‘One Email Changed My Life’ – a Developer’s Bondora Journey

Bondora News

Welcome to another Bondora Superhero Developer’s edition blog post! This time, we want to introduce you to a developer who fell in love with Estonia and started coding out of curiosity. Join us on this exciting journey to get to know him better – meet Baris Cakir, Bondora Software Engineer!

Bondora Superhero #27 — Baris Cakir

👦Bondorian since: May 2022

🖥️Role: Software Engineer

💸Team: Dev: Spend

Baris’s life’s motto is simple: ‘Where there is a will, there is a way.’

Baris’s journey at Bondora:

It all started with an email at the beginning of April 2022. The title of the mail was ‘Do you want to work in Tallinn?’. Estonia was a place I had visited with the Erasmus program before, and I admired its nature and architecture, so I said, ‘why not?’. After a few HR and technical interviews, I started working at Bondora in May 2022.

I was invited to Tallinn for the orientation process. My family and I visited Tallinn from Izmir, Turkey. I wanted to show my family the places I had visited during my student days. When we arrived, the weather was 28 degrees in Izmir and 14 degrees in Tallinn, which made us a little nervous! (You can see how anxious I look in the photo, dressed in warm clothes in spring at the Old Hansa Restaurant).

Baris’s typical workday

Even though we enjoyed the visit to Tallinn, nowadays, I work remotely from Turkey. I start the day with my baby crying at 6 o’clock. We play some games, have breakfast together, and then I start working. My greatest pleasure is drinking coffee while checking my emails. The rest of the time, I attend daily meetings and continue working on my tasks. The only disadvantage of working remotely is that sometimes my child somehow opens the door and throws me with the fruit he’s holding. Sometimes he does this during meetings 😀

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I am continuously learning new things and solving problems.

And what makes being a developer at Bondora awesome?

  • We are always learning and improving
  • Awesome colleagues
  • I feel valued

How did you find your way into the world of programming? What has the experience been like so far?

I started in the programming world during high school by learning HTML to understand how websites are created.

After that, I wanted to create a game and decided to study Computer Engineering. I feel this has been the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

‘I can’t start programming before I …’ 

… have had my morning coffee☕

What programming language is your favorite and why?

When I graduated from university, it was C#, but JavaScript has become my favorite in the last 4 years. It is the most popular language nowadays, and for a good reason—it’s flexible, fast, and has a good community.

What is your best investment advice?

The most incredible wealth is health. Other than that, save money and memories. Have a good wine 🍷 with a good meal, and consider Bondora when you start investing 📈

Best cybersecurity/IT tip?

Avoid opening suspicious emails.

Let’s get to know Baris even better!

What are some of your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

Camping and traveling

What are your favorite games to play?

Assassin’s Creed

Bacon: yay or nay?

Yay! Especially for breakfast 🥓

What’s your favorite TV show/podcast?

I like to watch Netflix series and reality shows even though I don’t have much time for them. I do not currently have a favorite podcast.

What’s your favorite kind of music (to listen to while programming)?

I like to listen to music that gives me energy while working, especially 90’s rock 🎶

Best meme that sums up being a developer?

Do you have any pets?

I do not currently have a pet, but we are considering adopting a dog in the near future 🐕

What superpower would you like to have and why?

I would like to be able to slow down time and even stop it if possible/at will. It goes by so fast.

What’s something that you want to do but scares you?

I want to skydive, but I have a fear of heights.

We are delighted to have Baris in our team of Superheroes and that he shared his journey to becoming a Developer!

Bondora supports remote work and welcomes Superheroes from around the globe to join us.

If you are interested in becoming the next Bondora Superhero 🦸‍♀️ head over to our Careers Page to view our open positions and find your dream job.

Join us again next month to meet our 28th Bondora Superhero!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are that of the individual and not Bondora’s official view. Before deciding to invest, consult with a financial advisor if necessary.