Current City: Calgary, Alberta

Year arrived in Canada: 2007

School: University of Calgary

Academic Program: Biological Sciences

Current Occupation: Senior Software Developer

LinkedIn URL: linkedin.com/in/ajang-bul

1.      What inspired you to pursue engineering of all the academic programs that were available to you?

I did not study computer science right from the jump, I was mainly self-taught. I was originally a science student; my degree was in biological sciences. I became a software developer out of personal interest. I was inspired by an internal need to build something on my own.

2.      Would you say personal discipline and motivation were the main factors in your academic success or would you credit strong family support? Inherent intellectual aptitude goes without saying.

In no special order, I would attribute my professional success to: 1. Discipline 2. Motivation 3. Conducive learning environment 4. having a support group. I was disciplined and motivated, so I was focused and did my homework and everything else that I needed to do to realize my goals. I was very motivated to learn how to code. I was living alone at the time so I had limited distractions. I studied round the clock. My schedule was simple, sleep and study. I also had a supportive network of friends that I would reach out to whenever I needed to chat.

3.      Can you tell me a bit about your career path and what led you to the role you are in today?

I initially set out to learn programming so that I could build my own marketable product. I managed to do that but I was unable to commercialize and monetize it. So I decided to get a regular job using my newly acquired programing skills. I updated my LinkedIn profile with all my IT skills and tools. I immediately started receiving messages from recruiters looking to hire me. I was able to do a few interviews and got an offer. That’s how I got into Software Development.

4.      What are some of the biggest challenges you faced getting to where you are today and if any, current day-to-day challenges and setbacks?

My industry changes very rapidly. I am constantly learning to avoid my skillset becoming obsolete. Technological improvement is fast, tools change quickly. Everyone hoping for a career in software development has to keep up with industry trends and upgrade their skillset on frequent basis.

5.      What does a workday look like for you and what’s something that would surprise ordinary people about your day-to-day work?

My workdays are very structured. Every morning of each workday, the scrum master does a stand up meeting. In this meeting, he or she updates the team on what the priorities of the day are. But first, we each report what we did the day before, what we plan to work on today and if there are any challenges/bottlenecks that will hinder us from delivering on our to-do-list. On the average project, my work involves gathering business needs and requirements, write code, deploy it in a test environment, get feedback and make corrections before finally deploying it in a live-environment.

6.      Do you have a mentor? If so, how have they helped you in your career?

I do. They have helped me understand key concepts in computer science over the years. It is much easier to talk to someone that has experience with whatever problem you are trying to solve.

7.      What are the most vital steps someone should take to break into and succeed in your industry? 

To successfuly have a career as a software developer, one needs to be motivated to learn. Coding doesn’t come naturally to everyone, it requires hard work. One must be willing to put in long hours to properly hone and master the craft to keep up with the industry. Most jobs will need you to have experience and be comfortable demonstrating your technical skills and experience. Therefore try to get as many internships as possible while still in school. Build your own portfolio of real projects that you’ve worked on, they help sell your skillset. No matter how good your grades will be in school, soft skills in the workplace will determine the speed of your career progression. Never neglect them, apply yourself socially and learn how to work and communicate effectively with all kinds of people.

8.      What’s your favorite thing about your job or industry? In other words, what fuels your enthusiasm and helps you get out of bed on a Monday morning?

I am lucky to work in a stable environment where people are nice and friendly. The management is stable so there is less stress at work.

9.      Is your racial profile helping or hindering your professional growth? That is, if race is a factor at all.

I am still starting out in my carrer, so I haven’t had an exposure to racism professionally yet.

10. Looking back, did you envision this is where you would be when you were in high school? What do you know now that you wished you had known before you started your career?

For the longest time, I did not envision myself as a computer programmer professionally. I never knew or appreciated the value of software development early on. Had I foreseen my current career path, I would have done more to expose myself to coding very early.