People of ZigiWave - Meet Yordan

My background  

My interest in technology dates back to the time I was in high school. I graduated from one of the most prestigious schools in Plovdiv  the Mathematics High School Acad. Kiril Popov. There I had the chance to get acquainted with valuable tech principles, and I enrolled in a few courses that introduced me to C++, PHP, and HTML. Thats how I got hooked on learning more about programming.

It was that passion that led me to England after graduating high school. There I studied game development. Its something very close to my heart. I hope that someday Ill be able to work on it, too. Parallel to my studies, I did gain some valuable work experience. And although not entirely related to the IT niche, I think it taught me some of the most important lessons related to the effective human-to-human interaction  the person-centered approach. That applies to our everyday communication with colleagues and people in general. And it works. It helps me better understand the person in front of me, their problems and needs, and allows me to decide the best possible way to assist them. I think that is very important, especially when working with a large team where everyone has a different role.

I spent around three years in England and then returned to my hometown. My family needed me. I started my career at the entry-level of the corporate ladder as a Level 1 Tech Support in a local IT company. Soon climbed up to Level 3 where I had administrative responsibilities. However, I soon realized that this was not the place for me. So, I started looking for new opportunities that would allow me to expand my skills and knowledge by working on various projects. Thats when, quite by chance, I got offered a job at ZigiWave. Its been around nine months since I joined the Zigi team, and I must admit that Im glad I had the opportunity to do so.

My role at Zigi is..

Im currently an Integration Engineer here at ZigiWave. My work activities mainly revolve around exploring various technologies and their compatibility with our product ZigiOps. The idea is to explore the benefits their potential integration with ZigiOps will bring to our existing and future customers. I also test any new or updated feature of the ZigiOps platform to make sure all is working before being released. Thats an important part of the job because it helps us eliminate any potential problems clients may face.

Im also part of the newly formed NOC team in our company. Our goal is to assure the continuous availability of ZigiOps for the customers who operate on the cloud.

Additionally, Im currently educating myself in hopes of becoming part of the development team sometime soon. Its something I truly desire and could see myself in that role.

The ZigiTeam

What I love about the Zigi team is that despite our various positions in the company, we are like a family. One can easily discuss anything work or personal-related and will always get the support of the team. No matter how hectic our daily schedule may be, there is always time for a short talk with colleagues where everyone can share anything. And thats something I truly appreciate and am glad for  were not just colleagues, were friends.

How I spend my time outside work

I spend my spare time with my family, mostly re-discovering our countrys nature. I spent my childhood exploring the Rhodope mountains, and I continue to hike there whenever possible. My wife and I love cave exploration, and this is something we do regularly. We also travel to the seaside and enjoy quality time with her family (shes from the Burgas area).

I do watch a decent number of movies and TV series. Im an avid Marvel fan. There is no movie from the Marvel universe that I havent watched. Im from that generation that grew up with Harry Potter, Disney, and Pixar projects. So, if youre from Plovdiv and love going to the cinema, youve probably seen me in the ticket queue. No matter how old we get, its good to keep the child in us alive. That is why Im not afraid to admit that Im still watching Disney productions.

The Big Bang Theory, Friends, and Supernatural are among my favorite TV shows, and I rewatch them whenever I can. I also like National Geographic and Discover  especially their science-dedicated shows. You can learn a lot from them.

My hobbies are..

I do have a lot of hobbies. I believe the most interesting and useful (at least thats what I think) is river crab hunting with bare hands. I hunt crabs since I was a child, so I hope by now Ive become a pro in it . It takes a little practice, but the result is worth the effort. Those who enjoy crab food will appreciate it. You need a net, the cheapest and smelliest piece of meat for a lure, and patience.

Thats all. You only have to find the rockiest section of the river (crabs usually hide in such places), place the net in the water (use a rock to lock it in a position), add the chunks of smelly lures, and wait. Crabs will try to cut through the net to get the meat and usually get tangled in. You have to wait for them to get stuck in the net and then put them in a bucket with water.

A day in my life

My day usually starts quite early with a hot coffee and breakfast. Then I go about my work tasks  checking the mail and my calendar and prioritizing tasks for the day. Since my job comprises various tasks, I must admit I never get stuck in one activity. I may have a few meetings with the team to clarify any work-related things. I prefer to spend my lunch break outside. It allows me to refresh my mind. After that, I continue with my job till the end of the workday. After work, my wife and I spend time outside, strolling around the town.

By the time we get back home, its already time for dinner. We dine, watch some tv-series and play around with our pet  an African pygmy hedgehog called Luna. We have had her for almost a year, and I think shes a great addition to our small family.

What Im looking forward to?

One of the things I am mostly looking forward to is joining the Zigi development team. Thats where I see my career development. The other thing Im also looking forward to is expanding my family sometime soon.