Hey Little Pineapple,
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My first recruitment job was at a big recruitment corporation.
I liked it.
It taught me a lot about recruitment and working with businesses.

And a lot of people are bashing on corporate world, but truth is I was pretty good at corporate.
The vibe, the chase, celebrating wins, the energy.
I genuinely enjoyed it.

But it wasn't my place. Not my world.

So I started looking for something new in gamedev.
Sent out CVs, went to interviews, and landed on one gig I actually liked.
Made it to the 2nd stage, then the 3rd.
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Just a chat with my future boss.
This was it. The role I wanted.

Here's where I fucked up.

To make it on time, I had to leave work early and go straight there.
And at my corporate gig, suits were standard practice.
Honestly, it wasn't bad. Some days it even felt awesome to wear one.

So I showed up to the interview in a full suit.

They invited me to wait in a small room.
The hiring manager (remind you - my potential future boss) wasn't there yet.

Then he walked in.

Jeans. Sweater. T-shirt.

I felt my stomach drop. The contrast couldn't have been bigger, I swear.
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And I could see it immediately on his face.
Confusion first, then something worse.
Judgment.

I'm pretty sure he was thinking something like:

"WTF is this guy doing here?"

We started the interview. I tried to focus, answer well, show what I could bring.
But I could feel the suit suffocating me now.
Every answer I gave felt like I was talking through a costume I couldn't take off.

Then he said it directly.

"I don't look for a bureaucrat. I need someone who can get their hands dirty and work in the trenches."

My heart sank.

I had literally been working in the trenches since Day 1.
My first day, my manager handed me a list of 50 candidates and said, "Call all of them today and get updates on where they are."
I did it. I've been doing it ever since.

But he couldn't have known that.
And when you're sitting across from someone in a suit it screams the opposite of "getting your hands dirty."

Was it fair? No.
Understandable? 100%.

He didn't know me. Didn't know what I was capable of.
And when your brain has to make a split-second judgment with limited information, it goes to the safest option.

Which by the way almost always is "No."

I walked out of that interview knowing I'd shot myself in the foot.
The role I wanted, the industry I was excited about, and I'd shown up looking like everything they were trying to get away from.

I eventually got the gig. But that stigma of being the "office boy"? It took weeks to wash off.
I had to prove myself harder, longer, and more consistently than I would have if I'd just paid attention to one simple detail.

My lesson from this?

The small stuff isn't small.

I could have packed casual clothes that morning.
Changed in my car in the parking lot.

Instead, I winged it.
Even though I knew the industry.
Even though I knew suits weren't their thing.

I ignored context.
And context is everything.

Now? I obsess over the details.
(No, really, I'm a god damn maniac when it comes to doing things, especially working with people)
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Not because I'm paranoid, but because I learned the hard way that the game is won or lost before you even open your mouth.

Pay attention. Read the room. Respect the context.

It matters more than you think.
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I'm rooting for you,
You got this.
​
Patryk
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PS
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I almost blew a job in my dream industry because I didn't pay attention to one detail. Don't let the same thing happen to you.

If you're looking for your next role and want to make sure you're showing up the right way, in the right rooms, having the right conversations, I can help. I work with people every day to land serious conversations about projects they're genuinely excited about.

Not just any job. The one you actually want.

Reply to this email and let's talk about your next move.