Starting as an intern and rising to a team lead role over the years, Daiana is no stranger to personal and professional growth. We caught up with her to learn more about her career path, her fondness for Mondays, and the secret sauce of Qubiz company culture (#qubizm).
I'm a very organised individual, and so I like to find things where I left them. Some say I’m a lite version of Monica from Friends.
I make it a priority to be on time at every meeting.
I find cooking and baking relaxing and my friends and family always appreciate the end result. So my having taken classes to improve my technique has really paid off!
I love to travel. Family vacations, team outings, delegation trips, or a quick getaway to a German Christmas market – I love them all!
Anyway,
whoever said if you love what you do you never have to work a day in your life was wrong! You also need great colleagues. Since here I have both, I love the beginning of the week just as much as the end of it.
Right now, I'm the team leader and everything else 😃. I can't sit idly by when my team members need help. So I'm involved in Scrum ceremonies, and communicating with the client, but I'm also responsible for functional analysis. Moreover, I will take on testing tasks from time to time. In short, I care about making the project a success, so that what we deliver to the client is both functional (useful) and of high-quality craftsmanship.
I had classmates and cousins who worked here. I only ever heard good things from them about their work and their colleagues. Before I joined Qubiz, I thought software development equals writing lines of code. However, it surprised me to find out that most of the people I knew from Qubiz had other roles: QA Engineers, Functional Analysts, or Scrum Masters.
I applied for a spot in the Testing Internship and was very happy to be selected. During the six weeks of the program, I learned the basics of QA and the place of this role within an IT project.
I appreciated the help from my mentors and the freedom they gave me to experiment and learn by doing. I also liked - and still do today - that we have such a varied line-up of projects.
What ultimately convinced me to join Qubiz for the long run were the development opportunities and the camaraderie between colleagues.
The quantity and variety of foods. 😂 We often bring something sweet to celebrate different life events. Other times, we celebrate project milestones with a mini-party. Twice a week, we have a company lunch. Likewise, the "dulcele lunii" excites me every time... Nothing brings people together like a plate of goodies!
I also love Qubiz because it attracts the best clients. We really form a team together with them. We visit each other frequently. That helps communication. It's easier to discuss difficult topics with someone you know and trust. For me, it's a source of pride to work with companies that are the best at what they do, whether it's logistics, green energy, or social care.
I think that if you consistently do your best, you get a lot of opportunities and aha moments. When I was a junior QA engineer, I realized that I have to understand the client's needs and requirements in order to do my job well. That's why I started looking into functional analysis, and eventually slipped into that role.
When my Scrum Master went on maternity leave, the project manager suggested that I take on her tasks along with another colleague, Gia. Honestly, I was terrified of public speaking, but I didn't shy away from the challenge, and after a dozen meetings, the stage fright began to fade.
On the next project I worked on, I stepped in as a Scrum Master, with knowledge of functional analysis and quality assurance. As I said earlier, on my current project I also have a complex role that doesn't necessarily fit into a traditional job description. But
I view my role as a starting point, not a boundary for my work. I enjoy learning from my colleagues, and I’m more than willing to help them when they need support. From what I've seen, it's not just me. This is actually the Qubiz way of working and being.
It's hard to single out just one, because I have many fond memories and accomplishments that I'm proud of. So let me pick out two. I'm honored to have been invited to join several project teams. I'm proud that my work had a significant impact on each of these teams. On a personal level, I'm happy that I met my husband Tibi here at Qubiz!
I always look forward to the monthly board game evening with the project team. Spouses also join us on these occasions. Board games are a great way to channel our competitive spirit, so we bring Catan and Carcassonne to every teambuilding event.
I also love to go hiking with my husband. Recently, we invited our colleagues to join us on the trails. I'm proud that even colleagues who've never hiked before joined us. We agreed on a 5 km long route. By the time we checked Strava at the top of the mountain, we were well past the 5 km mark. But the way back is always easier than the summit, so everyone had fun, and we heard no complaints.
Only apply if you want to grow professionally and/or personally. I think we have a great atmosphere and the right opportunities to develop. Besides the challenges and training opportunities that come with every project, we also have colleagues from whom we can learn a lot.