Meet the Team: Introducing Marija, Front-End Developer
Helen Keller once said “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much,” and here at TourRadar, this quote rings true. We understand that it is our vast product (and product knowledge) that leads thousands of travellers from around the world to book with us each month. But we also know that none of our successes (whether that is booking a record amount of travellers, or launching exciting new initiatives) would be possible without our team. We have made it our mission since our establishment to hire world-class talent, and our team of over 250 people around the world are proof of just that. Without the strong team of innovators and creatives behind us, we would not be where we are now: leading the online multi-day group tour booking industry.
One person who has helped us reach new heights is Marija Marinkovic. Marija joined the team 11-months ago as a Front-End Developer, and has since been making waves. But we’ll let her explain how she spends her days, why she loves doing what she does, and more. So without further ado, meet Marija Marinkovic.
What Are You Currently Reading?
Currently reading Behave, by Robert Sapolsky, which is, so far, the most thrilling story I’ve ever read about the reasons why someone acts in a certain way. An unusual, non-categorical approach to thinking about human morality and how it is shaped by a multitude of factors including brain chemistry, hormones, immediate and prenatal environment, childhood, genes, evolution, etc.
What Were You Doing Before You Came to TourRadar?
I’ve been working lots of different jobs prior to programming. Behind me is more than a decade of soul searching as a graphic designer, painter, writer, accountant… Until a few years ago, I discovered JavaScript and my life was changed forever.
Before I joined TourRadar I was juggling with a lot of different projects as a full-time developer in Belgrade, from web design to building Angular applications, from WordPress themes and plugins to Node.js and Laravel.
Can You Summarize Your Job in One Sentence?
My current role consists of developing and maintaining the graphical user interface by building components that are directly accessible to the end users of our software’s backend features and capabilities.
What’s the Most Challenging Part of Your Job?
Change is the only constant in today’s workforce. Skills change, technologies change, companies change… people change. Tech jobs are especially fast-paced. Hence, striving to stay relevant is one of the most challenging parts of my job. That’s also my favourite part, because it makes me appreciate how far we’ve come.
How Has Your Role Evolved Since Joining TourRadar?
Since joining TourRadar, I’ve gained more control over my career path, learning where and how to specialize and stop scattering my energy in too many directions.
What Is Your Favourite Thing About Working at TourRadar?
Working at TourRadar had taught me that the best way to gain more energy and disrupt the disruption is through dedication and teamwork.
What Is Some Advice You Would Give to an Aspiring Front-End Developer?
Front-end development is all about bridging the gap between the machine and a person using it, the system and its representation, the service and its usage,… In addition to building bridges, you also have to be a bridge between designers and back-end engineers on your team, and also between your company’s digital product and it’s end users.
Being a front-end developer means constantly shifting perspectives, and persistently balancing between paying attention to detail versus big picture. Thus, it requires a great deal of empathy and compassion, both for yourself and your fellow humans.
Want to join Marija and help travellers around the world book their next life-enriching experience? Apply here.
