How to Build a Career in IT: Tips for Aspiring Developers / ITech content

Contents:

• About my first encounter with programming and the time I lost
• From parking attendant to head of the technical department in six months
• How I became a 1C developer and briefly went into business
• Return to IT, a series of interesting projects and the position of team leader at Rosbank
• About teaching at GeekBrains and Skillbox
• About learning difficulties
• A little about hiring

Team lead of the Axiom team at Rosbank, and also a teacher at such educational platforms as GeekBrains and Skillbox. The author of several scientific articles on information technology, published in journals accredited by the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC). He has significant experience in the IT field, which allows him to effectively transfer knowledge to students and develop professional skills within the team.

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My name is Nikolay, I am a teacher at Skillbox and I supervise theses of students in the Backend Department. In this text, I will tell you about my path in IT and share advice for those who are just starting their career in this field. I hope my story will inspire you and help you achieve your goals. In the field of information technology, it is important not only to have knowledge but also to be able to apply it in practice. Be ready to learn and develop, because success in IT requires constantly updating your skills and knowledge.

About my first acquaintance with programming and lost time

I have been working in IT for over ten years. My acquaintance with programming began at school, where I developed my first desktop applications in Visual Basic. The process of creating interfaces, including drawing windows and buttons, was fascinating. Watching the program come to life on the screen was a true revelation for me and inspired me to further develop my career in information technology.

Now I realize that I underestimated the importance of programming during my school years. As a child, it was difficult to self-study without the support of a mentor or an active community that could point me in the right direction and recommend useful resources for reading and studying. Programming is a key skill in the modern world, and having the right guidance can significantly facilitate the learning process and make it more effective.

My second encounter with programming occurred in college. However, by that point, some time had passed: in the first two or three years of study, we studied chemistry, physics, and other general subjects in depth. Only in our final year did we begin to explore specialized subjects. However, before that, I had to meet with the military commissar, which added a bit of excitement to the learning process. This experience became an important stage in my development and led to a deep interest in coding and information technology.

In my third year, I had difficulty obtaining a deferment from the army. I was young and inexperienced when I brought documents with an error to the military registration and enlistment office, where they told me bluntly, "Son, the army is waiting for you." This news shocked me, since I had planned to serve only after receiving my diploma. However, I had no choice - I took an academic leave and postponed my studies for a year.

Everything that happens, happens for the best. After returning and recovering, I received an invitation from a friend to visit Sochi. This is where my career in IT began.

From parking attendant to head of the technical department in six months

In Sochi, I started working as a parking attendant at a Gazprom subsidiary. Initially, I had the goal of becoming a technician, replacing printer cartridges, setting up networks, and installing antivirus software. It's a kind of system administrator, but with limited responsibilities. However, getting such a position without work experience turned out to be extremely difficult, especially considering I was in college.

For three months, I regularly attended interviews, but, unfortunately, each time I was rejected. One day, I realized the situation wasn't changing and made a decisive decision: either I quit and show employers I was what they needed, or I returned to my hometown. It wasn't an easy decision, but I knew I had to act.

I approached the head of the IT department and asked for an interview. He agreed and began asking a variety of questions, including not only technical aspects but also real-life situations to assess how I would handle stress. Although I failed to answer all the questions, the manager noticed my determination. As a result, I got the desired position of a technical specialist.

During the first three months, I actively mastered new information and completed many requests in various areas, from computer repair to writing small scripts. My manager noticed my determination and promoted me to department manager. In just three months, I rose from parking attendant to head of the technical department thanks to my persistence and drive to grow.

In 2013, a technical specialist earned 28,000 rubles before taxes, and a department head earned 50,000. For me, this was a significant amount, since I was unmarried, lived in a dorm, and ate at work. I spent all my income on personal needs, began paying for my education, and sought to ease the financial burden on my mother.

How I became a 1C developer and briefly went into business

When I was in college and started learning Delphi programming, I already had experience in IT. At that time, my goal was to become a 1C developer. However, if I had the opportunity to go back ten years, I would advise myself to focus on learning C++ and English. These skills would open up more opportunities in IT and programming, making your career path more successful and diverse.

I recommend starting with Python, especially if you have no experience. This language is considered one of the easiest and most accessible for beginners. Python is widely popular and supported by an active developer community. There are numerous open-source case studies and ready-made solutions, which greatly simplifies the learning and development process. If you have a specific task in mind, there is likely already a suitable Python library for it, making it an ideal choice for beginner programmers.

