Throughout my career, I’ve interacted with numerous Northern European (and to a lesser degree, North American) companies, through both interviews and collaborations. I’ve also explored the local Greek market, which went through a difficult decade during the global financial crisis (roughly 2009–2019).
I hesitated before writing this one (nothing personal, folks!), but I believe it’s important to address what I see as some recurring problems in the Greek interviewing culture.
I’ve seen firsthand Greek engineers building outstanding careers abroad, often ranking in the top 10% of professionals I’ve met, with solid foundations in science, mathematics, and problem-solving. This is exactly why I think some of the established practices and cultural habits in the local job market don’t do justice to the quality of the talent here, a significant part of which has unfortunately chosen to expatriate.
Below are some anti-patterns I’ve personally witnessed and believe need to change.
1. Listening is hard (but you have to try)
I’ve often felt interrupted in interviews with Greek interviewers. Over time, I realized that this behavior isn’t confined to interviews; it’s part of our daily communication style. But in a professional interview, it’s especially damaging.
There are several factors behind this, but they seem to boil down to the following:
- Many new graduates and professionals in Greece lack structured interviewing skills compared to their international peers. They often struggle to present their experience clearly.
- When someone does present themselves well — confidently and coherently — they’re often perceived as “bragging.” This triggers a low-trust reaction: “This person is trying to sell themselves; I won’t fall for it.”
- The broader culture of low trust is deeply rooted in Greek society and fuels the obsession with formal credentials. We tend to rely more heavily on degrees and certifications as proxies for skill. (It’s telling that, among hundreds of interviews I’ve had, Greek interviewers were the only ones who consistently asked about the school I graduated from, and sometimes even my final grade.)
Another contributing factor: we all think we know better. (I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of this too.)
2. Cold calling vs. asynchronous communication
This one is more practical, but still significant.
Direct phone calling is deeply ingrained in Greek professional culture. The reasoning usually goes like this:
- Email is slow.
- I want to schedule a call or meeting now.
- Therefore, async communication is inefficient, so I’ll just call.
Two problems with this:
- Calling candidates during work hours (while they’re employed elsewhere) is a professional no-go. There’s no way to justify this. Don’t do it.
- Scheduling real conversations requires planning. Finding a 30- or 60-minute slot often involves checking calendars, rearranging commitments, and syncing across time zones. You can’t do that “while I have you on the phone.”
Adopting asynchronous habits — short, clear emails, calendar links, and respect for working hours — signals professionalism and respect for others’ time. It’s not just logistics; it’s culture.
3. Technical interviews modeled after school exams
Greek education is famous (or infamous) for its emphasis on memorization. From history classes filled with dates to dense exams testing recall more than understanding, we’re trained early on to prioritize remembering over reasoning.
That pattern has unfortunately seeped into the way many technical interviews are conducted.
Too often, interviews feel like trivia sessions:
“What does ACID stand for in databases?” “Define the virtual DOM.” “List the core web vitals.”
Knowledge of definitions isn’t bad, but it’s a weak indicator of someone’s ability to think critically, analyze trade-offs, or solve real-world problems.
Strong technical interviews should resemble collaborative discussions: how would you approach this problem? Why would you choose one solution over another? What trade-offs would you consider?
When interviews reward memorization, they fail to capture what makes good engineers valuable — the ability to think creatively under uncertainty.
A better approach would blend practical coding challenges with open-ended design or debugging questions. This way, candidates can demonstrate reasoning, not just recall.
4. Interviews go both ways
Another recurring issue I’ve noticed is that some hiring managers still treat interviews as one-way conversations. In these setups, the interviewer asks all the questions, and the candidate’s role is simply to respond and prove themselves. There’s little sense of mutual evaluation or dialogue.
This mindset likely stems from the post-crisis years, when unemployment was high and the talent pool was overflowing. During that time, employers held all the leverage, and many hiring processes were built around the assumption that “candidates are replaceable.”
But times have changed. The market is far more competitive today, and good engineers have choices — both within Greece and abroad. Interviews should now be seen as two-way discussions, where both sides explore whether there’s a good fit in terms of culture, values, and expectations.
A healthy interview dynamic encourages candidates to ask their own questions, understand how teams work, and assess whether the company is truly a place where they can grow. Respecting that balance isn’t just fair; it’s smart hiring. It helps attract and retain better people.
Conclusion
Greece has the talent. That part isn’t in question. What we need is a cultural shift that values listening, professionalism, and critical thinking as much as technical skill.
By modernizing our interview practices and management culture, we can build a more dynamic market that attracts not only local talent but also returning expats and even international professionals.
If we want Greece to play a bigger role in Europe’s tech scene, we don’t need to imitate Silicon Valley. We just need to trust talent more, and test it better.