How did your adventure with the world of IT start?
My first contact with computers was in a technical school. It was also there that I started my adventure with programming, in Pascal language, in which I later wrote my diploma thesis. Then I chose IT at the Rzeszow University of Technology.
How did your cooperation with our company begin?
At the turn of the century, there were two large IT companies in Rzeszow, that employed graduates of the newly created IT faculty at the Rzeszow University of Technology: SoftSystem and Comp (now Asseco). During the third year of my studies, I had a month-long internship at SoftSystem. After I finished my fourth year, I responded to the advertisement, applied for a programmer position and took the exam.
Those were very different times than today. Out of six people that the company planned to hire, approx. thirty candidates took the exam. In the second attempt, I passed the recruitment process positively and this is how I started my adventure with SoftSystem, which has been going on for 20 years now. So you could say that this is my first job 🙂
What does your job look like and what are your tasks?
My daily work as a programmer consists in creating new software and applying corrections to older versions. As a Team Leader, I am responsible for handling problems reported by the testing department and customers. Any such complaint must be investigated and assigned to a developer for improvement.
What tools and technologies do you use in your daily work?
As I work in the Integration department, which is between the systems created in SoftSystem and client systems, the range of communication technologies we use is quite large and grows with each new customer requirement. In a communication to/from the client system, we use traditional channels, such as TCP, FTP, and newer ones, such as WebService, JMS, Kafka. We also use proprietary solutions, like the Corporate Service Bus – SoftESB or the SoftMOM message broker. As part of Team Leder’s duties, I use SoftDev – an internal company application for managing projects, activities, etc.
How has your job changed during the pandemic?
The only difference between working during the pandemic and working in the office is that we do not see our co-workers live. We have clients on different continents and in different time zones, so we were prepared to work from home. The difference is that thus far we have been working remotely “at night”, and during a pandemic, we also work remotely during the day.
How do you maintain relationships with your team in the new reality?
Tasks have been delegated in various systems (e-mail, SoftDev, iTMS) both before and after the pandemic. Therefore, the work system does not influence the workflow. Each of us, working from the office or remotely, logs on to these tools and checks the tasks assigned. The only thing that has changed is the form of meetings of the whole team. Instead of personal meetings in the conference room or the kitchen, we organize online meetings on Webex or Teams.
Your biggest success in your career so far is…
I can say that each project delivered that “went live” and is used by the client is a kind of success. The less frequently the customer reports a complaint, the greater the success is.
We are currently recruiting for the programmer XSLT position for your team – what would you like to convey to the candidates?
If you want to start working in a 25-person team that creates interfaces for over 100 clients, develop your skills, gain professional experience, or go on a business trip to the USA – welcome!
As I mentioned before, due to the wide range of technologies used, the technology in which you currently feel strong is not a problem. What counts for us is the willingness, enthusiasm and readiness to face everyday challenges and various customer requirements.
Why would you recommend working at SoftSystem?
It is my first job, so I cannot compare what other companies look like “from the inside”, but I am convinced that such an atmosphere between employees as at SoftSystem is nowhere to be found.
Due to a large number of teams and technologies used, it is a good company where everyone can find a place to start or continue their professional career. During delegations to the USA, you can gain experience in direct cooperation with the client.
What are your interests outside of work?
Speedway, bike and mountain tours.
