Interview with Milena Hristova, founder of ImpacT Hire

Milena Hristova is  the Founder and CEO of ImpacT Hire - a company that provides professional recruitment services for businesses. In an interview with TalentSight, Milena shared her extensive experience in the Recruitment sector as well as useful tips for professionals in the sector.

Milena, you are a successful lady entrepreneur in the sector! What inspired you to found ImpacT Hire, and how does your mission differ from that of other IT recruitment agencies?

ImpacT Hire came about suddenly, without much of a plan, but it was also the natural result of years of hard work, in-depth observations of the job market, and my strong desire for change. During my first years in recruitment, I observed a lack of transparency, poor communication, and a superficial attitude toward candidates in the recruitment field. I did not identify with these practices and believed they could and should be changed. After multiple attempts and efforts, I realized that no organization would give me the freedom to change the foundation of their business and the strategy that brings them success to align with my values. Then I said to myself, "You have the ideas, the drive, and the energy - why not try to implement them yourself and set the good example you are looking for?" And so ImpacT Hire was born - the fruit of the effort and expertise I've built up over the years, with the mission to make recruitment more transparent, humane, and effective for all parties.

ImpacT Hire is an agency that doesn't just send candidates who meet a few basic requirements. We are committed to a deep understanding of the needs of both the business and the candidates. This is our distinctive quality. We don't overwhelm the process, we strive to create value and be helpful. We take a personalized approach to each position, with consideration for the long-term goals of all parties.

Recruitment is not just a task for us - it's a mission that requires sincerity, commitment, and the ability to put the person at the center.

Here are the key principles that guide us:

• Integrity: We never make promises we can't keep. Honesty is at the core of our work. We carefully analyze our capacity, the availability of suitable candidates, and the fit of the role with market trends and candidate interests.

• Speed and prioritization: when we commit to a new role, we act immediately. Total commitment to projects is our hallmark, and results accordingly do not lag.

• The right questions: thanks to our experience, we ask the right questions to understand the companies' needs not only on a technical but also on a cultural level, and on the other hand to understand and get to know as much as possible the qualities and criteria of each candidate. This helps us match people with the right roles for them.

• Quality over quantity. Each process is thought through and tailored to clear criteria that ensure accuracy and detail.

• Hard work: the ImpacT Hire team is not only professional but also extremely dedicated. The perseverance and teamwork of my colleagues is the foundation of our success, for which I am extremely grateful.

ImpacT Hire is my way of proving that change is possible when worked with dedication, transparency, and attention to the individual. With these principles, we inspire people to see recruitment as an opportunity to create value and build trust and long-term relationships.

What are the biggest challenges in connecting companies with highly skilled IT professionals in today's dynamic environment?

This is definitely one of the trickiest questions I've received. Everything can go wrong at every step, regardless of who is involved in the process. It is the "unknown" that can both demotivate and bring variety and keep the mind awake.

Today's job market is evolving at an extraordinary rate, and companies' priorities often change literally within hours. Although speed is very important in this competitive process, one of the main challenges for me is to keep the quality of recruitment at the forefront. In my opinion, true success comes when we manage to strike a balance between pace and attention to detail, because only then can we create sustainable and valuable solutions. Often the participants in the process are mainly looking from their own perspective. Companies sometimes insist on requirements that need to adapt to market dynamics to be successful in attracting the best talent.

Our job and challenge is to advise businesses in the most personalized way possible - by providing objective market intelligence, helping to tailor requirements, offering competitive analysis, and building strategies that make positions more attractive.

In turn, communication with candidates also has hurdles. They often demand transparency and detailed feedback but are sometimes not prepared to receive it constructively. Working with people always requires balance - everyone has their own beliefs, convictions, and sensitivities. Our role as mediators is to build trust through openness, professionalism, and the ability to find the point where the interests of both parties meet.

In summary, what makes selection so complex is the interaction with the "colors" of different personalities. This is why the profession exists - to help companies and candidates find common ground. We build bridges between differences and unlock the potential that each side brings. That's why ImpacT Hire's mission is to take an understanding and attention to detail-approach.

Recruitment for us is not just a mechanical process - it's a set of small but significant decisions that lead to the right pairing of people and roles. Our goal is not only to find the right candidates for companies but to build sustainable, long-term relationships that create value for both parties.

Do you use AI, data, and automation in your team? How?

Yes, our team uses AI and automation in basic processes such as information management and optimizing logistics around recruitment.

These tools help us to be more efficient and save time that we can put into the really important aspects of the job - personal attention and the individual approach to people. However, we take a cautious approach when it comes to direct communication with candidates or partners.

For us, recruitment is a deeply human process in which empathy, understanding, and personal contact play key roles. We believe AI can support these efforts, but not replace them. We continue to explore how technology can complement our approach without compromising our core values - attention to detail, humanity and quality in every interaction.

In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes recruiters make when evaluating candidates?

As I mentioned above, recruiters play a mediating role in the selection process, balancing the expectations of companies with the needs of candidates.

On this occasion, qualities such as patience, understanding, precision, and high coordination are needed. Success depends on the ability not to break down in the face of difficulties and to continue with discipline and determination. This role requires clarity, strategy, and precision, but when these are lacking, mistakes are inevitable.

One of the most common problems is an insufficient understanding of the criteria of the role and its requirements. This can lead to incorrect assessment of candidates - selecting the wrong people or missing out on talented but not completely 'matched' candidates who could have developed successfully. Often this is combined with an excessive focus on superficial criteria, such as technical skills or key words on the CV, without considering the depth of experience and skills, potential and personality, motivation, and the candidate's cultural fit with the team.

Another serious omission is the lack of communication or superficial communication. When candidates are not given clear information about the expectations, process or specifics of the role, they are left unprepared, frustrated and even demotivated. Lack of feedback after an interview also reflects negatively. Even a short message is better than complete silence because it shows respect and professionalism.

Selection is always a challenge because it involves people with different perspectives, interests, and expectations. But when there is a clear strategy, good communication, and an understanding of the true needs of companies and candidates, success is not only possible but sustainable.

What would you wish for the TalentSight team?

To the TalentSight team, I would like to wish you success in your mission to integrate technology and the human element in a way that not only facilitates but enriches the recruitment process.

In a world where automation is becoming more and more tangible, I believe you can show how innovation can support the personal approach rather than supplant it. Your platform has the potential to create not just more efficient processes, but a better candidate experience that leaves a lasting positive impression.

I wish you succeed in setting industry standards by combining the best of technology and human creativity. May what you create be not only useful but inspiring to all who believe that selection is an art backed by science!