We had quite a few people having their first days at the company over the course of this year. The pandemic changed a lot in the onboarding experience. It was especially challenging for the ones just starting their careers, not just the company. We thought it would be interesting to interview one of the 2020 newbies and get their perspective.
Meet Ilija Lalkovski and read about his first experiences in Polar Cape.
Getting interested in IT
Ever since I was young, I was interested in computers, mostly at the time for the video games, but as I grew older, I started developing a passion for the things that made those video games run. In high school I focused more on the hardware point of things, as I was studying electronics, but in college I refocused on the software side of things, since my interests changed towards software development. But I’m still meddling in hardware from time to time, fixing and building computers for family etc.
Crossing paths with Polar Cape
In my last year of college, I was on a hunt for a job in the sector of software development, I even did a few internships in different companies, but they still didn’t feel like the right fit for me. When the pandemic struck, I was scouring the local ads for a job post from a company that seemed awesome to work in. At that moment I came across a job post from Polar Cape, which after a quick Google search, I found out that it was the best workplace in Sweden in 2018, as named by the Great Place To Work Institute. I instantly applied, and well, here I am.
First impression
It was exhilarating for sure. Unfortunately, I started working from home, so I didn’t have a chance to meet a lot of the Polar Capers right away, but the few that I met, were awesome, funny and relaxed, which made for a great lasting impression. I instantly got contacted by Elena upon her discovery of my love for board games, and we started playing online board games with the colleagues who shared the same passion. That itself speaks tons about the friendliness of the people working at Polar Cape.
His first role
My primary role at Polar Cape is a Front-end Developer. For the past months, I’ve been working as a part of a team which is developing a website, for one of Sweden’s biggest newspapers, using React.js. I’ve learnt a lot of new intricacies in the world of coding, I’ve been introduced to new technologies, as well as, the whole development process, from planning projects sprints, to developing and deploying the realized solution. It has been a very educational experience so far.
PC best feature?
The people. Even though we’re working from home, it’s enjoyable to work with great, motivated, knowledgeable coworkers who will help you out when you’re in a rut, crack a joke to brighten the day, or even just have a conversation about hobbies and music.
Best memory
From the handful of times I have visited the office, I’d have to say, the heated foosball matches. It was awesome to spend some quality time with my coworkers and laugh until my stomach hurt.
The pandemic and the “new normal”
It’s mostly been okay. The situation has affected all of us in a way where now when I run into my friends or coworkers, I’m not sure should we shake hands or just nod our heads. I’ve caught up on all of my series and movies, so there’s that. About working from home, I think it has its positives and negatives. I appreciate the fact that I don’t have to commute, but sometimes communication with coworkers is not as great as it would’ve been if we were in the office together. Also, the office camaraderie and atmosphere are missed when you are working remotely. After the pandemic is over, I look forward to meeting my colleagues for a beer and getting to know them better. Also, I am hoping for live music events to return in their prime and I’m hoping to travel a lot more in the future.
Private passions
Apart from being a developer, I have a lot of hobbies, but the most important to me is playing the guitar. I’ve played with a couple of local bands and on numerous occasions with my friends. I also love playing board games with friends, playing video games, cooking, enjoying spicy food, travelling and going to concerts.
