#born_to_be_nerd — Meet Vladyslav Martiak

Today we’ll meet Vlad, who’s our iOS developer and #born_to_be_nerd

Article content:

• What three words do you associate with NERDZ LAB?
• How did your NERDZ LAB story begin?
• What inspires you in your work?
• What advice can you give iOS developers who are just starting their careers?
• Why did you choose a career as an iOS developer, and how do you think your job will change in the next ten years?
• If you have free time, what are your hobbies? How do you relax?
• What are your favorite movies, music, and books?
• Can you name a place you’ve visited and would recommend to others?

What three words do you associate with NERDZ LAB?

Niche, development, opportunities.

How did your NERDZ LAB story begin?

The beginning of my NERDZ LAB story is pretty typical. I was looking for a job, and then our wonderful recruiter Oleksandra wrote me on LinkedIn. After a successful technical interview, I had to wait for some time because the customer I was hired to work with delayed signing their contract. Honestly, I was a little nervous because I really wanted to join the NERDZ LAB team. As an iOS developer, I was very intrigued by the company`s specialization in mobile application development. Fortunately, everything worked out and I’ve been working with NERDZ LAB for more than a year.

I also want to comment on the openness and professionalism of recruiter Oleksadra Kanaykina and CТO Vasyl Khmil during the interview process. I had to answer questions about things that an iOS developer really needs to know. And the fact that the CТO of the company conducted the interview meant a lot to me.

What inspires you in your work?

The short answer to this question is people. Namely, a professional and qualified team that encourages forward momentum and implementing new, creative solutions. The projects I’m working on now and have worked on in the past are inspiring. I like to create fast, convenient applications that are appreciated by users.

I’d also like to emphasize the special influence of mentorship. I not only get to share my knowledge and experience, but I also get ideas from the people I help. Sometimes it prompts me to think about questions or solutions that I didn’t think about before.

What advice can you give iOS developers who are just starting their careers?

• Don’t be afraid of challenges and don’t torment yourself with the question “Will I succeed?”
• Always delve deeply into the essence of technical solutions instead of rushing to solve a problem too quickly
• Theory without practice is worthless.

Why did you choose a career as an iOS developer, and how do you think your job will change in the next ten years?

By the way, I started my professional career as a UI/UX designer and later became an iOS developer. Almost everyone who knows this asks: “Why did you suddenly switch from designer to developer?” The answer is actually simple — curiosity. It was interesting to experience the other side of designing and developing applications. My curiosity grew into a hobby, and then into a career. After all, I chose iOS development for a reason. I was always interested in Apple products and their engineering solutions. I’d been familiar with the company’s products for a long time. So I decided, why not get started?

It’s quite difficult to predict what might change in an iOS developer’s career in the next ten years because we can see innovation is slowing down, and this applies not only to iOS, but to all types of application development. I think augmented reality and wearable tech will be a priority in the future, so we need to pay attention to these technologies now.

If you have free time, what are your hobbies? How do you relax?

The end of the year is quite a busy period for everyone, but I always try to find free time. Usually, I like to read modern literature, travel, and take photos with my film camera. The latter is my favorite hobby. When you’re constantly interacting with cutting-edge technology, it’s helpful to take something completely analog and feel like you’re swimming against the current, but still, be in incredible harmony with your inner self. Photography helps me to relax and experience everything around me in a completely different way.

What are your favorite movies, music, and books?

If we are talking about the movies, then my current favorite is definitely Gone Girl by David Fincher. I’ve always loved difficult stories that drag you in and don’t let you go until the last minute. They say the simple answer is always the right one, but don’t believe it. This film is proof.

As for books, it’s difficult to select one favorite. I always say that my favorite book is the one I haven’t read yet. I’d like to recommend books for three different tastes:

• American Pastoral, by Philip Roth, if you like dystopia and something that most people haven’t read yet;
• Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng, if you like something that will make you think for a long time and draw your own conclusions;
• Captain Sorrow, by Serhii Martyniuk, which combines easy reading and heavy thoughts.

And in general, read books in the original to learn a lot for your professional field of communications.

Concerning music, it’s even more difficult to choose favorites because everything depends on my mood. Some of my favorites are Linkin Park, REQUITIR, Our Last Night, and Marilyn Manson.

Can you name a place you’ve visited and would recommend to others?

Most likely, I would recommend Vienna. It`s a city that combines the grandeur of old architecture, innovative modern office and residential buildings, and living comfort for everyone. And for some reason, while I was in Vienna, I often caught myself feeling like I’d never left Lviv. I could feel the common heritage and history of both places in the old part of the city.