To succeed as an IT professional in Bulgaria, without experience and internship, is difficult. It usually involves perseverance, countless hours spent writing code, challenges of grading difficulty, and lots of excitement but also frustration. If you’re familiar with the thrill of an impending professional challenge, the next three stories are for you. They won’t lack the listed tests of willpower. But they are also filled with satisfaction, curiosity, happiness, and success. That’s why we’re proud to share part two of success stories about making the transition in the IT industry.
I don’t regret a day changing my profession.
Denitsa, Master in Commercial Business, with 10 years of experience as a Senior Finance Specialist
Denitsa graduated in commerce at the University of Economics in Varna with, a Master’s in Commercial Business. She has been working for 10 years in financial departments, in particular Credit control / Debt collection. The work was interesting, but at some point, she realized that she reached a peak in her career and had no prospects for development. Here is what she shares:
“I often found myself between a hammer and an anvil – unhappy customers (for whom I was collecting debts) and unhappy debtors. There was a lack of satisfaction both in relationship management and in my daily job.
When I moved to Sofia, I had a lot of friends in the IT sector with the same interests as mine – the exact science. I thought it would be a great time to see if programming would be a good fit for me. I took an in-depth programming course and spent extra time preparing.
I started working here and am currently part of a project in banking/finance related to security and payment facilitation. It’s interesting both the internal business logic of the processes and the relationship with external services, on which information our logic depends. I’m still endlessly curious to think of algorithms to perform more complex tasks. I’m also glad that the starting point of something is denoted as well as the end goal, but how to build the path between them is left in the hands of programmers. I also appreciate that in this field (or at least in this company) all ideas are welcome, no matter the level we are at in the team – my opinion and suggestions are respected from day one.
I don’t regret a day changing my profession. I work with a wonderful team of smart, ambitious, and thoughtful people who want to implement what they program. I think about a variety of tasks every day, and I’m constantly learning how to overcome different situations. Improving. In the process, I see where my interests lie. I never get bored and there is always something more to learn, but most importantly, I feel useful and satisfied with myself.”
After journalism, communications, marketing, and brand, and small business development work, technology might seem like a sharp turn. For Petya, however, they are a natural extension of seeking opportunities that can qualitatively change environments and bring meaning. The career change started with a curiosity about writing code, and the decision to a change was formed gradually.
Petya, a journalist by education:
Apart from being endlessly interesting and dynamic on a day-to-day basis, programming is also a very powerful tool for bringing ideas to life and working on exciting problems. Technology is perhaps the shortest route to improving the world around us, as the scale can be really big.
I am currently working on banking software and the role of architect challenges me daily. I progress technically and develop skills gained from my non-technical experience. In my current job, my previous experience with communications and understanding the interests of the business are of great relevance. Besides communicating with machines – writing, reading, changing code – which is certainly one of the most interesting parts of the job, I also communicate a lot with people. In my short experience so far, I’ve grown to believe that some of the most important qualities in our profession are attentive listening, being proactive, and the will to keep going when you feel lost. Apart from the project, I am involved with internal company initiatives. I mentor colleagues, organize internal trainings, and participate in interviews. Every aspect of the job involves different challenges, which makes it interesting.
Programming brings a very specific satisfaction because it is an endless game.
Programming brings a very specific satisfaction because it is an endless game. There is often a clearly defined goal and sometimes, depending on experience and the complexity of the task, an undefined path of how to achieve it. However, the process involves getting very quick feedback on every change and solving many micro and macro problems on a daily basis. This brings a constant sense of progress. My brain is engaged in trying to overcome the next challenge and it often doesn’t feel like I am working. When you add in the realization that technology can be a tool to overcome many of the problems surrounding us, motivation is never missing. For me, it’s safe to say the IT field, and programming in particular is a meaningful and fulfilling career path.”
Before turning to programming, Rositsa worked in the outsourcing sector. She has experience in data processing in two different international companies. Here is what she shares:
My previous jobs didn’t allow me to be creative, and the feeling that I could not think and act outside established processes was deepening. I realised that if I wanted to change, I would have to change sectors, not companies.
This made me enroll in a Software Engineering program with Java. I enjoyed working on the tasks in the evenings and weekends, and the code I successfully wrote gave me real satisfaction. And even before I passed all the modules, I started looking for an internship.
The hardest step was to get a job as a programmer. It is difficult for any candidate without experience to get a first job and in programming, it is even more difficult. But the satisfaction of starting your first job in the field is incomparable. This is my greatest achievement in life because I know how hard it was for me to achieve it. Now as a Junior Developer хере I can say that it was all worth it. I have a career advisor who helps me in my professional development and 10 days a year just for trainings. And the best part is that I am constantly learning new things.