What is it Like to Work as a Tech Company Software Developer?

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By Pavol Szeles Joint Chief Technology Officer
April 6th 2023 | 3 minute read

Is the life of a software developer for you?

Software underpins modern life. Everything from the food you eat to your education, healthcare, transport, travel, media and interactions with the wider world are dependent on software. When the systems run smoothly, so does your life. When the systems fall down, chaos is not far behind.

But what is it like to be a software developer for a tech company?

As a systems provider to the global financial services industry, software developers are the bedrock of Deep Pool’s business. So we asked some of our Slovakia-based development team to share their thoughts on what to expect from a career in the field.

Women in software development

Software development – and the technology sphere more generally – have long been male-dominated environments. But that is changing, with more women drawn to the industry and progressing through the ranks. At Deep Pool, for instance, 15 of our software developers are women, including multiple tech team leads.

And we are continually taking steps to raise that number. Our teams visit universities to attract women into IT developer roles at Deep Pool.

Like several of the other development team leads, Viera Borbelova studied mathematics at university rather than having a background in computer science. She originally joined Deep Pool as a  database administrator before transitioning into software development.

“I would really recommend a career in software development because this is a challenging job that is never boring,” she says.

Systems evolution keeps you learning

One of the biggest draws highlighted by our developers is the fact that technology is changing all the time. “Programming languages evolve and new functionalities emerge constantly, so however long you’ve been in the industry you are always learning and looking for new ways to solve problems,” says Milan Stolarik.

Plus our company has to continually adapt to keep pace with the fast-paced industry in which we operate. Clients’ service expectations shift. Competitors release enhanced capabilities. Regulations are introduced or amended. And we have to upgrade our systems, and the technology frameworks they are based on, to stay ahead of the curve. “That makes it a really interesting domain,” he adds.

Balancing tech developments with client needs

Supporting clients is a key part of the job of course. As mentally stimulating as a career in software development can be, the development process isn’t a pure intellectual exercise. Technology progress has to serve a commercial purpose.

For tech companies like Deep Pool, the balance lies in creating a roadmap that will improve – and sometimes revolutionise – our products, while remaining responsive to clients’ demands and inputs without getting knocked off course.

“We try to provide a lead for clients by developing a functionality ecosystem that we know will improve their operations,” says Marek Kocan . “But alongside that some of our developments will be tailored to meet more client-specific requests.”

Sometimes those client suggestions are for additions that are particular to their own business and needs. Often though they can have much wider applications that are good for everybody.

“Whatever you produce, there is always an early bird first customer,” says Vladimir Lacko. “You may start by developing something that is client-specific, but wherever possible we try to agree on useful features that could be provided to other users as well.”

Be ready for hard work

Keeping clients happy, as in any industry, has its challenges. The project development cycle can lead at times to long work hours to meet deadlines. Working for an international company with a global client base also means time zones can be complicated to manage.

But one of the advantages of software development is that it offers the flexibility for teams to be located anywhere in the world. And the shift to more flexible working arrangements these days is helping developers to better maintain that work/life balance we all seek.

ABOUT DEEP POOL
Deep Pool is the #1 investor servicing and compliance solutions supplier, providing cutting-edge software and consulting services to the world’s leading fund administrators and asset managers. Our flexible solution suite, developed by an experienced team of accountants, business analysts and software engineers, supports offshore and onshore hedge funds, partnerships, private equity vehicles, retail funds and regulated financial firms. Deep Pool is a global organisation with offices in Dublin, Ireland, the United States, the Cayman Islands and Slovakia. For more information, visit: www.deep-pool.com.

 

 

Pavol Szeles
Pavol has more than 30 years’ of experience in designing and developing mid-to-large-scale information systems. Previously to joining Deep Pool in 2005, Pavol was a software analyst and developer with Slovak software house APEX, and a software developer with Inorga Prague.