We often state that growth is a big part of our culture, so we offer our Centricians the means and methods to improve their skills constantly. Vlad started his career path at Centric as an intern and is now continuing his journey as a Software Architect. Find out how he grew with Centric in the story below.
#GrowWithCentric: From intern to Software Architect
Software Architect
Vlad Iacob
How did you start in Centric, and what is your role today?
I started my career at Centric in 2014 as an intern, and today I am a software architect.
What was the drive that got you from intern to software architect?
The pleasure of building things. I started by "building" myself as a professional, and later on, I was driven by the desire to build software products and teams.
What motivates you to learn?
I think the primary motivation comes from the specifics of our field. This is a field that is constantly changing, in which new tools and technologies come up every day, and it is mandatory to be up-to-date with the latest trends. I think that when working in IT, continuous learning isn't optional but mandatory to be able to perform.
How do you make time for learning?
Considering my current role, which is very dynamic and challenging, I couldn't honestly say I have dedicated time slots for learning. I try to book a time to read about what interests me, but most of the time, my learning process is trigger based: I find out about a new thing, and then as soon as possible, I try to find out more about it.
What was your biggest failure, and what did you learn from it?
A few years ago, when working on my first project here in Centric, I learned the hard way that the business component and the timing play a big part in the success of a software project. It is not enough to write great code and develop a good product but many other aspects keep it going and make it a success.
What is your favorite success story?
It is not a story, but it's the project I am currently involved in and the teams I work with. I am thrilled and proud of the new and innovative ways in which we manage to do things and lead the SaaS transitioning process currently happening in many of the Centric projects.
What kinds of learning and growth practices do you have?
I think that learning by doing or finding a mix between theory and practice is key. In terms of sources, I try to keep a close eye on the official ones and filter my information according to them - for instance, if I need information about .NET, Microsoft is my go-to source. If we are talking about platforms, I would recommend the ones we are also using here in Centric, like Udemy and Pluralsight, which have diverse courses.
What advice would you give someone just starting their career?
First, I would ask if IT is really the field they want to work in for the rest of their lives. And if the answer is yes, I would say to keep focused on what they want to do and where they want to go in their career.
Who has been the most inspirational person for your career and why?
I think the person that inspired and influenced me most so far was my first technical lead here at Centric. He did that not only by making sense of things in terms of code and project development but also by the way he managed to gather the people in the team around him.
