Michael Eriksson is a full stack developer based at our Karlskrona office in Gräsvik. Michael had done a lot before he started studying Java development. He traded his skis for a keyboard when he changed industry from tourism to IT. During his studies, when it was time for an internship, he came into contact with Softhouse – and the rest is history.

Michael started by doing a couple of ski seasons where he alternated between skiing and seasonal work abroad after high school, which contributed to his gaining a great interest in the tourism and service industry. He then took a bachelor’s degree in tourism development at Umeå University. After that, he worked, among other things, as a travel consultant for business travelers and supervisor at a museum. It took another few years before the desire for a bigger challenge came, one that led him to Softhouse.

After a few years in the industry, I wanted a bigger challenge with endless development possibilities, and where my knowledge constantly needed to be renewed. So I started studying a 2-year vocational education focusing on Java development at EC education. During my studies, I came in contact with Softhouse, and this was during my internship periods. After my studies, I only had my eyes open for Softhouse because I got to know them and the corporate culture that characterizes Softhouse, says Michael.

Today, Michael is a full stack developer. His driving force in the profession is customer satisfaction and self-development. His duties consist of maintaining and developing new software for Softhouse’s customers. As a Fullstack developer, he works with the customer’s software, i.e., with everything from how data should be stored to how it should be processed and presented. For Michael, the best thing about working as a full-stack developer is seeing and working with the entire application and its functionality.

In my current assignment, I work as a consultant for NKT HVC, which manufactures land and sea cables. My mission to them is to update an existing application and develop new functionality. Part of the work consists of lifting the application to the cloud, and then maintenance work is needed to renew the code base. We take the opportunity to add new functionality that the customer requests, explains Michael.

Michael’s driving force is customer satisfaction combined with self-development

For Michael, it is essential to constantly feel that he is developing in his role as a developer. At the same time, he thinks it is at least as necessary that the customers are satisfied.

The best is when these two factors are combined in one and the same project! It is important to maintain a professional level to achieve and exceed my client’s expectations. Still, it is at least as important to dare to be personal when the opportunity arises. Because even though it is programming that I work with, it is people who will use the systems that we build, says Michael.

He explains the importance of delivering products that maintain a high technical level and are well equipped with the latest technologies and sees it as a matter of course for him to feel that he has done everything he can to ensure that the customers’ needs have been met. He likes to work in a constantly evolving industry where a lot of focus is on staying up-to-date. That there is constant potential to develop and become a better programmer motivates Michael.

Coming home from work every day with new knowledge is an unbeatable feeling, says Michael.

He continues:

The most enjoyable thing about my profession is cracking a difficult nut and solving a problem that contributes to customer satisfaction and my development. If I also get to discuss this problem/solution with a colleague, which is a jackpot for me!

Michael likes good structure and high readability when it comes to work tools, and this is something that both Vue and TypeScript make possible, he says. He runs Vue and, preferably together with TypeScript, combined with a backend in either Java or C#, it’s the dream stack for Michael! Why? He likes good structure and high readability, which both Vue and TypeScript make possible.

Practice what you preach

Michael feels the best thing about working as a consultant is the varied work and that no two days are the same. Something that is also close to his heart after all these years in the service industry is being able to have a dialogue close to the customer and consult Softhouse’s customers for the best solution for all parties involved.

The best thing about working at Softhouse is the colleagues and everything we do together, both at work and after hours. Living as you learn describes Softhouse’s corporate culture in a good way. At Softhouse, we work together towards the same goal, regardless of whether we are a team on the same assignment or work alone on a project. This, combined with the fact that we are passionate about what we work with and that prestige does not exist with us, it becomes clear that we have very high ceilings, says Michael.

Furthermore, Michael talks about the importance of having good people and colleagues around you when you are new to a profession. As someone new to the profession, one of the biggest challenges in the job is finding the balance between what is adequate and what contributes that little extra without costing extra for either party. Being surrounded by competent and helpful colleagues is essential.

When you are new to your profession, it is essential that you are brave, and to take the step and change your profession and path is also brave! As I mentioned before, I had my internships at Softhouse. Then I adopted the value word courage like a mantra and have continued ever since. For me, courage means daring to ask and showing vulnerability and weakness. It takes courage to ask a colleague about that “easy” problem you don’t understand. But if you take courage, it will quickly lead to increased knowledge for yourself and increased value for the customer. Win-win, says Michael.

New challenges and a hidden talent

Michael likes to get active and develop, whether at work or in his free time. He likes to have an ongoing project running, and he has a big project right now.

In my free time, I like to go out into the forest or to the sea to find peace between the projects I take on. It can be anything from equipping a boat to renovating a house, the latest and most significant project so far, says Michael.

And speaking of something else, Michael has a hidden talent, not just any!

My secret talent is that I ski almost as well backward as forwards… I don’t know how this talent will help me at work, but on our skiing trips with Softhouse, I at least get the opportunity to style a little in front of my colleagues, haha, and that’s no shame, Michael concludes.

 

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