The next participant in our "Successful Internship Stories" section is Stoyko Brandijski, Back-end Developer at Stenik. He shared with us his journey as an intern at Stenik and how the experience he gained has helped him develop in the field of back-end development.
If you missed the previous interviews, we highly recommend checking out the inspiring internship stories of our other colleagues who are participants in our section.
Face to face with Stoyko Brandijski
Stoyko is 23 years old from Plovdiv and graduated with a bachelor's degree in "Business Information Technologies" from Paisii Hilendarski University. Currently, he is successfully combining his work with his studies in a master's program in "Software Technologies with a specialization in Mobile Systems and Applications" at the same university. Working remotely from his hometown, he successfully applies the knowledge he gained in his education in a real work environment.
His motto is: "Never stop developing, no matter how hard it gets!"
>> Stoyko, hello! Tell us what attracted you to Stenik? Had you heard of the company before applying for an internship?
Honestly, I hadn't heard of Stenik before applying. I was actively looking for internships related to PHP and that's how I came across the company. I found out about it from the university's website. I saw that they were looking for an intern with knowledge of PHP and MySQL, and I thought it was a good fit for me.
>> What knowledge did you have at the start of your internship?
I had basic knowledge of algorithms, data structures, and object-oriented programming. I also had good knowledge of C# technologies.
>> Who was your mentor and what did you learn from them?
My mentor was Nikolay Dimitrov. He helped me gain a lot of knowledge about Magento, PHP, and general programming concepts. He showed me how to work easily and effectively with the tools in the field (Docker, Git).
>> What path did you take at Stenik and what is your career development so far?
I started as an intern. It took me some time to adapt to Magento. Gradually, I mastered the right concepts and began to take on bigger and more complex tasks. After successfully completing my internship and training, I received an offer for a permanent position as a Back-end Developer, which I still hold today.
>> What are your main responsibilities in this position?
My main responsibilities include troubleshooting issues and challenges in projects, creating integrations between the website and the mobile application of a given project, as well as upgrading certain functionalities.
>> What motivates you the most at Stenik?
I am inspired by the dynamics of the work, the opportunities to do what I love and to grow by learning new things every day. Moreover, the team is great, which makes the work even more enjoyable and fulfilling.
>> What projects are you working on at the moment?
At the moment, I am mainly working on online stores: Douglas, Brannik, and other online stores in development, as well as receiving small tasks on other projects.
>> Which colleagues/departments do you communicate with most frequently?
I mainly work with Project Managers and colleagues from the technical support team to discuss specifics related to the tasks. When additional opinions are needed regarding the correct solution to a given task, I consult with colleagues from the DEV team.
>> How does a typical workday look like for you?
My workday starts with the highest priority tasks according to the instructions from the Project Managers and colleagues from the support department. I also share some cool features or useful tools with my colleagues from the Dev team.
>> How do you keep your knowledge and skills up to date?
The daily tasks are by no means enough for upgrading knowledge. I constantly keep myself informed and try new techniques and tools in my free time. I have a step-by-step list for them, ordered by priority.
>> What are your goals at Stenik and in your career?
My goal is to continue upgrading my knowledge and developing my programming skills so that I feel even more useful and open to every new challenge in my work.
>> How do you manage work-life balance at Stenik?
I try to organize my time well to be as productive as possible during the workday.
>> What skills and qualities are necessary to work as a Back-end Developer?
It is important to have analytical thinking, attention to detail, and excellent communication skills. Quick adaptation to the environment and striving for continuous development are also essential. The main technical requirements are related to knowledge of PHP (specifically Magento), object-oriented programming (OOP), and databases (MySQL). It is also recommended to have experience in the JavaScript world.
>> What is your advice to future interns in the digital industry in a similar position?
My advice is: Never stop developing by enriching your knowledge and skills, even when facing difficulties, and remember that obstacles shape our path to real progress.
Stoyko Brandijski
Do you want to be part of the fresh team at Stenik?
If you want to learn more about career opportunities at Stenik, read the article "Career at Stenik - where to start?", which provides detailed information about the differences between the two main development directions in the company. It will also give you an idea of what it's like to work at Stenik and how we build and develop our team in the long term. Don't miss the other episodes from the "Successful Internship Stories" section, where you can get inspired by the journey of young professionals who are constantly evolving and progressing. Learn more about the current internship programs.
For those who want to learn more about us as a team and as a company, we recommend watching the movie "Behind the Scenes at Stenik.", where our managers share interesting stories about our daily work. Don't miss the eCommerce professions video series, where 6 of our colleagues talk about their roles and career paths that they have charted at Stenik. Stay tuned for the next episode of our Internship Stories section!
