The IT industry is constantly looking for employees of various levels. Representatives of other professions are increasingly coming to IT companies. However, the path to success, big money or professional prestige is long. The story of our hero, who has worked in the industry for 18 years, shows that it was worth changing the industry. – This is the best professional decision I have made in my life, says Marek Cerny in an interview with Wprost.pl.
Marek Czerny holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Krakow University of Technology. Prior to joining the IT industry, he worked for 18 years mainly in R&D departments in global corporations in the field of production of equipment related to the distribution of electricity.
He turned the world of factories into an IT industry
- This is the world of real industrial plants, assembly lines and production machines. - speaks. - Most of the time I worked as a project manager or team leader, managing product quality or cost. he adds. The man worked in many factories in Europe, mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. He has collaborated with R&D departments in both the US and India. He also led a project to launch production in China.
- A few years ago, I first encountered the concepts of Agile and Scrum. he remembers. - This was the moment from which my subsequent interest in the IT industry began. he points.
IT industry. He decided to change his profession
When he seriously thought about reindustry, he wanted to use his interests and previous experience in Agile/Scrum. That is why he was looking for work in positions such as Scrum Master or Project Manager. Here were the first steps that had to be overcome. - I had no contact with the IT industry. That’s why I chose live odds. I wanted to systematize my Agile/Scrum knowledge - claims.
He also wanted to meet people from the industry and get some industry-specific information that is not necessarily included in the course curriculum. He focused on training and certification of Certified Scrum Masters from the Scrum Alliance and a five-week bootcamp for Scrum Masters.
All the knowledge he needed was available on the Internet.
- In parallel, I studied myself, drawing knowledge from YouTube. - speaks. - It turned out that, unlike industry, all the knowledge I need in IT is available there for free. she says. Once he has an understanding of topics such as SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), MVP (Minimum Viable Product), CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Development) or Git, and he has obtained Scrum Master certification, it is time to next step. . It was an application for companies from the IT industry.
According to Marek, almost every proposal he applied for required previous experience in implementing IT projects. - In this situation, I had no choice but to ignore this requirement. After sending the first resumes, companies began to contact me - claims. At the beginning of each of the interviews, he honestly indicated that he did not meet the condition of previous work experience in the IT industry, but this did not discourage any of the employers. - In the course of the conversations, I felt a difference somewhat characteristic of this industry. he adds.
- The negotiations were held in partnership form. I had enough time for my own questions. For example, I was very impressed by the invitation to negotiate with members of the project team. It’s something very natural because most of my time I will be working with a team, so it’s worth considering the voice of its members in the hiring process. He says.
Industry and IT industry are two completely different worlds
According to the man, this was one of the many differences from the organizations in which he has worked so far. After two weeks of looking for work, he stopped applying for further offers, as he was already involved in many processes.
- I realized that I can choose the most suitable offer for me. I decided that the most responsible decision would be to join the already formed team and the current project, and not start a completely new project. He says. - I also wanted to completely change the type of company, so I decided to choose a software development company rather than a large corporation. Soon I signed a contract and entered the “mythical” world of IT as a project manager in such a company. he adds.
Marek Czerny claims that he found very nice people in the new company. At the company and team level, I held a series of introductory meetings. Before his arrival, he prepared a long list of topics that he wanted to touch on, but this turned out to be redundant, because his colleagues had provided for everything. From the culture of work and communication to technical and framework topics.
The job change meant a communication shock for him.
- I also had a “communicative shock”, because how else to call not by e-mail, not by presentations, not by phone. However, it has Slack and group communication. he points. - From the start, everyone is friendly, sweet and fun. At the same time hellishly quickly, efficiently and professionally he adds.
The company operates on the basis of self-managed teams. There are no processes, checklists, reviews. - Instead, there is trust and support whenever an employee needs it. A satisfied team and client is the only measure of professional success. It’s a very refreshing feeling, considering that for so many years I’ve basically been seeking my boss’s approval. Marek says.
IT industry. Change of profession is the best decision in his professional life
He currently supports other teams that need it. She is also involved in coordinating the company’s internship program for young professionals. - I also support the company in the process of reviewing requests from potential new customers and developing proposals. Looking back, almost a year and a half later, I’m still impressed with the speed of communication at the developer level with the board members. - claims.
In his opinion, the decision to retrain was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best decision of his professional life. There are many things in his new job that he really likes and that gives him great satisfaction. - One of them is my office, which radiates good energy. This is mainly due to the people who create them, and the free, cozy space where everyone feels at ease. - speaks.
- No one makes a problem when I have to leave the office during the day and go about my personal business. It is a matter of trust and flexibility on the part of the company and your own sense of responsibility for the work and the team. he adds.
The IT industry cares about employee development. Everything looks different
Another issue that Marek appreciates is the factual and serious approach of the company to aspects such as work-life balance or employee development, employer branding issues, where employees take part in various initiatives, photo shoots, interviews, in creating content that serves to form a real image of the company as a good, honest and friendly employer.
Another thing that can completely change your life is the ability to work from anywhere where the only limitation is the time zone. An important issue for him is the possibility of working on the basis of a B2B contract, which enables economic self-determination.
Marek Czerny is a Project Manager at ClearCode. The company is owned by SoDA, an association of Polish technology companies founded in 2018.
Source: Wprost
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