Even if you prefer a different tech stack, it is important to realize that basic programming concepts such as loops, variables, and objects are present in all languages. The differences lie only in the syntax and nuances of internal implementation. Understanding these fundamental concepts will help you more easily adapt to any programming language and improve your skills as a developer.

Learning was an exciting process for me. I successfully passed tests and exams with virtually no preparation, as the knowledge and skills I acquired were mostly acquired through practical work.

I had the opportunity to participate in the development of a project on the 1C:Retail platform, which allows for the addition of custom interface elements. The client was a company that needed a program capable of tracking which employees, when, and how many times they visited the corporate cafeteria. I successfully completed this task, which became my first practical experience in development.

After two and a half years of working with 1C, I decided to leave Gazprom and go freelance. During this time, I also worked as a system administrator and 1C developer at a children's entertainment center, which served approximately five thousand clients daily. In this role, I was tasked with many tasks related to Cisco switches, and I managed to become a certified Cisco switch maintenance specialist. My experience with 1C and system administration allows me to effectively solve problems and ensure the reliable operation of the IT infrastructure.

One day, a flower company, where I had previously set up 1C configurations, developed business processes, and provided business recommendations, offered me a director's position. At that time, I had already completed my bachelor's degree in Applied Computer Science and was pursuing a master's degree in Management. My experience in IT and business management served as the basis for accepting this offer, opening up new opportunities for the company's development.

In two years, we increased the company's value from 400,000 to 30 million rubles. I optimized all business processes, developed applications for efficient work with suppliers and monitoring product balances. Since flowers are a perishable product, it is critical to track arrival times, identify items subject to write-off, and determine the optimal moments for sales. This allows us to minimize losses and increase the overall profitability of the business.

This work significantly improved my management and programming skills. Subsequently, I decided to separate from the company and launched my own flower business with a friend.

Our business achieved significant success, taking second place in Sochi in sales volume. The company I left held first place. In my new role, I applied the practices I learned and developed in my previous position and managed to significantly improve them. This allowed us to strengthen our market position and increase business efficiency.

Working for someone else often requires coordinating your decisions with management, and not all of them may be approved. Entrepreneurship, however, offers a unique opportunity to implement your own ideas and approaches. You can implement the practices you consider most effective and manage your business in line with your vision. This allows me not only to express my creativity but also to adapt my strategies to changing market conditions, which is a key aspect of running a successful business.

A Return to IT, a Series of Interesting Projects, and a Team Lead Position at Rosbank

At some point, I realized that I wanted to become an experienced engineer and thoroughly study all technical aspects before fully immersing myself in business. I sold my stake in the company and started working as a 1C developer at a local hotel. My income dropped from 200,000–300,000 to 60,000, but this decision allowed me to focus on developing my professional skills and deepening my knowledge of programming and technology.

At this stage, self-confidence and my wife's unwavering support played a key role. It is clear that one of the important factors in achieving success in any endeavor is having someone by my side who believes in you. The support of loved ones helps to overcome difficulties and move forward, which significantly increases the chances of success in personal and professional spheres.

I realized that to achieve professionalism, high-quality training is necessary, so I began preparing for the 1C exams. As a result, I received about 10 certificates, including 1C:Specialist, 1C:Trade, and other NFC-related ones. The certification process was challenging: for six months, I diligently answered questions without leaving my textbooks and traveled to Moscow to take exams. A key aspect of my preparation was the practical experience I gained at work and through freelancing. This allowed me to apply the knowledge I gained in practice and significantly improve my 1C skills. Soon, I became a lead 1C developer at Krasnaya Polyana, where I developed two key applications: a ski resort ticket booking terminal and a document management system. During the pandemic, I moved to St. Petersburg and joined the TITAN-2 team, which builds nuclear power plants around the world. There, I developed integrations and configured business processes for a joint project with Turkey. My experience in process development and optimization allows me to effectively solve problems in high-tech areas.

At that point, I felt I had reached the limit of my capabilities and needed to improve my skills to further develop. I chose the Python and frameworks course on the GeekBrains platform because I was attracted by the structure and presentation of the course material. This course significantly saved me time by eliminating the need to search for information in various sources. Thanks to the knowledge I gained, I was able to not only improve my skills but also confidently move forward in my professional career.

