Rafał Miczek started his journey at BCF as a junior software developer, and within just a year and a half, he achieved the position of Center of Competence Lead (СoC lead) in the Web Applications Business Unit. We spoke with Rafał about his career's inception, work at the BCF, and the keys to his success.

Hi Rafał! Tell us, what do you do at BCF?
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Hi, as a software developer, most of my work is based on client projects. Since recent time I am also CoC lead, it is my responsibility to take care of the development of the integration and competence of the Angular team.

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How did it all start? Tell us please how you became a programmer.
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Probably my story is not as unique - as a child I was good at math, and in my spare time I liked to mess with the computer :)

I studied at The Silesian University of Science and Technology, but the study was not very interesting, so I basically tried to develop my skills by myself. So, as you can see, it yields the result!

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What would you advise now to those who are just starting their way in programming?
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Initially, to find the right direction for your career in the IT industry, it's important to explore various IT departments and technologies to determine which one suits you best. Also it ts good to talk to a person who already has some experience. This gives an insight into other technologies and the related problems and limitations with them.

After identifying your preferred technology, it's helpful to research its roadmap and plan your learning journey accordingly. By doing so, you can gradually progress and develop your skills in the chosen technology.

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How did you get into BCF?
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Katarzyna Wolak-Majchrzak somehow accidentally fished me out of LinkedIn, when I was not even looking for a job, but I had confirmation of LinkedIn competence and some small experience (approx. 2 years).

I'm not exactly sure what sparked my interest: a good offer, comfortable interview process or CEO with his interesting story, but finally I ended up here, in BCF :)

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What happened after the interview?
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After all the steps of interviews, I was introduced to Przemysław Włodarczyk, the Head of Web Applications Business Unit, who brought me up to speeds on the details of the job. 

Although, it took some time to adapt, but the transition was smooth and comfortable, because all colleagues were as responsive as possible :)

I got a company’s laptop and started working in a team, while trying to develop my skills. After some time, I became the main angular developer in the client's project.

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What does your work day look like?
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I wake up at 6 a.m., go running, have breakfast and turn on the computer around 7 a.m. After checking my emails and reviewing my task list for the day, I dive into programming :)

What I really appreciate about working at BCF is the minimal number of daily calls (about 30 minutes a day), which allows me to focus on the main tasks in the projects.

My work is highly developmental - it allows me to test and learn new technologies. Currently, now my team and I are working on three internal BCF projects, some of which are written in a new technology for me. It's always interesting and challenging to try something new for yourself and expands skills.

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What is the hardest challenge you faced at your job?
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To be honest, nothing really comes to my mind. Probably, the most difficult thing is to answer these questions :)

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What factors in your opinion helped you develop so quickly into a CoC leader?
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I just did my job, I approached my tasks with the a willingness, treated them as opportunities to broaden my horizon and enhance existing skills.

By being responsible, proactive and helpful, and as a result, I gained the appreciation of my superiors. 

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What about your free time outside of work?
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I'm keen on sports, and, obviously, computers. Regarding sport activities, I prefer gym, running, football, basketball and swimming. Every day I run about 10km and spend 1.5 hours at the gym. When I am not working or exercising, I speed time on my own projects, read a books or develop in some other way. When I need to rest physically and mentally, I enjoy playing games like New World.

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Top three! List top 3 recommendations (books, podcasts, movies, songs, etc.)
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Quadeca - People Pleaser

Throttle - Japan

Nostalgiac - Rain Dance