Introduction
My name is Rinke, I am 30 years old and I am from the southern part of the Netherlands. I moved to Amsterdam 7 years ago to study International Business & Languages, and Project Management. When I finished my studies in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had some trouble finding a fitting job, but eventually worked as a project manager at an organization that sells solar panels. However, I quickly figured out that I wanted to switch things up and became a software developer.
What is your role at Devoteam?
I am a .NET consultant, part of the Devoteam Microsoft Cloud Unit. I was hired as a Future, meaning I started with Devoteam as someone without any experience in IT. At the moment, I am still learning a lot about software development and IT in general.
The first months at Devoteam – what was your experience?
The first few months at Devoteam were very interesting and challenging. As someone that is new to IT there was a lot to learn. I started by learning about basic, but important, IT elements like networking, GIT and SQL. Then, I started to learn more about Azure, .NET and the software development process. After 2 months of intensive theoretical training, I was ready to get into the practical application of the knowledge I’ve accumulated. I created and deployed a food delivery app all on my own. It was very rewarding to see the final product I had created. During this process, my wingman and other colleagues were very helpful and were ready to support me when I needed assistance.
What are you doing now at Devoteam?
I finished the training part of the Futures track and I am very eagerly waiting to be sent on my first assignment. For now, I am working on an internal project in which I can apply the skills I’ve learned in the .NET track. It is also giving me the opportunity to learn about the software development process from all my colleagues, who are happy to share their knowledge.
What is the achievement at Devoteam that you are most proud of?
For me, taking the step to leave my old job and start a new journey was a little scary but I am very happy I made the decision to join Devoteam. At some points during the track I got a little doubtful because the end seemed to be so far away and there was so much to learn. However, when I finally finished creating my application and got to present it to my peers and manager, it was a great feeling. I am proud that I was able to finish the track and I have an app to prove it.
What are the most important skills you need for your position?
Next to the obvious coding skills, problem solving is definitely a skill you need to master in software development. I have faced many problems while creating my food delivery app and solving them was critical to advance in the track. Besides that, there were great learning moments. A big part of this is learning how to search for solutions. Next to this, it is important to know your limits and know when to ask for help.
When you’re not busy with work, what are you doing in your free time?
In my free time I like to go out with friends, to the movies or go out for dinner. I also like to just stay at home, watch a movie, cook or play games.
Conclusion
Without a background in IT, it was a bit scary to take the first step. But in the last few months, I was able to develop new skills, meet many interesting people and give my professional life a boost. I am very happy I’ve decided to start a new career path with Devoteam.