What prompted you to start a career in IT, even with no previous experience?

Seven years ago I was doing physical labor, but my biggest dream was to work at Simpals. I was attracted by the freedom, the friendly atmosphere, the ambitious young people and the innovative projects. The desire to be part of such a team and the opportunity to turn my ideas into reality made me decide to start a career in IT, even though I had no prior experience.

What was your programming knowledge when you started?

I started from scratch. Everything seemed complicated. In the beginning, I worked with several projects such as Afisha, Point, Stiri. And what I saw in practice was very different from what I had learned during the programmer’s courses, which added even more misunderstanding. However, it was through practice and working on real projects that I gradually began to understand programming.

What difficulties did you face and how did you overcome them?

My path was not an easy one: I started as a moderator and only after five years decided to become a programmer. Choosing between backend and frontend, I realized that frontend was more suitable for me because I could see the result of my work almost instantly. The main challenge was to find time for learning — with a high workload in the Support department, I started getting up at 5 a.m. to take courses. This approach helped me to stay focused and achieve my first successes.

How did you evolve as a Frontend developer? 

At first, I often interacted directly with the Product Manager, but this approach sometimes led to confusion and poor understanding of tasks. The courses I took helped to set a general direction and vector, but it turned out that tasks can be solved in different ways. When Andrei joined Point, he explained many processes in a more accessible language and helped simplify the workflow.

How important was the team’s support?

Mentorship played a key role. Vadim Chebotar became my mentor. At first, we worked together, and I learned a lot from his experience and advice. One of our first major projects was overwriting Point and Stiri apps. It was a challenging but significant stage that laid the foundation for further growth. A year later, we had a team and the work became even more productive through joint efforts and knowledge sharing.

When did you first get the feeling that you could handle the project and make a valuable contribution to it? 

I didn’t get the feeling immediately. It had to do with overcoming “imposter syndrome” (imposter syndrome = insecurity related to work accomplishments) and constantly adapting to change. 

Frontend is advancing fast, and it’s important to keep up with innovations, filter information and choose really useful tools. Regularly updating code and approaches has helped me gain confidence, and adapting to change has helped me make meaningful contributions to projects.

What soft skills have helped you the most in your professional development?

Over time, I’ve noticed how my personal qualities have changed. There were times when something didn’t work out and I wanted to give up. I was looking for a magic pill — an easy way to solve all problems. But over time I realized that success requires consistency and a systematic approach. Patience and persistence became key skills that helped me move forward.  

What advice would you give to those who want to become a Frontend developer from scratch?

Don’t give up, even if it’s hard and scary — making mistakes is okay. Follow through to the end, don’t look for easy solutions. Persistence and commitment will help you grow and become a professional.