It’s been two and a half years since Elena our iOS Developer joined us and she’s impressed us ever since. Coming from a non-coding background Elena taught herself how to code and has continued experimenting with new coding languages and app API’s in her spare time.
Elena has also had a big hand in developing life at Sonin as a major instigator of Le grand Tournoi de Tennis-de-Table (our interoffice table tennis tournament that does sound better in French). And in shaping our office full of foodies appreciation of cake (there can never be too much chocolate cake!). Earlier this week we sat down with Elena to see how she’s finding life at Sonin and what it’s really like being an iOS Developer at Sonin.
How long have you worked at Sonin for and how have you changed since you started?
I’ve been at Sonin for just over two years now and I think I’ve changed a lot since I started. When I started, I didn’t really know much about programming and so I needed to teach myself the basics. Fortunately, I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with people like Charlie and Subarna who have believed in me ever since I started and have helped teach me so much about coding.
Have you worked in any other roles?
When I was in France I originally worked in the Tourism and Accounting industries which is probably as far away from coding as you can get. When I moved to London four and a half years ago, I knew nothing about coding and I didn’t know it would be something I would be interested in. At that time, I could never have imagined I would go onto become a developer.
What’s it like working at Sonin?
Challenging, but in a good way. We’re a very close and approachable office which means if I’m ever stuck on a problem there’s always someone willing to help out, whether they’re an Android Developer or a Project Manager. Everyone at Sonin just wants to help you succeed.
What is your favourite thing about working at Sonin?
I really enjoy working with our app Designers. They always seem to come up with challenging designs for us to work on and I’m proud to be able to publish projects that look great!
Did you find it easy to settle into the team?
Really easy, Sonin has such an international environment, and it also has a very supportive atmosphere. Since I’ve joined there have been so many people who have helped and supported me. So, whenever there’s a newcomer I try to be as supportive to them as others have been to me.
What’s a typical day like?
That’s a difficult one, I’m not sure we have a typical day. Every day does start with a stand-up report, where we let the Project Manager know what we’re working on, what we’ve achieved and where we’re going next. But beyond that, every day brings with it a new set of coding problems that are very different from the day before, so I suppose our typical day would just be a day spent building apps.
What’s the best thing about being a developer?
It’s pretty cool seeing your work come to life and start being used and appreciate, but what I like most about being a Developer is the problem solving. Every project we work on brings with it a new set of coding problems that are impossible to foresee before the project starts. Encountering new problems to solve every day is why I love about being a Developer. At times, it can be frustrating though, especially when you have a tight deadline and find yourself up against a set of problems that are difficult to trace back to a source and impossible to crack. But while the problem might seem difficult, when you can crack it the sense of accomplishment you get is pretty amazing, at least until you find the next problem!
Are there any projects you’re really proud of?
OBE was a particularly challenging project but that’s why I think I really enjoyed it. It was one of those projects where we all came together as a group of Developers and Designers to work on the challenge together. The UI and UX for the OBE app also looked really good as well which always make me enjoy the project a little bit more.
Would you recommend other people become a Developer at Sonin?
We have a really good team at Sonin which was a very important factor for me when I was deciding where to work. It was also important for me to be somewhere where I could learn and develop and be in an environment where people wanted me to learn and improve. That is exactly what Sonin has been for me.
We’re always on the lookout for ambitious people like Elena to join our team. For more information about how to join Sonin, see our vacancies.
If you don’t see your role in the list but still want to join the Sonin Team, then we would love to hear from you. Please email paul.jarrett@sonin.agency with your CV to discuss your requirements. We look forward to hearing from you.