Plamena graduated from the Technical University of Sofia with a major in Computer Science. However, there was something that discouraged her from pursuing a profession in the IT sector - “I was not confident in my programming skills,“ Plamena shared with us.
As a result, she shifted her career path from computer science to business and sales.
Yet, life is a journey, full of opportunities, and it is up to us to seize them and change our everyday lives for the better. Stepping up to a challenge and using it to accomplish great deeds isn’t just for a few chosen ones. You can do it too - just as Plamena did.
“As a sales manager, I was able to learn the business and get the most of it, but after 15 years, my job wasn’t challenging enough. Work became monotonous, and I felt it was time to make a drastic change in my life,” she shared.
After in-depth research, positive feedback from friends, and great online reviews, Plamena decided to join
Telerik Academy Alpha JavaScript.
“Honestly, I was quite scared to quit my job and jump into the unknown, but when exploring Telerik Academy I got the confidence that I can succeed.”
She was right.
One week after graduating from
Telerik Academy Alpha JavaScript, Plamena kickstarted her IT career at
Tick42.
Mastering the skills that get you hired
“Telerik Academy gave me all the tools and knowledge needed to jumpstart my new career. The trainers made sure we built a solid foundation of the core programming principles, so it would not matter what technology we use.”
Plamena strongly values working on real-world projects that enabled her to acquire practical skills in the best possible way. She is also grateful for all the soft skills lectures, despite thinking about them as a “pure waste of time“ in the beginning.
“I couldn’t have been more wrong! Even after 15 years in sales, there is still a lot that can be learned - how to communicate with different people, how to cope with various challenging situations, crafting a stellar CV - those skills are priceless. Finally, being able to meet the partners and talk to some of the developers helped me to understand their culture and feel more relaxed about the interview process.”
Landing the perfect job
An essential part of every Telerik Academy Alpha program is meeting with partner companies from our ever-growing network. It is an excellent opportunity for the students to learn more about their business, hiring processes, the qualities they seek in future candidates.
This is how Plamena met her future employer -
Tick42.
“I know I wanted to work at Tick42 after Stoyan Damov, the CTO of the company, gave an advanced lecture about Cargo Cult Software Engineering and Design Patterns. I was amazed by the vast knowledge he had and the passion he showed. At that moment, I knew that the company values are not just some words on paper, but they actually mean something.”
After her successful graduation and job interview, she was offered a position as a Junior JavaScript Developer at the company.
“Right from my first day at the company, I felt I was part of the team. Everyone was extremely welcoming and helpful. People here inspire and value each other.
Working with amazing people
As a software developer, Plamena is responsible for creating components that are building blocks for all applications developed for one of Tick42’s major customers. She shares that the work is challenging, but she has the full support of the team.
“They are great professionals and amazing people. They help me grow and inspire me to learn new things and strive for perfection.”
Today, Plamena describes her decision to join Telerik Academy as “one of the best I’ve ever made.“ She is happier than ever, even though she has to learn much more - she is confident in her skills and goes to work with excitement.
Plamena’s advice to the new students
“To quote Stoyan Damov, “Keep learning. Don’t be a mushroom.” Do what you do with passion. Be open-minded and eager to learn new things. Believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to express your opinion.”
Are you ready to take on your journey to a successful IT career? Then don’t hesitate and apply to
Telerik Academy Alpha.
