From gaming to coding
You could say I ended up in the software business by happenstance. I’ve always been into video games, and as a youngster working with computers sounded like a nice career choice although, at the time, I didn’t have any real understanding of what the job entailed. If someone had asked me what coding was, I couldn’t have answered them. Nevertheless, I applied to study IT and found my passion.
I joined Vincit’s Rising Star program six months ago. At that point, I had been working in the field for a year and a half and was looking into various companies trying to figure out where I wanted to work. I found Vincit at the center of my Venn diagram. I got a good feeling about the company based on their website, the Vincitizens I already knew and the conversations I had at a career expo.
The Rising Star program has allowed me to get to know other budding Vincitizens. We get together every couple of weeks to have a meeting, during which a more senior Vincit colleague shares their experiences as well as some tips and advice. The program has allowed me not only to gain experience in client projects but also to learn about all the different career opportunities Vincit has to offer.
Rising Star has provided invaluable peer support at the beginning of my career. Since we’re all in the same boat, it’s been nice to talk about work and hear about the different types of workdays people actually have. Sharing your thoughts and ideas has proven extremely helpful and inspiring.
Colleagues and support equal development
Client projects have boosted my development and taught me a lot. The entire work community and more experienced colleagues are always there to help. At Vincit, you also receive plenty of feedback on your work, including constructive criticism on your points of development.
I’ve found that even the small things about my work can be rewarding, such as getting things done in a limited amount of time. Some time ago, I joined a new project while I was still making finishing touches to my previous one. Both projects required time, but I still managed to finalize the old project and produce a convincing demo that the client liked for the new one.
Working with people is my number one driver because striving towards a common goal only increases motivation. The end result matters too of course, but when you get caught in the daily grind human connections are really important. I like the feeling I get when something I do makes someone else’s day a little bit more manageable.
Inspiring and encouraging cooperation
Vincitizens represent a wide range of personalities. The atmosphere is free, even inspiring, and no one needs to pretend to be something they’re not. Even if you’re not having the best of days, someone always comes and asks you to join them for a coffee or lunch and brightens up your day. There are also plenty of club activities to choose from if you want to have a good time with your colleagues outside of work.
It’s easy to find your place in this group, and the work community is a safe place for everyone. I easily strive for perfection, but my colleagues have helped me understand that you can’t or don’t need to be the world’s biggest achiever all the time. It’s enough to do your best. Everyone has the opportunity to shine and develop their professional competence at their own pace. Vincit believes in courage, which means failure is not something to be afraid of.
The code of the future is written for people
I believe that coding and digitalization in general are going to become increasingly human-centered. At the moment, there are masses of digital services and an overabundance of applications available, but more attention should be paid to the user. I like to think that people of the future will use fewer services than we do today, but the services will be of higher quality and able to better meet individual needs.
Software development is rewarding because sometimes a single line of code can produce something wonderful. My job as a coder is to use my tools and skills to make the world a better place by turning other people’s designs into reality.
I really enjoy software development and seem to like everything connected to it, which is why I haven’t yet tried focusing on any particular aspect of it. In the future, I’d like to pursue project management and customer relations, too.
A balance between work and personal life
I feel great about my work and think I have a good work-life balance. I’m in the process of writing my thesis and taking the final courses I need for my degree. In my spare time, I like to play video games and spend time at the student guild and the video game club I have founded. I also enjoy exercise – playing floorball offers a counterbalance to my knowledge-intensive work and projects.
The last few months have been rewarding to say the least. Taking part in the Rising Star program has been a wonderful experience and I’ve really enjoyed working at Vincit.
