Simon Anicic: Choose a company where you can learn and develop in the way you want

Simon Anicic, a proud owner of a bachelor's degree in computer science and soon-to-be graduate with a master's degree, has been with Infosit for some time now. Having started as a QA tester, Simon is now working as a front-end developer and creator of automatic software testing programs.

When you start a conversation with Simon, you will quickly notice his openness and friendly manners. He is an attentive listener, too.

Everything I learn in theory at my university, I can learn in practice at Infosit.

His love for computers started even before his first days in school. When he got his first computer from his parents at the age of 6, the fascinating world of games and computers took him in. He would spend his days at the computer, wanting to research and learn everything about the inner workings of the captivating machine. Although he did not attend a technical high school, he had a computer science course every year, and in the end, he enrolled in the college he wanted.

After graduating from high school, he chose to study in the city of Rijeka. In his third year of study, he was required to complete an internship program at a company of his choice. He started looking for an IT firm that could provide learning opportunities relevant to his academic and career interests.

-I landed on Infosit's website, checked projects they were working on, and got the impression that this was the place where I could really learn software development. I applied for their internship program and it didn’t take long before I was invited for an interview, he recalls.

-The conversation with Dolores Koverlica, Senior Partner and Chief Solutions Architect, and Nikola Radic, Quality Assurance Specialist and my future mentor, happened online. It was February 2021, and still the time of COVID-19 and remote work. As our conversation went on, I became more certain of my choice. Their feedback was positive, and soon after I began as a QA tester on a significant and complex project they were working on. At the same time, I was learning how to create a website using all the different modules. I appreciated the teamwork, and I also liked the cooperation between the teams. Nikola always kept an eye on me - in a good way - to see how I was doing and we always had great communication, he concluded.

The possibility to develop in the way you want

After finishing the three-month internship, which was prior to the start of the summer, Simon has been offered to stay and work as a student. Given that the majority of students are fishing for summer jobs, this looked like an excellent opportunity. Happy with what he had seen thus far and the way he worked, he accepted the offer without hesitation. During the summer, he continued to work as a QA tester full-time, and at the beginning of the fall semester, he switched to part-time.

We all know that juggling work and study can be challenging, but at Infosit, they adapted to my schedule, making it easier for me to strike a balance.

-As an organisation, Infosit proved highly adjustable to my time and commitments at university, he pointed out. As his interest in front-end development grew and as he learned more about it, he decided to try his hand at it. He went to talk to his mentor and the company owner and CEO Goran Mrvos about his wishes and interests.

-I appreciate Goran's approach; he is very open-minded and willing to find the best solution for you. I feel comfortable speaking with him in the same way as I would with a teammate, even though I always have a lot of respect for him as a CEO. We can run a conversation on a very personal level, Simon said.

I was always able to develop myself in the way I wanted to.

He continued working as QA tester on various software projects until the summer of 2022 when he transferred to a new team with Lean Pilar, a front-end developer, as a new mentor. Although due to the earlier Covid-19 pandemic company switched to completely remote work, the work-from-home model remained until today. Yes, working remotely has its benefits, but we are all aware of the value of in-person interactions. That is why bi-weekly planning meetings are held in the office as often as possible. These meetings are not intended only for planning the work and individual tasks for the next two weeks but are also for the team to connect and clarify any potential ambiguities. I realised that I must express my concerns out loud if I have any, I can't expect someone to see them on their own, he added, and I can always count on support from my teammates or anyone within the organisation.

Plans for the future

When asked about his plans he said that completing the studies is his primary goal (and writing his thesis on Artificial Intelligence for autonomous driving, a topic he became interested in during the class where they were learning about neural networks). He wants to resume full-time employment once the exams are over in the spring of the following year. It remains to be seen whether the fondness for front-end development or automated testing will win out.

I'm interested in front end. The more I learn, the more interested I become.

-If I had to sum up my time at Infosit, I would say that I gained a lot of knowledge about software development and teamwork and had a fantastic opportunity to advance in the career I want to pursue. My relationships and communication with my coworkers have been excellent, and it meant a lot to me to know that I could ask any question or have any difficulty and turn to the team leader or mentor for advice. Infosit as a company had a great deal of flexibility and understanding, he added.

By doing what I love, I improve my skills, increase my knowledge and experience every day.