Mihai Chițanu joined Stefanini as an intern in 2017, before being promoted to the role of Frontend Developer at the end of his three-month internship.
We caught up with Mihai to discuss his experience at Stefanini, including the opportunity to work on different projects, as well as the importance of sharing ideas and taking on new challenges.
Our <Stories in brackets> series spotlights our Application Delivery Center colleagues, exploring their career journey and learnings. Mihai’s is our final interview of 2020 and the fifth in our series, which celebrates the human stories behind the lines of code and showcases what life at Stefanini involves.
Why did you choose to join Stefanini?
I graduated university with some basic programming knowledge and had some side projects on the go, but I didn’t feel qualified entirely for a full-time development job. As a result, I decided to look for internship opportunities during the summer and Stefanini’s program was the first that caught my eye.
Stefanini had an excellent reputation, being an international company that offers wonderful opportunities for young professionals and supports their development as programming specialists.
I really enjoyed being a part of the internship program, as I gained a lot of practical experience by working on a real client project. Alongside the really valuable experience I gained, I also felt that I could make a genuine contribution.
How have you evolved professionally within the company so far?
I feel like I’ve been growing continuously ever since I joined the company as an intern three and a half years ago. Combined with my natural curiosity, the fact that I’m assigned to interesting and challenging projects means I’m learning something new every day.
After the internship program, I started working for multiple clients and had the opportunity to switch between interesting projects. Working for a big client means taking on some real responsibilities, which has played an important part in my development.
The client that I work for also uses the latest technologies, which again is a big plus for a developer and has helped master my skills.
What are the most important things you have learned here?
I’ve learned that team work and commitment is the key to success. I’ve also learned that a role will sometimes extend beyond the typical eight-hour day, but that this is ok when you believe in what you do and want to meet client expectations.
Also, I learned not to be afraid of new challenges and having new things to learn, because my experience here has taught me that great things happen when you challenge yourself.
What do you like most about working at Stefanini?
There’s been so many great experiences – what I appreciate most is the possibility to work on a diverse range of projects with different frameworks and technologies.
What advice would you give to a new Stefanini employee?
I’d definitely recommend that new employees learn to not fear challenges but just recognize that these are all part of personal development. Great things are achieved through hard work, perseverance, patience, and attention to detail.
I’d also advise them to make the most of the supportive atmosphere at Stefanini. From when I first started as an intern, I always had a mentor or someone who supported me and helped me through the learning process. That’s still the case today – there is always someone willing to provide whatever support is needed.
What advice would you give to other Stefanini colleagues when it comes to building a success story here?
It’s important to share your ideas, even if you are working in a large team where you might feel it’s difficult to be heard. It’s important to put your point of view across, because it’s difficult to know whether an idea will work or not unless it’s discussed – and it might just be a game changer! I would also recommend colleagues take ownership of what they are doing and view their work as more than just a job.
I am constantly sharing my ideas both with the management team and with my colleagues and have never encountered a negative response. I always felt that people were interested to hear my point of view, even if not all the ideas or proposals were actually implemented. This willingness to allow everyone to contribute is one of the things I really appreciate about Stefanini.
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.