When the recruitment process in Visma Labs for Cobol developer position started, we could not imagine that we will find such a positive and friendly colleague as Mathias.
Mathias, the employee of the March, is a good listener, he also likes to share his own experience in an easy and fun way. He has a great sense of humour, and he likes to show initiative and organize different events within Visma Labs. Table tennis, darts and chess tournaments, movie evenings etc. – Mathias is the person, who makes it all happen!
What is your role in Visma? And what do you like the most in your work?
I was hired as a Cobol developer, since I have more than 4 years experience with this programming language. Since I arrived to Latvia last year on September, I am also helping in automating tests in C# using Specflow framework for our Human Resources Management project.
From April I will go back just to my first love of Cobol and code salary calculation solution.
As a cherry on the top, I also am organizing small team building events in the office. It has helped a lot to get to know everyone!
What I like the most in this job is that I actually have to understand what I am testing in order to test it properly. It gives me a lot of topics to discover and new things to learn. On one hand, it is hard, because it is new and therefore I am not familiar with the topic or technology. On the other hand, despite the complexity, it forces me to challenge myself and make my few-not-frozen brain cells working harder.
Why do you like to work in Visma?
Because people care for each other and we are not just one more employee among the mass. We are forming as a little family and it is a great feeling to wake up in the morning and think “Oh, I am going to the office. Cool.”
That might sound a bit forced, but from my previous work experiences, this is an amazing upgrade!
What would you suggest to those, who also want to work in IT field?
Don’t listen to any stereotypes. Take most of everything you heard about IT, put it n a nice paper (or not) and throw it in the garbage. Most of people stating stereotypes are those who know very little in reality.
IT is a large field with so many possibilities, that it is hard to narrow it down. From the basic coder to the high-end business expert. You have so many roles to explore if only you have the time, will and passion.
Yes, IT specialists are mostly sitting at the desk in front of a computer. But so is accountant, designer, cashier and many other professionals.
In IT, you can work on a lot of topics going from marketing to accounting, through HR or video games. The coding part might be redundant sometimes, it is true. But you have to think about the possibilities around you too. So be curious, don’t come to the office “just to do your coding job”.
What do you do during your leisure time?
I have a second full time job as a Dad (parents will get me on this one).
Otherwise, I try to read as much as possible. I am trying to write a blog about my new life here in Latvia. The blog is in french though, but if you know the language, you can read it here.
I try to keep watching interesting movies as much as possible. If you are wondering, why so many “try’s” in my sentences, refer to the point titled as “full-time dad”.
I also successfully squeeze in some video games sessions in all of this. Don’t ask me how I do it – even I don’t know.
Your life motto?
I could have plenty, I guess, but recently I really like this one: “If you do something stupid, but it works – then it is not stupid”.