Traditional job descriptions can be bland. Think about it, when was the last time you read one and jumped at the chance to throw your hat in the ring? The formality of these documents are very different from the culture here at Deacom so we wanted to take a different approach to one of the roles we are currently eager to fill: Software Developer.
Our development team has a unique way of uncovering the “how” in any and all challenges that come their way. This often means that the team primarily works on back-end development to figure out how to make all the pieces of our software come together to work the way they need to. Since all of our functionality is built in-house by this team and onto a single set of code, it is critical to ensure that any changes do not negatively impact the way the rest of the software performs.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the Software Developer position to explore what the typical day-to-day would look like, what we are looking for in a strong candidate and aspects of the job that may mean it’s not the right fit for you.
The Day-to-Day
Our developers spend their day doing what they love, coding!
We have a pretty cool onboarding program where new hires get the opportunity to work on 10 bug tickets and enhancements at their own pace – all of which are real-life examples of tasks we have already completed. So, while they’re not thrown into production right away, we give them the opportunity to get their feet wet with our codebase and terminology in the first few weeks.Â
While our development teams all have their own little specialty, we encourage artisans to dabble in other development areas if they need a change of pace or have an interest in expanding their wheelhouse. Not long ago, one of our developers learned about a new technology called Xamarin that speeds up the engineering cycle for mobile platforms. He was given the freedom to explore the impacts of this tool for Deacom and after proving its value, he implemented it into Deacom’s development process. By pursuing something a little outside of the norm, this individual was able to advance our software at a superior rate so our customers can have a consistent DEACOM experience across all platforms – be it desktop, smartphone, or tablet.
It’s important that we keep our employees engaged and excited about what they are doing. If that means shifting things around a little or changing direction, then we’ll do it.
Making an Impact on Deacom’s Business
At the end of the day, we are and always will be an enterprise software company. We work hand-in-hand with some of North America’s most reputable manufacturing businesses to help improve their processes and bottom line. It is an incredible responsibility and honor to be entrusted by these companies to deliver a high-end product that will ultimately take their business to the next level.
With most other software companies, developers tend to work with an established piece of software and therefore handle more of the maintenance side of the system. Deacom, on the other hand, operates under a Kaizen philosophy. Since our ERP software is a constant evolution, we are always working to grow and improve its capabilities. So everything our development team does, whether it is fixing bugs, crafting a new internal automated system, or designing the next system enhancement, it directly impacts the progression of our software and the success of the business.
Drop what you’re doing and apply now because you’re going to love it here if…
You cringe at the thought of meetings about meetings.
Nothing is worse than having pointless meetings to spend 30 minutes discussing something that has already been discussed or could be covered in a short email. Our developers time is too valuable for all that. In a recent video, one of our lead developers, Chandler Claxton, noted, “I don’t attend very many meetings. I spend most of my day coding and working with our teams to try to figure out what we need to do.” We want our team to focus on what they do best: developing awesome software.
You often catch yourself mumbling: “Challenge, Accepted!”
Both the ERP and manufacturing industries are very dynamic in nature. Each day brings new regulations, requests, trends, and demands that weren’t there yesterday. It is up to our team to not only stay on top of it all, but also rise to the challenge to find a solution. Often times, these challenges come in the form of software enhancement requests from customers. This encourages our development team to craft new ways to introduce functionality while keeping the integrity of the existing platform.
The thought of using Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) gets you out of bed every morning.
It is important that all of our developers have experience in OOP such as C# and Java. Since most of our software development is in C#, familiarity with both of these languages will help new team members jump right into development work with less of a learning curve. Having a background in Visual Studio, .NET, T-SQL, or MS SQL Server is also helpful. Â Â
Puzzles get you excited, not overwhelmed.
We are problem solvers. When a customer comes to us, we encourage them to simply tell us the problem so we can work to craft the best answer for them. It’s not uncommon to see some of the team members working until they have solved the problem at hand. That is because their bodies won’t let them physically leave until they have figured out that puzzle. Our developers find a thrill in understanding how everything comes together and their passion for this is unavoidable.
This may not be your dream job if…
You are satisfied with doing one thing day-in, and day-out.
“There is a lot of variety and you really never know what you are going to work on next,” said Kim Thompson, Lead Application Developer. We encourage our team members to become jacks-of-all-trades when it comes to Deacom’s software and the various industries we work with. The goal is that anyone in the company can approach any developer with a question and they should be able to answer it. By being decompartmentalized, we are able to keep our developers challenged and their skills sharp.
Front-End Design is the only thing that interests you.
While there is a little front-end development work associated with this position, Deacom developers focus their time primarily on back-end development.
BONUS POINTS:
You do your best in a hoodie and jeans.
With our “professionally relaxed” dress code, employees have the freedom to wear everything from shorts and flip flops to hoodies and hats. So, keep those formal clothes packed away in the attic and come to work how you are most comfortable.
You’d rather punch a keyboard than punch a clock.
We also have implemented flexible scheduling to help employees face the demands of juggling work, family, and life-related issues. Want to dodge the Schuylkill traffic, schedule that long overdue dentist appointment, or make your kid’s soccer game? As long as you put in the appropriate working hours each day, you can flex your schedule to start anytime between 7am and 10am.Â
Your passion for programming expands beyond Deacom’s four walls.
We are always interested in learning about our developers’ personal projects. Whether it is creating a new app or video game, this really showcases the passion that someone has for development. But it doesn’t have to only show through projects. Let us know that you are also taking initiative to expand your skillsets through classes and trainings too!
GitHub is bookmarked in your Web browser.
Prove your coding ability to us to help your chances of getting in the door. We love to check out candidates GitHub portfolios to see their current skillsets and the variety of areas they are involved in using this platform. It allows us to really dig into the code and takes the guessing game of whether you can do the job, out of the equation.
You know all the shortcuts of Mario Kart… and aren’t afraid to use them!
Triple shells, star, or lightning bolt – no matter which you get, you are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to this game! Every Friday at lunch, you can find many of our development team members Mario Kart battling or racing on their Nintendo Switches. They’re always looking for new challengers!
Looking to make your next career move? Explore all of our open opportunities here.
