We would like to take a moment and shine the light on our female engineering colleagues, in a series of short interviews. We hope that this will inspire more women to join the tech world and make a difference! This week we are introducing #{name}
name = Zofia
Zofia joined the door2door Passenger Team in March 2021 as an iOS-focused Software Developer. After graduating in Physics in Warsaw, she started her iOS journey at the Apple Developer Academy in Naples.
When did you first start writing code?
Zofia: I wrote my first lines of code during my first year of university (I studied physics), which was really my first experience with any code at all. And it wasn’t easy, as most students already had some coding experience. So we covered topics pretty quickly.
What was the first language you started in?
Zofia: C++, at my university.
Do you have a preference between frontend or backend development?
Zofia: I don’t have too much experience with backend, as I’m an iOS developer. I’d like to try it one day. But as I have a creative soul I believe I still would prefer frontend.
What was your biggest struggle when starting out?
Zofia: Comparing myself to others. Compared to other physics students, I started coding pretty late. Also, I didn’t know how to learn or which resources to use — as learning to code through “typical learning methods” like books isn’t really a good idea.
Do you have any learning tips?
Zofia: Don’t compare yourself to others, just do your job. Find a problem that interests you and start creating small pet projects to solve that problem. Finding a mentor can be very motivating and helpful. You can find one in Facebook groups or maybe at local events (after the pandemic ends).
Mind the Gap Google event in Warsaw
What made you want to become a developer?
Zofia: I had no clue what coding was when I was in high school. I didn’t even think about becoming a programmer back then. I had already decided that I would study physics and math. After high school, I was invited to Google in Warsaw for an event called “Mind the Gap”. They invited girls that got at least to the second round of the Mathematical Olympiad. At that event, I participated in a live coding session with Python. I became really interested in it, and it was my first trigger to find out more about coding.
Later, at university, I took C++ classes. They were quite difficult for me, but there was one moment when I solved some additional homework and got really excited about it. I think what made me want to become a developer were these small moments of excitement while solving problems — moments when I was proud of myself and I just enjoyed it.
What do you like most about being a developer?
Zofia: Solving and discussing problems. I like creating new things. Surprisingly, a developer job is all about working with people and I love that.
Find a problem that interests you and start creating small pet projects to solve that problem.
What would you advise aspiring developers?
Zofia: If you like it, don’t give up. If you need to, find a mentor. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We’ve all been there, and we still are…
Do you have any pet projects? If yes, which one?
Zofia: I have one at a very early stage. It’s a platform for learning a language from authentic materials. We’ll see how it goes, as from experience I know I need to rest and pursue other hobbies as well. It’s just not possible to code every day for hours at a time.
What do you enjoy doing apart from programming?
Zofia: I love dancing, particularly ballroom dancing. I’m also into brush lettering and I have my own bullet journal. I also like to learn languages. As I’ve moved to Berlin my focus is currently German, but I am also slowly getting back into Italian.
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Thank you Zofia for this very encouraging interview and welcome to the team, we are so happy to have you! If you enjoyed this chat and want to join us, check out our job postings and see you in the next episode!
