The Interviews

March 8, 2023, 5:30 AM - Vertis North, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines - Penthouse Unit 001

With a groggy hand, Daniel fumbled for the alarm clock on his bedside table, silencing its blaring ring. He stretched his arms and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the early morning light filtered in through his window. The day began like any other, with his usual routine of hitting the gym and freshening up. But this morning, after his workout and freshening up, instead of diving straight to his other tasks for the day, Daniel decided to treat himself to an extra hour or two of sleep, slipping back under the covers for some much-needed rest.

After waking up again, feeling refreshed, Daniel made his way to the kitchen and prepared himself a hearty breakfast. As he ate, he scanned through his to-do list for the day, mentally preparing himself for the series of interviews he had lined up for his start-up. It was going to be a busy day, but he was ready to tackle it head-on. He made sure to prepare snacks and drinks beside his table, knowing that the interviews would take up most of his time. He even made a mental note to purchase a small snack fridge for his home office when he finds time in the near future as he realized that having snacks piled up on his table during long work hours wasn't ideal. The fridge would also ensure that his drinks remained chilled, something he always preferred.

Finally, he sat down at his desk in his work/gaming room, fired up his computer, and began the long day of interviewing potential candidates.

Daniel took a sip of his coffee as he waited for the first candidate to join the Zoom call. With Zoom as his virtual meeting room and Calendly to track his schedule, he was ready to conduct a series of interviews for his startup's open positions. Notion was also open on his computer, ready to record his thoughts and observations during each interview.

The first candidate was Paolo Fuentebella, who applied for the Finance Manager position.

"Good morning, Paolo. Thank you for joining me today," Daniel greeted him warmly.

"Good morning, sir. Thank you for considering me for the position," Paolo replied with a smile.

Daniel wasted no time and went straight to the interview, "Can you share with me your experience in finance and how it would translate to the role of Finance Manager in our start-up?"

Paolo spoke confidently about his experience in managing budgets, analyzing financial data, and overseeing financial operations. Daniel listened attentively, asking follow-up questions to gain a better understanding of Paolo's skills and expertise.

As the interview progressed, Daniel found himself impressed with Paolo's qualifications and experience. He noted down Paolo's strengths and areas for improvement on Notion, ensuring that he had a comprehensive record of their conversation.

"Thank you, Paolo. It was a pleasure speaking with you today. We will let you know about the next steps in the hiring process," Daniel said as the interview concluded.

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate the opportunity," Paolo replied with gratitude.

Daniel ended the call, feeling positive about Paolo's potential to join their team. He moved on to the next interview, excited to learn more about the candidates for the other positions.

The second interviewee was for the HR and Office Manager position.

"Hello, Alvin Arboleda. It's great to meet you. How are you today?" Daniel greeted him with a smile.

"I'm good, thanks for asking. How about you?" Alvin replied, his voice calm and composed.

"I'm doing well, thank you. Let's get started. Can you tell me about your experience in HR and Office Management, and how you would fit into our start-up?" Daniel asked, already impressed by Alvin's resume.

The conversation flowed smoothly once again, with Alvin highlighting his experience in managing a team and creating a positive work environment. Daniel made sure to take note of his communication skills and ability to handle difficult situations.

As the day progressed, Daniel conducted interviews with candidates for the other positions, including copywriter, creative director, graphic designer, video editor, account manager, digital marketing manager, producer, and photographer/videographer. Each interview was unique, with different questions and challenges.

After finishing all the applicants scheduled for the day, Daniel leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms. He felt satisfied with the interviews he conducted and was looking forward to moving forward with the hiring process.

He opened up Notion and reviewed his notes, taking a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. He had suitable candidates for almost all the positions he needed to fill, except for the Digital Marketing Manager and Head Producer roles.

Daniel made a mental note to continue searching for the perfect fit for the two open positions. Nonetheless, he was thrilled to extend job offers to the promising candidates he had interviewed earlier in the day. With a sense of accomplishment, he closed his laptop and called it a day.

Afterward, Daniel headed to his kitchen to prepare dinner, feeling grateful for the progress his startup had made that day. Once he finished eating, he took a break to do something he enjoyed: playing Minecraft.

Gaming is one of his ways of unwinding and disconnecting from work, allowing him to recharge and refocus.

As he played, he couldn't help but think about the candidates he had interviewed earlier. He was confident that he had found some excellent candidates to join his team, but he also knew that the hiring process was far from over. There were still more interviews to conduct, and he needed to ensure he found the perfect fit for every position.

Despite this, Daniel was content to take a break from work and enjoy some time to himself. As he played, he felt a sense of peace and relaxation wash over him, providing a welcome respite from the stresses of the day.

Eventually, he grew tired and decided to call it a night. He shut down his computer, went to his bedroom, brushed his teeth, and climbed into bed.