Sergey Zolotaryov is a highly experienced Java Developer. He currently works as a freelance Developer for a large multinational in the transport and logistics sector. A client with challenging Development projects, to which he makes an important contribution with his experience and skills. He recently received vendor award for this! Now that's making an impact.
We asked Sergey to tell us about his career as a Developer, what he likes about freelancing and what his tips & tricks are for fellow developers.
How did your career as a Java Developer start and what are you doing now?
“My career as a Java Developer started in 2005 in the Ukraine, where I worked as an interim. After moving to the Netherlands, I was first employed by a small product-based company for 8 years, then I made the switch to freelancing and joined my current client via Spilberg in September 2020.
There, a small team is responsible for developing a new onboarding portal for customers. That sounds pretty simple, but all in all, due to the many options and services we want to offer the customer, it became a pretty big and complicated project. I started as the only Back-end Developer on the team and created the initial code for the portal. We are now 2 Developers in charge of the back-end and 3 to 5 Front-end Developers. As soon as this project reached the mature phase, I also started to actively look into other projects to see how I could contribute to those.”
Winner of the Inspirational Vendor Award
Recently, Sergey received the Inspirational Vendor Award from his client. This was the first time it was awarded to a freelance employee. Out of a group of 70 nominees, Sergey was chosen as the winner. His IT Manager told us earlier why the Freelance Java Developer was the right choice in her eyes.
An award for you as a freelance Java Developer, how about that?
“I don't actually feel that I have done anything very special. Just my usual 'modus operandi' of looking around and helping others where I can. The award is a nice bonus, pleasant validation that I am seen and appreciated by my client. And that you can therefore make an important difference within an organisation, even as a freelancer.”
What skills have you cultivated as a Developer over the past few years?
“A big part of working at a large organisation is communication. I think I have developed more in that area than purely at the development of my technical skills. Although it is true that within this organisation my team and I get the chance to work as early adopters with the latest Cloud tech and the next-level deployment and agility it brings. This is obviously very interesting for me as a developer! Nevertheless, it is my impression that in general it is becoming increasingly important to master so-called 'soft skills’.”
Communication is key
“You will need to tap into or develop your extrovert side to engage in conversation with the large number of departments within the organisation. This brings me straight to two other important skills: patience and understanding. In large organisations, you will have to accept that it will take time to persuade everyone involved and get your work approved. There are often others waiting in the queue of the approval team, and their work is just as important as yours.”
Tips for starting Java Developers
“I would recommend working in a number of different IT disciplines: both back-end and front-end, and some experience in operations wouldn't hurt either. This will make you more versatile and marketable as a developer.”
What makes working as a freelancer interesting?
“Having worked at one company for eight years, I can now only enjoy the occasional change of scenery and assignment. No matter how hard your brain finds that change sometimes. You might have to force yourself towards it, but in the end it gives you a broader experience and enriches you as a person. Not to mention, you meet lots of amazing people along the way and develop a great social network!”
What role has Spilberg played in your career as a Java Developer?
“Thanks to Spilberg, I found a really nice team to work with at this multinational company. Getting a freelance assignment from an organisation like this on your own is far from easy. Furthermore, it is really great that the contact with Spilberg does not end after they have found an assignment for you. If I have any questions, I can always turn to Rik [Spilberg Consultant]. He always finds the time to answer them attentively. All in all, I am very satisfied with our cooperation.”
Build your future with Spilberg
Would you like to work as a Java Developer at a multinational company or one of the other leading companies in our network, just like Sergey? We would like to help you take the next step in your career. Take a look at our Development vacancies online, or contact us to discuss what other possibilities there are.