One of the course instructors noted my development experience and invited me to join his project. The project involved creating a Django application for mobile phone stores. The application used a special device resembling a charger that collected data on the time customers held various smartphone models in their hands. Based on this data, managers can analyze product demand and make informed decisions to optimize the assortment.

I have participated in the development of virtualization software in large companies. This solution, similar to VirtualBox, offers a more affordable alternative for businesses. As part of my work, I created integration modules for processing international payments after SWIFT's exit from Russia, which improved financial flows for companies. I also optimized business processes for an oil and gas portal, which contributed to its operational efficiency. I continue to participate in some projects as an invited expert, which allows me to share my experience and contribute to the further development of technologies.

I am currently a team lead at Rosbank. When I first started, our project only had one developer. However, I managed to build a team with whom we transformed the minimum viable product (MVP) of the investment platform into a full-fledged solution. Our project recently took third place in the "Project of the Year" competition in the "Website of the Year" category. This success confirms the high quality of our work and the platform's significance in the investment market.

About Teaching at GeekBrains and Skillbox

The instructor who invited me to participate in his project offered me a teaching role at GeekBrains. I happily agreed, although I had no clear idea of ​​the upcoming responsibilities. To my surprise, the interview with the dean of the faculty went well. It seems that, as in Sochi, the director appreciated my determination.

By the first lesson, I spent about 16 hours preparing: structuring my approaches and studying the material. I understood the students' expectations, as I had recently been in their shoes and remembered what I had encountered during the training. Soon, I got the hang of it and began teaching almost all the courses in the faculty, including Django, DRF, PyQt, and other topics. This allowed me not only to deepen my knowledge, but also to better understand the needs of students, which in turn contributed to more effective teaching.

I have introduced an effective practice: at the end of each course I conduct a free three-hour lesson in which students jointly solve Practical tasks, such as integrating a payment service into a website. This allows them to create real-world solutions during their training that will be highly valued by their future employers.

This year, I received an invitation to become an expert at Skillbox, where I was offered the position of team lead for a team project of students working on their final thesis. I happily accepted this new challenge, as it is a great opportunity to share my experience and knowledge.

I am passionate about teaching people and sharing my experiences with them. It is especially gratifying to hear from students who have successfully found their first job in IT and share their joyful emotions. It is moments like these that inspire me in my teaching. I strive to create an atmosphere in which everyone can realize their potential and succeed in the field of information technology.

Teaching has another, less obvious, benefit. Team leads and senior developers often fail to keep up with the latest updates in programming languages, frameworks, and libraries. Working with students forces instructors to regularly update their knowledge to answer complex questions and find effective solutions together with students. This process promotes mutual enrichment of experience and knowledge, which ultimately has a positive impact on the professional growth of both instructor and students.

About Learning Difficulties

When students begin their careers after graduation, they face the fact that real life is significantly more complex than academic projects. Therefore, it is important not only to complete the required amount of assignments to obtain a certificate but also to interact with IT professionals to gain valuable experience. This will help them better understand industry requirements and prepare for future work. Direct collaboration with experienced professionals will allow students to develop skills and expand their knowledge, which is key to a successful career start.

The learning process can be complex and demanding. It is important for instructors to support students and not leave them alone to face difficulties. It is often overlooked that motivation plays a key role in learning. Simple phrases like "you can do it," "don't worry," and "you can do it" can inspire students and help them overcome obstacles to achieving their goals. Support from a teacher not only boosts students' confidence but also promotes deeper understanding of the material, which ultimately leads to academic success. Many students face illusions about learning programming. Some believe that courses will simply provide them with ready-made knowledge and they will instantly become programmers. However, such expectations should be avoided. Real progress can only be achieved by devoting at least three hours a day to independent study and research. Listening to the course and completing homework is not enough to successfully master the material. You must actively work on your skills and deepen your understanding of the topics to truly become a programming professional. Negative reviews about schools and teachers often arise because some students are unwilling to look within themselves for the reasons for their failures. Instead, they blame poor quality teaching, poorly structured courses, or insufficient instructor qualifications. Many students also neglect to study technical assignments and teaching materials. While this approach may work for the initial, simple modules, as they delve deeper into complex topics, such as frameworks, these students experience serious difficulties. It's important to understand that successful learning requires active participation, careful study of the materials, and a critical approach to one's own learning.

