Be Yourself, Be Part of #WomanPower in IT

In our series “Be Yourself, Be Part of #WomanPower in IT,” our next protagonist is Katarzyna Falkiewicz, a Software Developer at Ailleron. Kasia will tell us how a passion can become part of your job, how to grow as a developer, and where to look for inspiration.

1. Kasia, we’re delighted that you agreed to share your experience and knowledge.

Thank you, I’m happy we could meet and talk as well.

2. You’re a Software Developer at Ailleron. Tell us briefly what this job involves.

I develop mobile applications for Android, and recently also multiplatform applications. My work mostly involves writing code, but on top of that I take part in scrum meetings and conduct code reviews, among other things. The applications I work on are banking apps.

3. As we know, beginnings aren’t always easy. What was it like for you? Did you face any challenges along the way?

Beginnings are often difficult. I believe it’s worth having people around you then who offer help and support. At university, I had a group of friends I could always count on. It was similar in my first job. Thanks to that, the beginnings were less stressful. An important decision in my career was also changing the technology I program in. At first I didn’t work on mobile applications, but at some point I decided this might be it. After several years in the mobile field, I can confirm it was worth it.

4. Kasia, was this a natural career choice for you? Did you always see your future in IT?

I’ve always liked logic puzzles and science subjects. I first thought about IT when I was 10 — back then I wanted to program games. Later I changed my mind about my future career a few times, but I always thought about a technical field. In high school, I returned to my dream of working in IT, although in the end it was mobile applications, not games, that I decided to pursue.

5. What gives you the greatest satisfaction at work?

The advantage of my job is that it isn’t monotonous and can be unpredictable. That unpredictability can sometimes be a curse, especially with particularly twisted bugs. But I really love the feeling when I implement a new feature or find a solution to a convoluted problem. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and motivates me to keep going.

6. Beyond your day-to-day work, you’re eager to get involved in additional activities. In the latest edition of our own Power Up Camp project, you were a speaker and shared your knowledge. How did you feel in that role?

It was a new experience for me. It was the first time I’d prepared a presentation on that scale. In situations like that, stress is a natural reaction. But I chose a talk topic that really interests me, and I knew I wanted to share it with others. Thanks to that, I ultimately felt very comfortable in the speaker’s role. I think I’d gladly do it again someday.

7. I hope there will be many more opportunities for that. The title of your talk was “The Mobile Guild on the Benefits of Knowledge Sharing.” You belong to such a guild. Tell us how a group like this works — what interesting things do you do there?

The Mobile Guild brings together all mobile app developers — Android, iOS, multiplatform technologies — everyone is welcome. Once every two weeks, we hop on a call that lasts about an hour, and its goal is knowledge sharing. On top of that, we stay in constant touch via a Teams channel. Knowledge sharing in the Guild takes various forms. One of them is discussing a topic or an article. The presenter describes a subject from the world of mobile app development that has recently caught their interest. They can also show examples and implement the solution being discussed. Another form is solving problems together. A developer comes in with a challenge they’ve encountered in their project. Guild members help them find a solution and suggest which approach to try. This makes it possible to build a base of problems and ready-made solutions that can be used in the future. Within the Guild, we also let each other know about upcoming conferences and interesting initiatives. For example, we recently took part in Advent of Code — a programming advent calendar.

8. That sounds great! It shows you can combine enjoyable meetings with a useful exchange of knowledge. As you mentioned during the webinar, knowledge sharing isn’t just an exchange of knowledge and experience, but also support across various professional areas. It’s very important in everyday work to inspire and support each other within the company. What benefits do you get from taking part in the Mobile Guild?

Beyond the primary benefit the Guild was created for, which is gaining knowledge, I also get to practice my presentation and communication skills. Teaching someone is an ability you have to train. What’s more, when sharing knowledge, we have to become experts on a given topic ourselves. By teaching others, we also learn ourselves — both sides benefit. The Guild also gives me the chance to meet mobile developers from other projects, which is especially useful when changing teams. Migrations between projects do happen, and because we know each other from the Guild, the onboarding process in a new team is faster and easier.

9. Apart from taking part in the Guild, where do you get your knowledge and inspiration?

I follow industry conferences, keep track of tech news, and try to stay up to date. The projects I work on often include tasks that require getting familiar with a new feature, library, and so on, so ideas for areas where I can expand my knowledge come on their own. Personal projects are also a good opportunity to improve my skills. I also draw inspiration from my fellow developers. I like hearing about the challenges they face and about their own projects. It’s very motivating and encourages me to take action.

10. Everyone probably knows from their own experience that many challenges appear along our development path. Do you have proven methods and motivators that remind you of your daily learning routine in tougher moments?

Above all, I love what I do. Programming is my hobby, so the motivation to learn comes naturally. Besides that, I try to keep a balance between work, expanding my knowledge, rest, and free time. When that balance is off, it’s very easy to lose the will to learn. It’s also worth motivating each other, just like we do in the Guild.

11. What development pro tips would you give to people who are just starting their adventure in IT?

The IT industry is one where you constantly need to keep up with new technologies and expand your knowledge. It’s worth keeping that in mind from the very beginning of your career. At work, you shouldn’t be embarrassed to ask more experienced colleagues for help or to ask questions, even if they seem elementary. That’s how we can learn the most.

12. Then let me ask you for a few words of motivation for women who are entering the IT world or are still hesitating whether they can make it in the tech industry.

I think the IT industry is very interesting and diverse. If someone feels this might be the place for them, I believe it’s worth giving it a try. I’m very glad I chose this career path, because I get to do what I like and what interests me.

13. Kasia, it’s clear you’re truly passionate. It’s wonderful to see someone who genuinely loves their job and keeps growing in it. I believe you can become an inspiration for many women who have technical interests but are often afraid to take the risk and enter the IT world. Thank you for this conversation!

Thanks!