If you reached our blog section, there is a high possibility that you already know that we are a tech partnership oriented company. We decided to dedicate this section to the awesome people of Tech387. We want all of our future partners to meet the amazing people that stand united behind Tech387. The first person whom we want you to meet is Faruk Ćidić, our Chief Technology Officer. 

Faruk is an extremely modest person, who doesn’t really like talking about his achievements, he prefers to talk about the company, but what he doesn’t know is that every word he says is inspirational. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this read! 

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First things first‍‍

Why did you choose this company, and what has made you stay here? We all know this is a competitive market when it comes to talent, especially one like you.

I joined Tech387 once I realized the potential that this company has. The potential is something that I could assess through the following three factors: people who make up this team and share the same vision, technologies that the team works with, and the culture of this community - a contagious sense of unity, belonging, and teamwork. 

Being part of this positive story is what attracted me in the first place. What is keeping me here are the three factors put into practice.

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Take a look back for us - how were your initial days in Tech387?

I joined the company over two years ago. I came into a small team of dedicated individuals. The team had a couple of employees and interns. 

The first project I was supposed to work on was a project I used to lead from the other side. This allowed me to prove myself in no time. Shortly after completing the initial project, COVID pandemic hit the world hard, and I found myself surrounded by workaholics. During those days, we trained in the mornings, had breakfast together, and worked till late.

We landed the first big project immediately and dedicated our time to it. The rest is history.

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That sounds like a dream! Could you tell us how it feels to be a part of the Tech387 team?

I can share my perspective, but you will have to ask the other colleagues how it feels for them. *Laughs* 

I connected to the team, especially with the CEO. It almost felt like we were soulmates. To this day, we can understand each other without speaking. The initial plans we created have already become a reality. From this distance I can assure you that those were some big and ambitious plans. That is the reason why no dream is too big for us. We have a clear vision and direction, and we are not scared! We want to address all the critical points in our society. We want to start a positive change out of this local community.

Close up on the tech world‍

‍Now that we have covered the basics, could you tell us what a CTO does?

Some of my day-to-day activities involve the following duties:
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- I work closely with stakeholders to understand business requirements and help translate these into technical requirements for the development team;
- I plan and document technical specifications for features or system design;
- I design, build and configure applications to meet business process and application requirements;
- I direct the development team in the design, development, coding, testing, and debugging of applications;
- I write testable, scalable, and efficient code and lead code reviews;
- I mentor junior team members and ensure they adhere to determining software quality standards.

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What are the biggest challenges you are facing? Is it difficult to be a leader?

Thanks to all the experiences I had in my life, I am quite resilient, so I wouldn't say that I am facing significant challenges. Does it get hard on occasion? Of course, it does, but do I give up? Of course, I don't! 

I noticed that people tend to limit themselves. As a leader, you are supposed to see everyone's potential and allow them to stop doubting and limiting and start making an impact and progress.

As a leader, you need to recognize who does what best and offer promotions and career changes based on the observation.

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How important is it to obtain a university degree in the tech world?

I wouldn’t disrespect a degree because before you get your diploma, you cross many steps and bridges. The most common dilemma in IT is practical vs. theoretical knowledge. It is hard for a university to keep up with the constant technological changes. What most people don't know is that we are not looking only for tech knowledge. We are searching for problem solvers and people who can think outside of the box. Can a university help develop these skills? Most definitely, yes! Sometimes the journey is faster through real-life experience, but not necessarily better.

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Last but not least

What is your message for young people trying to conquer the job market and make a name for themselves?

First and foremost, we should never stop learning. We should learn every day. It is better to put your knowledge in a backpack handy to use. We should never show it off. You might be wondering why I said something like this. Humans tend to get distracted by shiny things, and that can make a person blind. It is of great importance to keep your ego low while building a career. I am not saying that you should bow down and let people walk over you, but you should know how to accept constructive feedback, and you should also know that great things don't come overnight. Patience is the key to success.

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Faruk, could you please settle this dilemma once and for all times? If there were a war between humans and robots, who would win?

Allow me to start this topic by quoting one of my favorite professors. He said that computers are the dumbest machines that exist. They do what we tell them to do.

We are the ones who create computers and the ones who program them. So what do you think, at which point in life could they become more clever than us? I am a person who thinks that nothing is impossible, especially in the tech world, but this is it. Robots could never win the war against humans. Their brain is a human creation. I hope this settles it. *Laughs*