On this topic, we talked with Irena Trajkova - Intermediate Developer at Seavus, the international software development and consulting company that is part of the Aricoma group.

Tell us more about yourself. How did your story with Seavus begin and what are the major milestones in your career so far? 
- I graduated as a Financial Manager from the Faculty of Economics at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, but my field of interest later switched to front-end development. I stepped into the world of programming about 4 years ago, when I decided to study front-end web development on my own, by taking courses on Pluralsight and Udemy and creating ‘mock’ applications for practice. This helped me gain basic knowledge in the field and, in late 2019, I got an internship in Seavus’ Oracle Division, where I started learning React.js from basics. After three months of intensive studying and working, I got the chance to become a Junior Developer and start working on my first professional project, using React.js.  

What exactly is the job of an Intermediate Developer? What projects are you currently working on and what does your typical workday look like? 
- I am currently working on a cash management project for a client from Finland. My workday starts with administrative tasks, such as responding to emails, logging working hours in Jira for the previous day, and analyzing and planning work tasks. Then I attend the daily meeting with my colleagues and our clients, discussing the work we have done and deciding our priorities for the following days. After the meeting, I get down to work. All the while, my colleagues and I consult each other, exchange opinions and find solutions to potential problems. Lately we have been busy learning how to use GraphQL and Apollo GraphQL since we are switching to these platforms for the front-end part of the application and they are a novelty to most of us. At the end of my workday, I make a summary of what I have done so that I know where to start the next day.  

 
What are the biggest challenges you deal with as a front-end developer and how did you decide to work with the React library?  
- The greatest challenge is keeping up with the emerging technologies, which can sometimes be difficult in terms of time management since we already have a busy schedule of ongoing tasks. 

At the moment I am working on a project using the React library. So far, I have worked with several different frameworks and libraries, such as Angular, Backbone.js, React.js, and React Native, but I was particularly attracted to React primarily because it is simple and the novelties that are introduced in it are easy to comprehend. React is also stable, dynamic and has great performance, which explains why it is so popular among developers and why it is listed as a requirement in half of the job advertisements for front-end developers nowadays. Another perk is that for every problem you may encounter while working with React you can easily find a solution on the Internet. The good thing is that once you master one library or framework, it won’t take much effort to learn the principles of operation, structure and methodology of any other popular library or framework.      

    
What career development opportunities do front-end developers have in Seavus?
- Seavus nurtures a positive and supportive working environment and offers great opportunities to all its employees who want to learn and are persistent in their ambitions. In this renowned IT company, you will have the chance to use some of the popular libraries and frameworks on interesting and innovative projects. Working side by side with many experienced developers, who selflessly share their knowledge with younger colleagues, you will definitely have the chance to deepen your knowledge and advance professionally.    

 
What skills does a quality front-end developer need to have?
- The most important thing is to be passionate about learning and committed to your goals. You should take different courses and practice everything you learn by creating your own ‘mock’ applications. To be able to do the tasks as required, you need to have a keen eye for detail, think analytically and be devoted to finding the best and most efficient solutions. Close teamwork and exchanging knowledge with your coworkers is key. It is therefore important to be communicative and not afraid to express your opinions. With some background knowledge, hard work, and persistence, you are bound to become a quality and successful front-end developer.