you used Java. Share relevant situations that show how you’ve successfully used your skills in a work environment and highlight the results you achieved.
Another important aspect of preparation is anticipating potential questions and preparing thoughtful responses. Think about the skills and qualities that are most relevant to the role and be ready to discuss them. Practice answering common interview questions, but also think about more challenging questions you might be asked, such as those related to weaknesses or conflicts, and plan how you will address them positively. 🤓
Lastly, preparation gives you clarity and structure in your answers. You’ll be able to avoid giving vague or overly detailed responses and instead stay focused on what’s important. It’s crucial to remember that interviews nowadays can be as short as 30–40 minutes, so you have limited time to make a strong impression. Being well-prepared ensures that you can convey your value effectively, stay on topic, and demonstrate confidence in your abilities.
The key is to be transparent, but not vulnerable. For example, when asked about your weaknesses, it’s important not to put yourself in a position where you’re just highlighting negative aspects of yourself. Instead, provide context around the situation. Maybe you received negative feedback because you didn’t have enough information at the time or were dealing with personal challenges. Be honest, but always turn the conversation towards how you’ve learned from the experience and improved. 🙌
Never leave the answer on a negative note. Show that you’re aware of your weaknesses, but also that you’ve worked to overcome them. For instance, you might say, “I learned from that situation, and it’s something I’ve been improving on ever since.” This shows the interviewer that you’re self-aware and committed to growth.
The clarity and structure of a candidate’s answers are very important. As an interviewer, I don’t have a magic ball to figure out what they mean, so you need to be clear about what you did in your projects. Avoid vague language like, “I participated” or “I supported.” Instead, use action verbs like “I analyzed,” “I planned,” or “I led.” These kinds of actionable verbs give me a much clearer idea of your role and contribution.
Another thing that makes candidates stand out is their attitude during the interview. Show motivation, ask questions, and demonstrate your interest in the role and the project. It’s the perfect combination of hard and soft skills that makes a candidate truly stand out 🤠.
Rejection is never easy, but I’ve learned that transparency makes all the difference. Being honest and respectful always goes a long way.
I always strive to be honest with candidates and clearly explain why they aren’t moving forward. There can be many reasons for rejection: the position might be closed, the requirements may have changed, or the company might be looking for candidates in a different location, etc. Being clear about these reasons helps candidates understand the decision and ensures they know it’s not necessarily a reflection of their abilities.
For example, I’ve had to reject candidates because we shifted focus from hiring in Colombia to Poland. In those cases, I explained the situation clearly so they understood it wasn’t about their skills but about the company’s needs at that moment. I find that being upfront about the situation allows candidates to see that it’s more about business decisions rather than a personal judgment on their qualifications.
Whenever possible, I provide feedback highlighting both what the candidate did well and where they can improve, offering a clear view of the pros and cons. This way, they leave the process with some valuable insights, even if they didn’t get the job. For instance, if a candidate didn’t advance due to their technical skills, I might share where they performed strongly and suggest areas to focus on for growth. That way, they can better prepare for future opportunities, whether with us or another company. 🤝
There are two key things that come to mind when I think about balancing my personal and professional life. First, plan in advance. Fun fact: I’m a ballet dancer! 😎 I practice ballet twice a week in the evenings, but to stay in shape, I have to train every day. It’s all about keeping up with cardio and making sure my body stays healthy. So yeah, I’m a routine person.
For example, every morning, I wake up early, send my 🐾 puppy to "school" at 6:30 AM (yes, she has her own school, it's adorable 🥰!), and then head to the gym for at least an hour and a half. After that, I can dive into work without feeling guilty about skipping personal goals. I’m really into planning, so every Sunday, I map out my week. I know what I need to achieve each day and how to structure my time to hit those daily, weekly, and monthly goals, so I can stay on track without stressing!
