Our latest blog post features Debo, one of our 2019 BCAPS Champs. Debo is a great storyteller apart from being an excellent programmer. In the blog post, he shared with us how he got his start in programming and the one characteristic that every programmer should possess among other things.
We recently interviewed Debo to understand to see what motivates him to go that extra mile. Here is the interview.
How did you get your start in programming?
It was 2008 when my father brought a computer home. We did not have an internet connection then and I used CD’s from my friends to install games. As a result, our system would be constantly infected. No antiviruses helped. One day, I was in the library and was reading a book on Ethical Hacking. It had several tricks and one such trick was to block startup programs on my computer. I tried it and the performance of my PC drastically improved. It blocked all the startup programs including some of the unknown processes which were causing performance issues. I gave it to my cousins and some of my close friends and it worked for them as well. But it was a bunch of scripts they had to run. So I started thinking of a solution, something like an installer that would execute the scripts for me. After some research, I came across Setup Factory and Autoplay Media Studio. They helped me execute the scripts – they had a simple wizard that would write small commands for me. After that, I created an installer and distributed it to my friends in school. It was a hit and that was the start of my programming journey.
How did you start your journey at Neebal?
It was 2014 and time for placements. I was busy preparing for Infosys, Tech Mahindra and other MNCs. I was pretty sure that I would crack any programming or t interview questions for the next round. After almost 8 hours, my name was called. I had prepared for questions like ‘Tell me about yourself’ and ‘Where do you see yourself in five years’. But it was different and I was asked many technical questions. I interviewed with the HR team for the final round and was told to expect the result in a few days. However, a week passed by and I didn’t hear from Neebal. I was in the practical lab a few days after when my friend came running and broke the news. I cannot explain how happy I was. I signed the offer letter without hesitating. That’s how I started my journey with Neebal.
What motivates you?
echnical rounds. The only concern for me was the aptitude round which I had to crack in a small time frame. Unfortunately, a week before the Infosys placements drive I was admitted in the hospital for dengue. I returned very weak from the hospital after 3 days. I could not complete the aptitude for Infosys and did not clear the first round. While all my friends were celebrating, I went back home and started studying.
A week later Neebal Technologies conducted a drive and the question paper consisted mostly of Java and other programming concepts. I completed it before time and was selected for the final round. A lot of students from various colleges came for the pool recruitment and I was quite nervous. I wasn’t sure if I would clear the first round. But luckily, it was a coding round and I cleared it. This gave me confidence and I started preparing traditionalEach time I build a product for someone, I treat it like I’m making a product for myself. When I make a product for myself, I do not make compromises. I do not look at the hours invested. I do not count on the number of reworks. I want it to be perfect. I think of what customers will say when they receive the product. I want them to be super happy and think they have made the right decision by choosing Neebal.
What has your experience at Neebal been like so far?
My experience with Neebal so far has been great. I like to think about solutions that will reduce development timelines and client-server integration approaches. I ask my peers to help me understand different technologies better. I am glad to have people around me who help me grow.
What are your current goals?
Currently, I am focusing more on becoming a Full Stack developer. I want to think more about solutions but that is only possible if I am aware about other stacks as well.
What advice would you give someone that is just starting out?
For someone just starting out, I’d say that this isn’t the right age to think about salary and work pressure. Learn whatever comes in your path and stop criticizing things. Don’t think in terms of how many hours you have worked; think about what you have achieved. This is the age to mould ourselves and learn the right skills It pays off in the long run.
What is one characteristic that you believe every programmer should possess?
I feel that having a positive attitude is a must for any programmer. Many programmers I respect have a great attitude. When something doesn’t feel right, instead of giving up, they take a different path, invest the time, and face challenges to reach their end goal.
Who inspires you? Who are your role models or mentors?
My batch-mates who are doing wonderful in their field of work inspire me the most. I have seen their career and personal growth and I am extremely impressed. I ask myself if they can do it, why can’t I? I challenge myself to be on par with them.
What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
I revamped the UI and code structure as a part of a recent project. The tech stack was completely new to me. I asked myself, ‘How will this help the customer?’. I started with slight modifications before picking up pace. It cost me three nights with 2 hours of sleep each day and an escalation as I was not able to deliver the work on time. I could have easily delivered the project with bug fixes but I took that risk. I cannot explain the feeling when the testers told that “Sahi bana diya tune.. Abhi app acha dikh raha hai bahut” (You did a great job, because of you the app looks great). I want to ensure that everything I deliver helps the user do their work better.