Chavdar Stoenchev as an engineering lead at Resolute Software turned his childhood dream into reality

Passionate about programming ever since he was in elementary school, Chavdar Stoenchev is the person who joined the Resolute Software engineering team most recently. His first acquaintance with the web made him become so excited about all computer games and the instant chat messaging mIRC, so he started spending more and more time on researching and testing how to create quizzes, fun chatbots, skins, themes and scripts, and other things in mIRC. This entertainment time grew into something even more serious and by the time Chavdar has turned 13 years old, he already knew that he would love to pursue a career in programming. That same year was a turning point for him, as he entered a high school programming specialization and received his own first computer, so renting other ones was no longer needed.

How did Resolute Software become part of your exciting journey?

I was already into the resignation process with my previous employer, therefore actively reviewing all the job opportunities I was getting via LinkedIn. I was even going through interviews when Hristo Georgiev contacted me and shared the details regarding the opening at Resolute Software.

What grabbed most my attention back then was that Hristo was the only recruiter not to ask for my CV as a first step of the process. Instead, he offered that we have a straightforward discussion. Immediately after the first meeting with him and Bulent Karaahmed, I knew that if everything rolls out in a good way and I get an offer, I will accept it. This was surely not the gut feeling I was getting from any the previous employers I was meeting before that. The fact the interview felt more like a discussion instead of interrogation, helped me realize that this is the exact professional environment I was looking forward to joining. It felt personal. In addition to that, I was fancying a lot the scope of services of Resolute Software.

What are your responsibilities at Resolute Software?

I am currently an Engineering Lead and the first project I was involved in was led entirely by me. Veli Pehlivanov was supporting me initially until I felt aligned with the company culture. I feel confident in my level of expertise and conformable with directly speaking to clients. I am now very excited that I have just started working on my next project teamed up with a UX designer and a Software architect.

What is something about you that not many people know?

Something related to my personal life that many people would not guess is that I am playing a mobile game Brawl Stars with 10-year-olds online. It is how I zone out and relax efficiently. I have 28,000 cups which makes me a leading hero.

How do you think you will make a difference for Resolute Software?

I hope that my previous professional experience would positively impact the organization. I have the patience and desire to help junior engineers to grow. Adding to this, I have got communication skills needed to communicate with clients and colleagues effectively. Professionally, my goal is to lead by example and support everyone from the team to reach the bar and exceed it. The fact that I am an eager learner and I love digging into details and coming up with new findings helps me most to bring extra value to the job.

Do you think it is ever too late to start a qualification and job as a developer?

People do not become developers; they are born this way. Joke aside! I strongly support the idea of pursuing a career in programming if it sparks you inside and this in a way guarantees you will be a successful one. Of course, the scope of the field is vast, and it very much depends on the level of expertise you are looking to acquire. I remember when I was in university all my colleagues were complaining that the programming classes were a nightmare. I was questioning why they would be choosing the hard way as for me programming equals enjoyment and fun. Most of my colleagues back then were choosing their studies based on their parents’ advice and expectations which most of the time would later cause frustration in their lives.

I know quite many people who are happy with their new jobs as software developers. They have managed to rediscover themselves professionally by switching from Arts, Law, and other industries to IT. Career shifts require that you be well informed about the time and effort you need to invest to keep up and be competitive in the labor market and the rapidly changing technologies.

Tech careers have such a wide scope of opportunities. What shall a person do to make sure he/she is on the learning curve for the right skill?

It is very likely for engineers to continue professionally with the technology they have been studying for in university or specialized academies and classes. People working in the industry should keep up with the trends and be informed about the market shares. There might be one technology dying versus another with a huge potential for expansion. It is more like of a trial and error or what fits you and is also in high demand. Once you have understood the concept and depths of programming and learn how to code, choosing the right technology comes naturally.

This is exactly what happened to me. I specialized in Delphi and at some point, I was seeing how it will be dying in the long run. I knew that Delphi would be a niche, but this was about to limit my job opportunity options. And this is when I started learning .NET, eight years ago. I would never regret this decision even though I had a lot of sleepless nights to get to the level I am today.

What piece of advice you would you give to the junior software engineers?

I would advise junior software engineers to be humble and modest about their skills no matter how good their start is. They should always seek advice and guidance from developers with more years of professional experience in the specific domain. They should not live with the idea they know it all only after their first achievements and never judge anyone from the team, especially their leads who are part of the more strategic processes.