From receptionist to seasoned test engineer
Tale of one internship
The IT Industry — FinTech
The IT sector is a welcoming and attractive industry and appeals to a wide range of people in the market. No matter your professional or educational background, this sector will embrace you and help you grow, if you are willing to work on yourself and develop your skills. I have learned along the way that there are many ways one can enter this sector, which do not necessarily entail having a computer science degree.
My personal story is the classic being at the right place at the right time case, but many others use online educational platforms and resources to re-skill themselves and then target an entry position at tech companies. There they can further develop their skills and in that way, they move forward professionally in this sector. It is safe to say that I have met so many amazing people along the way, who are all creative, driven and very goal oriented.
Multitude IT Internship Programme
This summer I have successfully completed a two-year-long internship program with Multitude in Slovakia.
The length of the program was tailored to my needs and followed the length of time, that I still needed to complete my university studies.
Overall, I appreciated the flexible approach that Multitude had because this meant that I could balance studying at university and career development simultaneously. The takeaways from this experience are many.
First and foremost, the technical aspect of the job really opens a whole new world in front of you. After undergoing this program, I have gained substantial knowledge about the tech sector and how digital products are planned, developed, tested and rolled out for clients.
I also feel a lot more comfortable around tech products and understanding solutions in general now. It is no doubt that the world is becoming more digitalised, and I am certain that I will strongly rely on all the knowledge that I have gained during the span of this internship program.
The best part about this internship program with Multitude was to experience the culture of the company and how it supports new talents in the team.
I have received tremendous mentorship and support from my senior colleagues during this internship. I was also able to speak up anytime I had something to say, and I can confidently say that the tasks that were assigned to me were of an important nature.
Overall, I have finished a well-rounded internship which taught me how to professionally operate in a FinTech company and how to roll out financial products.
Career progression at Multitude
My experience with Multitude started back in early 2019, when I have been offered mixed position as an office and recruiting assistant. My tasks varied, from communicating with suppliers to organising office events or scheduling interviews with potential candidates worldwide. Back then, I was able to experience the company in a pivotal moment, where the start-up-like culture was still lingering.
This allowed me to gain critical experience in being a self-starter, as there were no fundamental processes put in place yet. An important aspect that made me feel confident with the company was the supportive leadership from the get-go. I felt a sense of security and mentorship, but most importantly, I felt seen and appreciated, my opinions and questions mattered. I always consider this aspect of my experience as the most crucial, because it shaped my idea of what good leadership should look like.
Some of the fundamental values of good leadership are:
- clear expectations
- patience
- high trust in the employee
- permission to be creative in executing tasks
Being in the proximity of such leaders can really shape a person for the better.
At that time, I started attending a master’s program in the Czech Republic. This was an inevitable complication, but I was certain that I wanted to continue my cooperation with Multitude. For that reason, I chose to wake up at 4 AM and commute back to Slovakia.
After this hybrid position, I was offered a temporary posting in the HR department, where I was able to focus on developing my communication skills. Once this temporary posting has expired, the leadership of Multitude has demonstrated yet again their willingness to keep me as an employee and raise the bar for my professional development.
In July 2020, I joined the testing department and have been offered a technical internship as a junior software tester. I am happy to say that as of August 2022, I have joined the Ferraweb team as a full-time Junior Test Engineer.