A little about hiring

I am currently actively interviewing developers at Rosbank and have a clear understanding of the questions that help separate a candidate's actual knowledge from their superficial desires. When evaluating applicants, I not only pay attention to their professional skills but also try to determine whether they are genuinely interested in working on my team or are simply "wandering" through interviews. This approach allows me to build a strong and motivated team capable of handling any challenges.

Years of experience isn't always the deciding factor when choosing a candidate. Consider a situation with two developers: the first has two years of experience and confidently answers technical questions, although he has some doubts about his abilities. The second, with 15 years of freelancing experience, has only developed a calculator and answers questions vaguely and confusingly. In this case, I would choose the first candidate, as he can more easily be developed into a specialist who meets the company's needs. Confidence and the ability to learn are key to a successful developer.

Yes, even highly skilled developers struggle with communication. I've heard stories of talented programmers who struggle with effective communication with colleagues. However, fortunately, I have never encountered such specialists. All the developers I've hired demonstrate excellent results and are constantly striving to learn and develop in their profession. This underscores the importance of both technical skills and the ability to collaborate within a team to succeed in IT.

I've also hired junior developers. I currently work with two young women who were training as developers at GeekBrains. There were no suitable openings at the time, so I offered them tester positions—a good opportunity to enter the IT field. They successfully passed the interviews and are now earning salaries at the level of middle developers.

The line between a strong junior developer and a budding middle developer is very fine, especially when considering the required skills. When I was looking for my first Python job, I was targeting a middle-level position, as I already had hands-on experience with 1C development. I sent out about 150-200 resumes: in some cases, I didn't meet the requirements, in other cases, the companies didn't meet my expectations, and sometimes there was simply no response.

During interviews, I always wrote down the questions and asked my own. After each interview, I delved deeper into the topic to avoid future uncertainty. I came to the next interview more prepared. If I encountered questions I didn't know the answer to, I repeated the same steps until I reached the middle level. This approach helped me develop and confidently pass interviews.

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Given my current interest in IT, I recommend considering applying for a middle specialist position. Competition among candidates for such positions is significantly lower, which can increase your chances of successful employment. This will allow you to quickly start a career in IT and gain valuable experience in the industry.

Don't claim to have skills you don't possess. This will inevitably become apparent during the interview or during the work process. Competition for junior positions is fierce, so it's important to carefully write your resume. Pay attention to the wording—it plays a significant role in how HR perceives your experience. A clear and honest presentation of your skills will help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of successful employment.

In this article, I will discuss the recruitment process and provide an overview of how it is organized. Understanding the internal recruitment structure will help you understand the steps needed to attract the right candidates. We will begin with analyzing the job requirements, which includes identifying the necessary skills and experience. Then, we move on to creating an attractive job description that will distinguish your company from the competition.

After this, comes the resume screening stage, where it is important to consider not only professional qualities but also the candidate's cultural compatibility with the team. Next, during interviews, it is necessary to ask targeted questions to identify the strengths and weaknesses of applicants.

The final stage is the job offer, which should be transparent and beneficial for both parties. Understanding all of these steps and executing them correctly significantly increases the chances of a successful hire.

When hiring a junior, I focus on discussing topics such as algorithms and data structures. When working with middle developers, I focus on databases and various types of queries. With senior developers, I discuss more complex aspects such as technology, system architecture, and design patterns. Based on this, I create a list of questions and answers that helps HR specialists effectively filter resumes and cover letters, following a pre-prepared script. This streamlines the candidate selection process and finds the most suitable specialists for the team.

Candidates who limit themselves to general phrases like "I went to university/took courses and know everything" often fail the initial screening. HR managers fail to find keywords and necessary details in such resumes. In contrast, applicants who describe their skills and experience in detail are more likely to receive follow-up calls. It's important not only to list your education but also to demonstrate how you've applied your acquired knowledge in practice. The more specifically a candidate can describe their achievements and competencies, the higher their chances of success in the interview.

For each skill level, I've prepared five questions. If a candidate successfully answers three of them, they'll be eligible for a technical interview.

In Russia, the hiring approach differs from its Western counterpart. Companies here look for applicants' relevant education. For example, if you have a Master's degree in Computer Science, you may be credited with three years of experience, while a Bachelor's degree will be credited with two years. This means you'll already have some experience after completing your studies, which will help you avoid difficulties in your job search.

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