Gabriel Vasile joined Stefanini in 2016 as an outsourced QA Analyst, before moving in-house and working his way up to a Project Manager role. We caught up with Gabriel to discuss his experience at Stefanini, including his rapid progression, his ability to combine project management with QA and Scrum and the importance of taking on new challenges.
Our <Stories in brackets> series spotlights our Application Delivery Center colleagues, giving them the space to share their career journey and learnings. Gabriel’s interview is the third in the series, which showcases the human stories behind the lines of code and paints a picture of what life at Stefanini involves.
Why did you choose to join Stefanini?
A very close friend of mine who had worked with Stefanini for a long time recommended the company to me. He only had positive things to say about Stefanini, which made joining an easy decision for me.
How have you evolved professionally within the company so far?
I began as an outsourced team member in QA Analysis, where I met my soon-to-be manager and immediately realized we shared the same professional and personal values.
From the initial contact with Stefanini, managers and HR personnel tried their best to ensure that outsourced colleagues felt as integrated as possible within the wider Stefanini business. However, after about two years, I realized I was split between the people I was working with on a day-to-day basis and the managers and HR department at Stefanini HQ. As a result, I approached Stefanini with the idea of working on QA Automation for an in-house project.
A short time after this, my manager found an opportunity with a new client that would draw on my experience with Scrum, as well as my technical background. This time I would be part of a dedicated team working in a multifaceted role involving QA Automation and onsite tools training for the client. Working from the Stefanini HQ meant that I also had the chance to get involved with various internal initiatives, such as rebooting the Guilds initiatives, preparing and hosting technical workshops, and helping with technical interviews.
At the same time, my manager proposed that I take on the project management duties for a somewhat different type of client. I liked the idea so much that I could not say no!
Some interesting projects followed, with my Project Manager role combined with a bit of QA and Scrum Master thrown in the mix.
What are the most important things that you learned here?
I’d summarize my main learning as: “Doing is better than not doing!” This sums up my entire experience here, because I’ve always been open to new opportunities – and luckily, there were enough new challenges. Even if I did not succeed every time, I enjoyed and appreciated everything I learned on the way.
What do you like most about working at Stefanini?
As in general life, the highlights at work are the people you meet, the friends that you make and the lessons you learn together. Stefanini is a company that fosters this idea, encourages you to grow and helps others to grow with you.
Stefanini is different to other companies when it comes to how people interact with each other – in a good way; I’ve met so many open-minded people who are always willing to help. I really appreciate the genuine team spirit that exists here. The transparency offered by the management team is also an important asset and something that, in my experience, you won’t find at many other companies.
What advice would you give to a new Stefanini employee?
You should always be prepared to ask for help when you need it. Remember that someone will always be there when you need help or advice, and equally, be happy to offer help where you can. Also, remember that everyone was the new person at some point!
What advice would you give to other Stefanini colleagues when it comes to building a success story here?
Try new things as often as you can, regardless of how far these take you outside of your comfort zone. Things might not always work out as planned, but remember that this is ok!
Want to be our next success story? At Stefanini, we’re always interested in hearing from talented candidates across all levels of experience. You can browse our current EMEA vacancies, here.
