Physical exercise helps to relax mentally. Interview with Bartek, Software Engineer at AUCTANE

NOVEMBER 2022 · 3 minutes

He avoids bugs at work, and after hours – red cards on the pitch. Bartek, our Software Engineer with five years of experience, knows that intensive hours of programming need to be relieved during physical activity. When did his football adventure begin and how do we support him in developing this passion? Get to know Bartek’s story.

Do you remember your beginnings in AUCTANE? What were the first weeks and months of working for the company like?

I remember my beginnings in AUCTANE very well. It began with a month-long internship, which I had to do because I was a student at an IT technical school. I remember this time very well because I got to know the products and was introduced to how the company works on a daily basis, but most of all I met wonderful people who build this company. After graduating from the aforementioned technical school, I decided to go to the university, and since I am an ambitious person, I wanted to work immediately during this stage of my education. I found out from one of the employees that AUCTANE was looking for people to work (also students) and I applied. As it turned out later, it was a very good decision, because I was accepted to the support department and I could develop while working in the profession and studying at the same time. During my first months, I acquired a huge amount of practical knowledge, mainly thanks to people in our company who willingly share their knowledge.

You are currently working as a Software Engineer, but that wasn’t always the case. How did you get from the Support department to Engineering?

AUCTANE supports the development of its employees through the possibility of changing the department. I wanted to keep growing and moving forward. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try working as a programmer. I’ve been preparing for this moment by studying at home and writing my own apps. I was assisted in this by a very experienced AUCTANE employee whom I asked for help. We checked the code created by me, I tried to optimize it and learn good programming practices. Later, I took part in internal recruitment. It worked, which makes me very happy.

Tell us briefly what it’s like to work as a Software Engineer at AUCTANE. What are your responsibilities?

My task is to develop the application and its integration with many other platforms. This means that I write application code on a daily basis, test my solutions, and then document the work done in as-built documentation so that the person who is to use it knows what needs to be configured for the given functionality to work.

You joined the company 5 years ago, in 2017. Has the company changed a lot from your point of view during this time?

The company has changed noticeably over the years. Certainly, a lot of new employees have been hired during this time. When I started, there were 100 of us, and now there are about 200 employees. What is important is the fact that despite so many new people in the team, the company has remained very employee-friendly and the people that build it are proof of its strength.

We have a strong team, it’s true and each of our employees emphasizes that. Apart from helpful and committed colleagues, what do you like about your job? What gives you the most satisfaction?

What I like most about my job is when new functionalities created by me or changes made to the existing code work during tests. It motivates me to continue working and developing my skills to create more and more advanced code.

Is constant development the biggest challenge in a programmer’s job?

I think so. Constantly developing programming languages, technologies and programming environments require constant expansion of knowledge. It’s a profession where you have to keep up with the knowledge because if you don’t, it works against you.

So it’s intense and you definitely need to find a way to unwind after hours. In your case, the way to relax is football. How did this adventure begin?

I’ve been playing football for as long as I can remember, but I think that such a breakthrough moment was when Dad took me to my first training at the football club. I was 7 years old then.

When did your passion turn into something more from just “kicking the ball”?

It is impossible to clearly define the turning point. Many years of process and hard work have led me to where I am now. I never focused on achieving much in sports. I trained hard day by day and mostly enjoyed playing football. And I still enjoy it very much.

Why football? What does this sport give you?

I play football because I love to do it. Run, dribble, and score goals. It gives me great happiness. But I’m also a programmer, which involves mental work. Later physical effort gives me a mental rest and recharges my batteries for further work.

Do you have any significant achievements to your credit? What was the biggest advancement for you in developing this passion?

I don’t play football for achievements or money. If I had to mention any significant events, it would be playing in the highest entertainment class, i.e. in the junior league, and being part of a large project, which is currently the third-league team of Lechia Zielona Góra.

Your passion is supported by the company as part of the AUCTANE Active program. Tell us what exactly the company does for you.

AUCTANE supports me in pursuing my hobby mainly by purchasing football equipment, which is currently very expensive and I am grateful for that. But financial support is not everything. If necessary, I have a company car at my disposal to take me to a match or any other sporting event in which I would like to take part.

At AUCTANE, we set quarterly goals that allow us to set a career path. Is it the same with football? Do you set any goals that you strive for?

I don’t set any goals in sports. I think it would put unnecessary extra pressure on me. I work every day in training, and I give my best and that already makes me happy. These additional achievements will come naturally thanks to all this effort, but if they won’t, that’s fine, it will not demotivate me.

Is it difficult to reconcile work and passion? How do you do it every day?

Fortunately, it’s not complicated. As a programmer, I work in the morning, and I train in the afternoon after work. In addition, AUCTANE allows for flexible working hours, so if for some reason my training starts earlier, after making an agreement with the team, I am able to join it and make up my working hours later.

Finally, tell us what advice you would give to beginners who are just starting their adventure with this sport.

There is no golden rule here. You have to go out on the pitch, play football, enjoy it and then put in a lot of hard work, which will surely bring results.