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Why did Norbert Polcz, member of the data warehousing team and a BI Developer intern, choose Hiflylabs? What data warehouse-related tasks make his work motivating? What career path does he see at the company?
Why did you decide to apply for this job at the company?
I found Hiflylabs on a job portal, I looked at the website, based on the information I read there, it was encouraging that the company deals with a relatively large number of things, so there is not just one direction for me. I hadn’t worked in the IT field before Hifly, so it was also sympathetic that they did not expect high practical knowledge. It wasn’t a completely conscious decision, I was lucky, I would say in retrospect that my expectations and abilities matched.
What motivates you in your work?
The truth is that the company itself maintains the initial motivation, as I can turn to anyone for help at any time. It was interesting that when I was hired, we had a conversation with the CEO, Tamás Fehér, who was very direct. I think this kind of attitude is rare, I remember, he also said, that I can find him at any time. That was a positive impression. A direct relationship with higher leaders and my mentor keeps me motivated. I can turn to the latter at any time and it helps a lot in my professional development. It is also important to me that if I have ideas, if possible, we try to find opportunities to implement them together, and I can learn new things and new tools regularly. I think the main values of the company are trust, a family atmosphere, and a vision that they want the best for everyone.
What projects are you currently working on?
I do data warehouse and data infrastructure developments most of my time, but I have made a dashboard or PPT for a client several times, so I also had the opportunity to present our completed solution myself. In addition to writing code, we will soon be generating documents that are currently “handwritten,” following rapidly changing technologies and tools. So I may have other responsibilities in a few months. I enjoy learning from all of these.
What is a Hiflylabs job interview like?
Compared to the ones I’ve been to before, I found that they were also curious about my personality here, as it was important that I would fit into a corporate culture that was “home” to different personalities. Most places expected some work experience, but at Hiflylabs I felt they would give me a chance and be happy to invest in a person if the organization-individual found each other and the aforementioned desire for knowledge was present. That was really sympathetic. For me, Hiflylabs is a vibrant and open organization.
Were there any positive signs in the interview that made you feel like a collaboration was about to begin?
We found the common voice right away, I couldn’t describe what I was feeling, but there was something in the air. Despite how excited I was, I was only anxious at the beginning and calmed down very quickly, resulting in a direct conversation. The leader of the data warehousing team and the HR colleague created a pleasant atmosphere. In the meantime, I got another job offer, so two days after the interview, which was a short waiting time, I called them and I asked for a decision. In the interview, they were also curious if I was happy to learn. They played with open cards, they said they were planning for the long term and that was understandable because if you hire someone to then study for months, it pays off if they spend a few years in the company.
Who do you think can be more successful in your profession: a person who likes monotony or variety/change?
I think that at Hiflylabs, both paths could work, yet I would rather vote for a change-lover: if you want to work here, don’t expect to have a precise definition of your responsibilities that you will be dealing with every day later on, as the company supports acquiring a wide range of knowledge and important skills. In my experience, it’s a huge benefit to be proactive because it makes it easier for you to get new and colorful tasks that can later become part of your job. Moreover, I will go further, if they see your motivation, the desire to learn and the diligence, you can gain the trust that will greatly enrich the internship experience. I knew they had confidence in me almost immediately, from hiring, as I visited the office for the first 2-3 months to deepen my knowledge.
How did you experience being an intern through the challenges posed by the pandemic?
I just submitted my thesis to the BGE Bachelor of Business Informatics, I have been working in the home office since March. This makes it easier to concentrate both on my studies at the university and work, as I save 2 hours of commuting time a day from Gödöllő since I don’t have to travel. On the second day of HO, my team leader called to see if I had everything I needed for work, such as a chair or desk. So I got a monitor that was delivered to my house very soon. I didn’t even feel my job was in danger. I only had to get used to communication, that there was no face-to-face meeting and we could negotiate a little less often. I collected my questions for two days because I couldn’t ask everything at once. If it happens sooner, I might have a harder time catching up because by then I had already done a development or two live and got better into it.
How flexible is the company in terms of studies?
The expectation is that if I can, I shall say in time because that is how they can or we can plan. I find that everything is negotiable. For example, if I need a week because of my exams, they won’t even bother me until I get back to work again.
What useful skills have you acquired so far through work?
My communication has improved a lot because I have realized that the more accurately I define a problem, the less misunderstanding there will be from the clients’ side. I am also constantly trying to pay attention to who and in what detail I am talking to about a given topic. I experienced how real-time development works and acquired a confident SQL and version control (git / GitHub) knowledge. I got to know the data warehouse and other data concepts more deeply, thanks to which I became so enthusiastic that I started to deal with it in my free time.
What career path can you see for yourself at the company?
At the moment, I couldn’t determine what I wanted. I am open to data developments, but I’m curious and would even like to participate in mobile development in the future. I feel like I have the opportunity for both.
Authors:
Norbert Polcz – BD Developer intern
Patrícia Hanis – Marketing assistant