Hi, everyone! I’m Daniel Martinez, Senior Software Engineer at Wizeline Colombia, and this is my first time writing a blog for Wizeline. I’m excited to tell you about my day-to-day duties, how much I enjoy my work, and how I’ve gained the vital skills needed to enter and succeed in the IT world.
How I Began My Software Engineering Career
I always find interesting things to do and learn as a software engineer. Since beginning my career in this field, I have been involved in all the development phases for software solutions. I have had the opportunity to learn from great people and to build amazing software used by thousands of people across several industries.
I started working for a consulting firm after completing a React Bootcamp, at which point I realized that everyone can learn how to code. I also got involved in mentoring and teaching, which have been some of the most valuable career boosters for me. You learn twice when teaching; plus, you come to understand the importance of collaboration.
My Journey to Wizeline
I joined Wizeline during quarantine. I first found out about the company in an article about the software industry in Colombia. I read that they were opening offices in Bogota and needed a lot of engineers, so I decided to apply.
Since my first day at Wizeline, I have had the chance to do what I like while having many new experiences. I’m working as a full stack engineer for a leading media company with a talented team of engineers across the world, I’m a lecturer and mentor for the React Bootcamp offered by Wizeline Academy, and I have gotten certified in AWS Cloud skills. I am also a Wizeline Ambassador and enjoy that the company offers a lot of things to choose from for people with all kinds of interests.
My Daily Routine at Wizeline
To start my morning, I always need to grab a dark coffee before the daily standup meeting. (I’m Colombian, so it’s kind of a cultural habit.) Then, I open my calendar and keep it visible on my second monitor so I won’t miss any important meetings. Next, I start doing some unit testing or catching up on new things on Slack. Time flies, and before I know it, I’m getting ready for lunch and the start of the most productive time of my day. I spend my afternoon coding and staring at the screen, sometimes doing pair programming with folks and socializing.
The Perks of Remote Work
When I got my first software engineering job, I had to spend two hours daily on a bus, sometimes with shoulder pain from carrying my backpack and stressed out due to traffic. Now, since I’ve been working completely remote for a few years, I have no pain, less stress, and can enjoy spending more time with my family and my kitty, Aisha.
Don’t get me wrong – it has been somewhat of a challenge since the pandemic to stay at home and feel mentally healthy, but staying busy has helped me to keep a positive attitude and take advantage of the extra time all of us were given at home.
My Advice to Aspiring Software Engineers
Feed your curiosity and go learn something new today! You never know how far that knowledge will take you. In the software world, there are opportunities for all different types of people to learn how to code, follow agile methodologies, use cloud providers for building and deploying entrepreneurial projects, or successfully collaborate with a team of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
No matter your current field, don’t feel like it’s too late to find your place in the IT world. I have seen psychologists, lawyers, and designers all learn how to code. Sometimes, what starts as a hobby can turn into new job opportunities.
Finally, if you are interested in joining a company with an excellent work culture and talented people ready to help and guide you along your journey, consider Wizeline. Here, you will find an abundance of important projects with numerous technologies to work on, plus opportunities to help others and learn from talented people in various industries. If you join, please let me know so that we can share our experiences and perhaps even work on a project together someday.
Ready to Become a Wizeliner? Apply Today!
Are you interested in joining our global team at Wizeline? We have open roles for engineers in Mexico, Colombia, Vietnam, and Spain — and plenty of opportunities to experience the joys of mentoring as well. Apply here.
