Sebastian Bocaciu is currently working as a technical project manager at Softhouse in Växjö, but he changed his career not too long ago. He started his journey at Softhouse as an intern barely a year ago, and his development curve has gone straight up. He gets motivated by moving the process towards his goal and into actual production – and he has a good sense of business!

Sebastian is a technical project manager (TPL), meaning he is responsible for a commissioned project. It’s pretty much the same as being a classic project manager, but there are some differences. 

One difference, as I see it is that a TPL runs projects with a focus on technical issues to secure the right basis and decision on technical issues. These affect processes, technical dependencies, and standards for how to work with software development of a digital product or a certain technology. It becomes complex in a different way which requires that I learn quickly and develop good leadership and communication skills.

Sebastian continues:

My clients usually have a definite roadmap. It includes development needs, hyper care, maintenance, problems along the way, or wanting to explore other paths and technical solutions if they can bring value to the strategic goals. During the implementation, I am a facilitator in technical issues, decisions, method descriptions, and calculations. For me, it’s about supporting all parties so that they are updated and informed and that the team generally feels involved, creates value, and has fun, explains Sebastian.

Right now, he runs several development projects at the same time with the same goal – to further develop a technical standard linked to an API to concentrate production, costs, and delivery times to a certain quality level. The API is used for 3D models on different platforms, with different areas of use, including AR and marketing communication in an international market.

Sebastian resumed his childhood dream

As mentioned in the introduction, Sebastian has changed his path in the IT industry, and working with development is something he has wanted since childhood.

When I was little, I borrowed books from the library that were games written in BASIC. I overwrote every line of code from the book on a Commodore 64, then ran the program with the command, run, and was able to play the game. I remember thinking it was exhilarating how I could write a series of commands, which I could then have fun with, says Sebastian with a smile on his face.

He continues:

Then, I didn’t write a line of code later in my life, but I have always been a problem solver and interested in technology. For about 20 years, I have built on experiences both in public activities and private companies. Roles in project management, business development, marketing, strategic work, and sales. I have worked close to IT in many roles and most recently, in a tech-heavy start-up incubator. Like a fly on the wall, I was captivated by everything abstract and exciting that flared on the screens as the developers wrote their code.

When the pandemic came, Sebastian began to reflect and connect fun memories from a time when he was creative and had fun with code. He then decided that he wanted to find his way back to it and combine it with his sense of business.

I took place in intensive extension training as a full-stack Java developer. Before the start, I had to fill in a form with my prior knowledge. They wondered why I wanted to jump on this training because my prior knowledge was non-existent in the context. But I had made up my mind, and I showed that throughout the course. For a couple of months, I felt like the matador in Ferdinand, he says, laughing.

However, the frustration left, and a huge joy and energy took place, and he just wanted to learn more. He says that Softhouse has always been in the back of his mind as he has collaborated with Softhouse in previous roles and knows some people who work here. During his education, it was time to look for an internship, and he got in touch with Softhouse.

My journey at Softhouse began with an internship during my education. For 5 months, I grew as a React developer and took on other roles such as Product Owner and Scrum Master. I started as a junior developer at Softhouse but have developed further in roles such as Scrum Master and project manager and assisted customers and other teams as a business developer in specific cases I could contribute to, he says.

The changing life of a consultant

Being an IT consultant at Softhouse has many advantages, according to Sebastian. Still, the role as a consultant also comes with some challenges, which he is happy to take on.

Sebastian thinks being a consultant is a perfect way to live in the present.

The relationships and lessons learned are two highly positive things about my job. Or maybe the fact that I can control how I work according to the conditions. At home on the sofa, in the office, or at a customer’s place. I have a definite scope for my work with a customer. My accumulated ability to solve problems is strongly trained by being moved over time between roles, commitments, and customers. It is a wonderful feeling that I can do all that and more where I have my employer with me and the job gets done to the customer’s satisfaction, says Sebastian.

Furthermore, he explains that from the perspective of his role, the bigger challenge for him is the start-up process with a new customer. He gets into the process, relationships, and understanding, big and small, before he can focus and get the job done. He also wants to highlight the importance of great colleagues at Softhouse, with whom you both have fun but who are also good supporters when challenges arise.

A home with high ceilings – where everyone can find a place

Sebastian sees Softhouse kind of like a second home, even if he says it with a twinkle in his eye.

The best thing about my job is my colleagues and my home in Softhouse. The culture is superior, and there is a good atmosphere. We all have a focus on our commitments, but in that, it feels like we have space to be ourselves. Relaxed and natural. Even my bad jokes fit in, hehe, says, Sebastian.

Furthermore, we discuss Softhouse’s four main values ​​that reflect how our colleagues and the company are perceived (hopefully). We asked Sebastian if there are any of the four words that he feels a little extra belonging to, and he was sure of his answer on this one.

Courage, every time! For me, I use my courage to realize my dreams. When I get an idea to develop, it quickly becomes scary to embark on something inexperienced, and my courage makes me more confident in the process.

Sebastian took SofthouseDay to the next level

During our annual competence day, SofthouseDay 2022, Sebastian showed another side of himself! However, he is just as professional as he is in his role as a consultant, but in a completely different area. He has a background as a professional DJ and entertainer, and being on stage and entertaining is a talent; it has always come naturally to make people laugh and dance with him. It gives him energy – and that energy is contagious, we promise.

Besides DJing, Sebastian likes to spend time with his family and renovate the house. 

In the last 4 years, there has been a lot of renovation at home, which has become a part of everyday life with personal time, physical exercise, and creativity. But with that said, I hope I’ll be done soon since I have a racing bike that would like to be dusted and full-stack projects that I want to start to keep the skills up to date, mainly Java and React. We are a family with two children (2 and 4 years) who are very active, to say the least, and whom I want to be close to and take part in everything they explore and learn. Both kids are totally into Lego right now, and that’s great because I’ve saved all my Lego from my childhood.

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