Introduction
My Name is Thanawat Peerathoranich, currently a Software Engineer at Texion Business Solutions where my responsibilities are around the DevOps and Backend parts. I achieved my Bachelor of Engineering degree from Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (Thai-Japanese), majoring in Computer Engineering.
Software Engineering at Texion
Texion Business Solutions is a consulting & software development company. Before joining, I have a history of working in the information technology and service industry. Specializing in C++, SAP HANA, Windows Server, Windows 10, and C#. At Texion, we mainly develop Nest JS (a base framework from Node.js.
Programming Journey
I have had an interest in computing since I was young. I would always enjoy playing around basic programs such as Powerpoint, Photoshop, sound engineering or even digging into the specs of each computer. This has led me to my major which was Computer Engineer but it was closely related to more of the hardware aspects.
In school, we studied 50% hardware engineering and the other half for software but because of how the world has changed, I would consider that my major is actually not 100% linked to the position I am currently taking care of. In this digital age, I have to admit that software is dominating over hardwares which is also one of the influences that led me to where I am now.
Challenges of Being a Software Engineer
I think it’s the pressure and the stress that might come from both the work content and the people around. Some of the tasks are not as surprising since I might have some experience on it. However, for completely new tasks it can be very challenging. It takes a lot of effort and time to learn, especially by yourself.
As of now, Texion is working with a hybrid model where we can work from anywhere; two days in the office and three days out. Through this we teach each other how to respect others’ private space but also maintain our responsibilities of completing the tasks and keep the communication clear. This has definitely helped with lowering the pressure of each work we have and the frustration of working with very different people.
As an employer, we believe in freedom, flexibility, and transparency while maintaining integrity, responsibility, and accountability.
Hard Skills vs Soft Skills of a Developer
For the hard skills, developers should at least get the basics of programming in order to grow on from that. However, it doesn’t always guarantee success. I have to admit that I am not perfect in terms of the technical knowledge I have. We should all acknowledge the fact that we might not know everything which is the reason why I value self-enrichment and to keep updating/ learning new languages (programming).
To add on, soft skills are actually a must as well. As I have mentioned before, communicating and networking with people can be one of the most important aspects of knowledge growth when working as well. This is why I want to emphasize “good communication skills”. Try to find the most effective way to talk with the team, making sure that everyone is on the same page. This will not only keep your work efficiency but also keeps the team motivated and happy.
The Best Team Environment at Texion
An ideal team should be a place where every difference is embraced. Every opinion is to be listened to, considered as well respected, including the members’ private life.
Firstly, I cannot emphasize enough about how important every team member has to be listened to which links back to “good communication”. At Texion, every opinion is seen as a contribution no matter from what level they are in. If the idea is not the answer, we should consider and evaluate why there might be another option.
Secondly, respect. The covers the work as well as their private life. At Texion, we always emphasize “freedom and flexibility while maintaining responsibility.” Everyone knows who to give each other’s space but also build trust in their colleagues in terms of their work. But you should also be accountable and only do what gains trust. This is what we call “Respecting” here.
Final Advice for Juniors who Aspire to step into the Developer World
For juniors, “Study the basics”. It will be a good starting point for you to grow from. Basics are not that hard to learn but knowing it beforehand will play a big role in making your work progress more easy. At Texion we are expanding our team. This means that we have a variety of technical experts and specialists to learn from. We encourage everyone here to always share their knowledge for others to learn as well as being open to others’ sharing to update your skills.
Technology moves very quickly. The Firmware we used now might not be used in a year to come. Who Knows?
Other than communication skills that are crucial, but especially at Texion, I personally recommend learning Javascript, Typescript and Node.js. This will be helpful if you are interested in working with the Backend.
