I’ve been at Softwire for just over a year now, having joined straight from university. I was on a short-term trial to begin with and I figured that if Softwire wasn’t for me, I’d at least have gained some experience to take into another job. However, as the trial came to an end I increasingly realised that I definitely wanted to stay at Softwire if possible. Fortunately (for me and this profile) I was offered a full time position which I accepted without hesitation – read on to find out why.
As someone coming into the company with a computing degree but little practical experience, I was hoping that the promise of on-the-job training would still apply to me - it did. I was given all the help I needed (and still am!), with people offering advice well beyond the scope of my questions. I also made regular use of the extensive library that’s here for times when a little more background knowledge is needed.
As a result, and in my short time here so far, I’ve already had the opportunity to pick up a significant number of languages and technologies, including C#, SQL, ASP.Net, Java, Spring and XML amongst others. What’s more, since Softwire is a small (but growing) company, I felt that right from the start what I was doing was making a difference - not least because I joined a relatively small customer team which had a mere three members.
One of the main reasons for my choice to stay at Softwire, though, was the atmosphere. Being a computer scientist, I’d expected to work in a place which was quiet, dreary and boring – but it’s the complete opposite here. All the staff are extremely friendly and we have a chill-out area packed with entertainment for those work breaks: pool table, darts, table football, PlayStation, etc. It’s normally pretty easy to find someone willing to play against. :-)
If these aren’t the kind of incentives you’re looking for, there are always the “morale boosting” events. Since I’ve joined, we’ve had numerous picnics, parties and pub trips, and there’s an imminent paintball trip in the pipeline.
So in essence, I’ve had a fantastic time, doing the job I’ve always wanted to do at the kind of place I wanted to do it. I’ve been here for a good while now and still feel as happy as I did when I started. All I can do is recommend Softwire wholeheartedly and wish you the best of luck at interview!
Chris Williams
