Clean code, casual wear
Working as a software developer at Marc O’Polo
By Ryan Klarhölter, Fullstack Developer
Ethics plays a big role in the history of computer science. Think about the hacker community. Think about open-source software. Think about Google’s slogan “Don’t be evil” (did they have a guilty conscience?).
Clothes were taken very casually. Still do. Maybe that is because of the influence of the ’68 movement. That started a few years before Apple and Microsoft were founded. I mean their founders must have been affected by it. At least Steve Jobs was for sure. Not to speak of the hacker community. I mean, everything computer-related started around that time. Not the whole history of computer science, no. I’m talking about personal computers. I’m talking about operating systems. When it all began to conquer everyday life.
What I’m trying to say is that I was impressed. Impressed by the high ethics of hackers. You’ll find just as great ethical demands among software developers. The greatest manifestation of that is Clean Code. It’s a manifesto of professional ethics.
I liked to not see a developer or hacker in a suit. I wouldn’t mind today. I would even like to dress like John Wick myself. Or Tommy Shelby. We all grow. It’s good that the industry has evolved beyond the stereotype of pizza, cola, and basement-dwelling. Today, most YouTube videos about a day in the life of a developer seem to focus more on the healthy and delicious foods in their cafeteria than on work. But back when I started in the industry sixteen years ago it would have put me off to see developers in suits. There is something exclusive about it. Maybe it was just because I couldn’t afford a suit.
Like with classical music. Gosh, is he talking about classical music now? Yeah. Doesn’t it feel exclusive to you to see all the fancy-dressed people in an even more fancy concert hall? James Rhodes had to come around to make me really listen to classical music. A funky-looking guy wearing Chucks plays Bach on the piano? In a theater and speaks to the crowd?! Give me more!
Casual wear. High ethics. If you know Marc O’Polo you already see the line that I’m going to draw. Marc O’Polo makes clothes that I like to wear in my everyday life. Clothes like the hoodie that you sometimes just need to feel like a hacker to tackle that last bug (of today). In high quality. With high standards in sustainability. A premium hacker I am!
I was surprised by the technology know-how that it needs for a fashion label to be successful. And I’m excited about the range of challenges, tools, and construction sites: From cloud development with AWS to front-ends with Nuxt to data science and analysis. From order management to personalization to web performance to A/B testing. And much more.
The other thing that excites me is the internationality of the team. I’m working on a daily basis with people from Denmark, Syria, China, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Bavaria (a little joke on the sidelines). That challenges my English speaking skills and I’m glad about that.
The company is doing a great job at making Marc O’Polo a great place to work. I enjoy the learning opportunities and the freedom to work from home — or anywhere! — the most. Not to forget that the headquarter is in a beautiful place that I chose as my hometown ten years ago. There is delicious, healthy food in the canteen too of course. — Time for a YouTube video?
Why didn’t I apply to MO’P earlier? I knew how important style is when it comes to programming. I ignored the importance of it for a long time when it comes to clothing. I thought of it as a superficial thing that was not worth spending much time on. But the way you dress affects your mood, behavior, self-perception, and how others perceive and deal with you. And it can be fun and exciting because it’s a creative process to explore styles, colors and materials. I had to cancel my job to start studying computer science close to the age of 30. It was only then that I felt a strong urge to upgrade my style to set me apart from all the youngsters. Want me to tell you the golden rule of style? Fit is king! Seriously, I had to learn that. Did you know that there are other types of pants besides jeans? That it can be useful to have more than two jackets? Heard of overshirts as an alternative to sweaters? But don’t worry:
Not only can you still wear your hoodie at Marc O’Polo: You wear the best one — with a big discount.
You want to shape the digital future of the fashion industry? Start creating with us. The Digital Intelligence & Tech Teams at Marc O’Polo are always looking for talented and driven software engineers, data engineers, data scientists, data analysts, ML Engineers or project managers to join our team. Learn about life at Marc O’Polo and visit our career site.