The second thing I’ve learned about myself is that I’m not a multitasking person — and honestly, accepting that has been a total game-changer! That’s why I love using the 🍅 Pomodoro technique. It’s a time-management hack where you focus for ⏱️ 25 minutes and then reward yourself with a short break. It’s super helpful, especially since working from home can come with a million distractions everywhere. So, I get things done, and after 25 minutes, I can take a break, maybe call my mom, grab a coffee, or do some small housework. For someone like me, who gets distracted easily, it’s been a lifesaver! 🤓👩💻
Oh my God, where do I even start? Visiting Ukraine was absolutely amazing! Honestly, I was a bit nervous at first — everyone in Colombia kept asking, “Why Ukraine?” With the war going on, people thought I was crazy, but for me, it was a no-brainer. I’ve been working with these wonderful people from Ukraine for over two years, and it felt so important to show my support and finally meet them in person. I just knew I had to go. 💛💙
Getting there was quite the journey! I traveled across Europe for weeks, stopping in places like Germany, Poland, and Belgium before making my way to Ukraine. By the time I reached Lviv, after hours on the road, I was a mix of excitement and nerves. But the moment I stepped off the train in Lviv, I was in total awe. It was like a dream of seeing my teammates I had only known through a screen 😄. Meeting them in person for the first time was incredibly emotional — I couldn’t believe I was finally there! 😍
We spent three days together exploring the city. Lviv is gorgeous, with its cobblestone streets and beautiful old buildings 🤩. We walked around the streets, visited local parks, and ate at cozy little cafes. Oh, and the food! The food was amazing — I got to try traditional Ukrainian dishes like borscht and varenyky, and it was all so delicious 😋. But what really struck me was the warmth and kindness of the people. Even though there was a language barrier, we found ways to communicate — whether it was through gestures, smiles, or using translator apps. 🙌
One funny memory that stands out is when I went to buy a 🌻 traditional vyshyvanka, which is this beautiful embroidered Ukrainian shirt. The shopkeeper didn’t speak any English, and I didn’t speak Ukrainian, but we used a translator app, and it turned into such a lovely exchange. Moments like that just reminded me how much we can connect with people even when we don’t speak the same language. 😊
Of course, being in Ukraine during the war made the experience even more intense. I remember one night, I heard an air alarm — it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. The sound made my heart race, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to process it. It was scary, and it reminded me of the reality Ukrainians are living through every day. But even in the face of war, the people there were so resilient and kind 🥰. It was inspiring to see how people support one another, and how strong they are! ✊🇺🇦
Despite thousands of kilometers, all the challenges, and the risks, I knew this trip was important. Meeting my Ukrainian team in person, after working with them for so long, was incredibly meaningful. I was grateful to be there and to show my support in the best way I could. Traveling across Europe was an unforgettable experience, but Ukraine will always hold a special place in my heart. I left feeling inspired and deeply moved by the experience.
Traveling has really opened my eyes to the fact that, at the end of the day, we’re all human. We may come from different cultures and speak different languages, but deep down, we all share similar hopes, dreams, and struggles ❤️.
In my professional role, this understanding helps me connect with people on a more personal level. I try to go beyond just transactional conversations and instead build relationships based on empathy and mutual respect. It’s not just about getting the job done, it’s about understanding the motivations, emotions, and values that drive the people I work with. This human-to-human connection makes my job so much more rewarding. 🫶
Absolutely! One place I’m really excited about is the Camino de Santiago. It’s a pilgrimage route in Spain that I’ve been dreaming of walking for years. It’s about walking 20 to 30 kilometers a day 🔥, and I’m planning to do it next year for my 30th birthday 🥳! It sounds tough, but what a memorable way to celebrate and challenge myself!
I’m looking forward to the journey, not just as a physical challenge but also as a spiritual one. I love traveling solo, so I plan to do it on my own, meeting new people along the way and enjoying the experience of being out in nature and in my own thoughts. 💫
I would say, “You’re going to love the human-to-human connection here!” Opinov8 is all about people. The multicultural environment is full of challenges, but it’s also filled with kind, supportive individuals who will make you admire the team you’re working with. You’ll feel supported every step of the way, and that’s what makes this place special. 💙
Want to be part of something exciting? Check out our open positions and join our diverse, multicultural team at Opinov8. We can’t wait to see what we’ll create together!
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