Today, on Programmer's Day, we're talking with Michał Maciąg, Head of IT at Verestro. Michal manages a team of 60 developers. Let's explore the impact of developers' work on Verestro's operations and the company's future goals.
Table of Contents:
A Product-Focused Culture in IT Teams
Justyna: Hi, Michał! Happy Programmer's Day! Any special plans for your team?
Michał: We're organizing something fun with HR – a sweet treat, of course.
Verestro is known for its sweet surprises. It's part of our culture that is tied to company values. What values matter most to your development team?
We're product-focused. Teams own their business domain from start to finish – deciding how they work, the tech, and the design. Everyone needs to understand why we're doing this. Simple, transparent communication is key. As one of our POs says, "#goodToTalk."
About IT Professionals
Effective communication is really crucial. What about the common stereotype of an IT professional? The plaid shirt, the introverted soul, the laconic speech... Does this image still hold true?
The plaid shirt is reserved for special occasions! This industry attracts a lot of introverts. But I think an introvert is simply someone who recharges in the solitude of their cave, while an extrovert does so in company. It doesn't mean introverts can't lead productive conversations, especially when they're experts.
There's a myth that IT professionals are difficult to work with. Is there a grain of truth in that?
"I didn't get into IT to talk to people" is a big lie. You can't build a product without understanding its purpose. Specs and tickets won't cut it. Successful teams ask, "How can my software help you?" This is the skill that will keep AI from replacing us for a long time...
It's challenging for many new IT professionals, but a healthy team should help them learn these skills.
HR and IT often struggle to communicate. Have you heard of the HRejterzy project? Their videos have millions of views, addressing this misunderstanding between the IT world and the HR world. Why do you think this happens?
These two worlds naturally clash. HR wants quick hiring, programmers want good salaries at meaningful companies. Add occasional unprofessionalism on either side or lengthy hiring processes, and you've got a powder keg! At Verestro, we usually let the teammates conduct job interviews. We try to give the candidates constructive feedback, even if we don't hire them.
That seems like a healthy approach. Is programming a vocation? What qualities do you need to be a good programmer?
Vocation is a strong word, but we spend most of our adult lives working. I'd feel like I'm wasting my time doing something I don't enjoy. There are hard days and burnout, but in the long run, those are just details. As for qualities, logical thinking, a willingness to learn, and an open mind are essential.
What are the best and worst parts of this profession?
The best:
when you finish a difficult refactoring staring at green “All 20543 tests passed”,
when you replace Big Ball of Mud with something faster & more elegant,
when you deploy new solution and see on monitoring it holds perfectly during peak hours
when you see how the architecture we proposed fits new use cases,
when you see a colleague propose a good solution and you know all past conversations “clicked”.
The worst: meaningless projects assigned by someone who doesn't believe in them. Even if the salary is the same, these projects lead to frustration and turnover.
IT and Business
You're the Head of IT at Verestro, but you spend more time on processes and business. Has this changed your perspective on programming?
Working with people is different. With computers, you get immediate feedback. With people, it takes months or years, and the results aren't always clear-cut. You have to get used to that. Being in the middle, you see how important IT-business dialogue is. But I still enjoy those rare days when I can code.
How important is IT in achieving Verestro's business goals in fintech?
We don't think of it like that. Our team includes developers, testers, POs, PMs, SMs, and UX – together, they create the product. Of course, you can't have a fintech product without tech, but without a capable product developer or sensible UX, no one will use it. And then you still have to sell it.
What are the most interesting projects the IT team is currently working on? What technologies are being used?
Most are Java/Kotlin and PHP, but everything is containerized in our private cloud (k8s on our own hardware), so we can use anything. We also have front-end and native mobile. Recently, we've been working on NFC in smartwatches and Apple devices.
What are Verestro's development plans?
Christopher (Krzysztof Drzyzga) could probably give you the best overview. We're working on new fintech products for currency conversion and fraud analysis. In IT, we're developing the architecture guild and experimenting with streams in RabbitMQ.
The Challenges and Rewards of IT
How is the work of IT professionals at Verestro appreciated? What about the company's benefits policy?
We try to maintain competitive market rates. We offer a Multisport card, health insurance, training, conferences, etc. For committed employees, we have a stock program, allowing them to participate in the company's success.
Is it easy to recruit IT staff? What's the biggest challenge?
There are challenges – sometimes fierce competition, sometimes reading answers from ChatGPT. But so far, we've managed with HR's help.
What advice would you give to young programmers?
Don't focus too much on choosing tools. Readability and maintainability are more important, and solving actual problems is even more important. Also, don't be afraid to use a light theme in your IDE if you prefer it :)
Programmer’s Day
And what do you wish programmers on their celebration day?
That it compiles!
Thank you for the great conversation! And let me wish you that it compiles :)
Thanks!
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