Behind every successful Anais project is a team of experts, working together to deliver the best possible solution for our clients. We pride ourselves on building teams with diverse backgrounds, complementary skills and an agile spirit.
In this series, you’ll learn more about the individuals that make up the Anais team as they share a day in their life.
Meet Alex Zamfir, Lead React and React Native Developer in our Bucharest, Romania office.
How did you get into this industry ?
The IT industry attracted me from an early age. When I was around 12 or 13, I remember seeing a family friend who was working as a programmer and had a good lifestyle. He even had a convertible, which I found awesome. I thought to myself : “I want to do that!”
As the years went by, I got into something else entirely: marketing, sales, trading etc. This career path ended up taking me to Asia, which was an amazing experience. The IT industry was on a fast track there, everything was moving at lightning speed and I wanted in. So I tried to build my own software products, websites, and mobile apps and ended up learning how to code.
What is your role at Anais Digital?
These days, I lead the React and React Native department, which we are in the process of expanding. I solve technical problems daily. When something goes wrong, I’m there to support the team and to push for achieving the end goal. I also make sure our clients are well understood and translate their needs into clear tasks. In the end, I always want my team to deliver the best developed quality software for our clients.
What does a day in the life of a Lead React and React Native Developer look like?
I start off the day by checking my calendar, followed by my emails. I then move on to tackling the most pressing issues from the previous day. Next, I handle the code merge requests from the team (the code which will end up being a final product). After that, I try to organize my time between the different projects that I’m working on. If I don’t do this, I can easily end up having to divide my time on the spot – a real challenge in our fast-paced environment – so it’s a crucial part of keeping my day on track. Once that’s done, it’s time to do some coding. I like doing this as early as possible in the day, when I’m the most productive. I can end up having between 2 to 6 meetings during the day so I try to fix as many problems as I can in between.
At the end of each day, I try to see what I’ll need to focus on the next day and identify the most pressing issues.
What hard and soft skills are necessary to succeed as a Lead React and React Native Developer?
There are quite a few hard and soft skills needed to succeed in this position. The hard skills are the foundation and soft skills will help steer in the right direction.
Some hard skills are:
- Having a solid knowledge of Javascript
- Comprehensive React knowledge architecture
- Keeping code clean, elegant, and clear
- Being able to assess other developers’ code
- Understanding Native iOS and Android OS particularities
And some key soft skills:
- Being open to new ideas and solutions proposed by others
- Great communication skills
- Giving constructive feedback
- Problem solving skills under pressure
What are some of your biggest challenges?
As a Lead React and React Native Developer, you always need to focus on delivering quality software in a given time frame. One of the biggest challenges is managing multiple projects and devs at the same time. You need to have structure and constantly assess how to achieve your goal. You need to be agile and keep the team happy while making sure the client is happy as well. This can only be done by having balance and planning effectively.
Which Anais project are you the most proud of?
It’s definitely ConnectMe, which is a product that competes with Microsoft Teams. It has great cloud telecom features such as calling, sms, a directory for contacts and much more. I’m leading the team of 8 front-end developers in collaboration with the QA department, PM’s, BA’s, UI/UX teams etc. The team can have between 20 to 30 people on it at a given time. It’s a big project that can really impact the way users are using Cloud Telecom Services.
How do you switch off and relax when you’re not at work?
Personal time is quite important. Different sports help keep my body and mind healthy, from squash to going to the gym or even playing ping-pong with friends. I also enjoy a good movie at the cinema or just hanging out with friends.
Which resources do you read/watch/listen to stay on top of your game ?
I follow several tech influencers from the dev community on Twitter, which is my main tech social media platform. My current favorites are Mike Grabowski, Andrei Neagoie and Dan Abramov.
I check out the latest changes and updates from the React Core Team and Community everyday. I also try out new frameworks if I find them exciting.
What advice do you wish you would have received before starting at Anais?
To keep working and learning because it will pay off. The people and overall environment at Anais make it worth the while. It’s an exciting company that still has room for growth.
Interested in joining Alex and the Anais team? Check out our current job openings in Brussels and Romania.
