Coding, collaborating, and teamwork – this is how the daily work routine of our developer Alan looks like at our integrated experience management platform zenloop. In his interview, he shows how diverse and exciting his job can be and explains what is important in development.
Interview with our Developer
1. Introduce yourself, please?
Hi! I’m Alan. I’m originally from Madrid, Spain. I first moved to Berlin in 2014 and started working as a Software Developer at zenloop in July 2017.
2. What exactly are the tasks of a developer at zenloop?
As developers at zenloop, we of course write code as clean and efficient as we can. We collaborate heavily with the product managers, designers, and QA engineers. But most importantly, we work as one team. We also try to consistently improve our internal processes, fix pesky bugs, or review the code of the other developers.
3. What are the biggest challenges of your work and how do you deal with them?
Quoting The Cult of Done Manifesto (which I love): “There are 3 states of being. Not knowing, action, and completion”. Developers are often in the “Not knowing” stage. It’s important to manage that stage and figure out what we need to learn, research, or discuss to move forward.
4. What gives you the most appreciation in your job at zenloop?
Our development cycle is usually quite short, so we can quickly see the impact of the features on our customers. But the moments I feel very proud of our work is when I look back and see how much the product has grown since I first joined zenloop.
5. Which career stages have you passed before joining zenloop?
I studied Computer Engineering in Madrid. Back there, I worked in software development for banking companies. I was a programmer, a project manager, a scrum master. I fell in love with the startup scene when I moved to Berlin.
6. How would you describe the dynamics and working style in your team?
At zenloop, we have open discussions and challenge each other’s ideas, but we don’t take disagreements personal. Further, we focus on getting things done. Most of my team is working remotely from different places, but twice a year, the entire workforce comes together for a team week. This is the only time when I see some of the other developers in person. But the cool thing ist, that we get along really well and always have a great time.
7. What do you like most about your job as a developer?
Moving from “Not knowing” to “Completion”. It’s very satisfying, like putting the final piece on a puzzle.
8. Why did you choose zenloop as your employer and how would you describe zenloop to a friend?
I enjoyed working with Łukasz, our CTO, and some other developers on the team in a company before I joined zenloop, so it was an easy transition. Before deciding to come to zenloop, I also had the opportunity to chat with Björn and Paul, the other two co-founders, and most of the team (it was quite smaller back then). After that, I was convinced to join such a smart and motivated team with a growth mindset.
9. In your opinion, what should an applicant bring along in order to be successful in your team?
Be willing to learn, be intrinsically motivated, and open-minded.
10. How do you like to spend your free time?
I enjoy challenging myself and running tiny self-improvement experiments. I love to explore new cities, exercising, and learning random words in random languages. Also, even though it’s unlikely that I’ll ever become a great artist, I love to explore my artistic side by playing music, dancing, and doing improvisation theater. It helps me to be balanced.
Do you also want to become a part of the zenloop team? Click here for the vacancies:
Have you ever wondered what an entrepreneur in residence is doing? Our Entrepreneur in Residence Judith explains in her interview the main purpose of her position. And just in case you got curious to work with us, please check out our current openings.
Tags: People & Culture
