Tetiana Mandziuk, one of our Frontend Engineers at Lviv, told us why she turned down an opportunity to work abroad and decided to stay in Ukraine to take the job at Wix
Tetiana Mandziuk, a Frontend Engineer at Wix Lviv, says that her interest in technology started early, when she saw her dad building ZX Spectrum computers at home when she was young. She studied applied mathematics with a specialization in informatics at the University of Lviv, and after her graduation continued to 5 years of post-graduate studies in biomechanics. During that time she taught her students programming basics.
“When I reached a senior level, I was considering moving abroad, mainly to Europe”, she recalls. For 8 long months Tetiana prepared herself for a possible job offer from a major tech company she’s been in touch with, and at the same time looked for appealing product companies in Europe. Finally, she got an offer from a company based in the Netherlands.
“During this whole period I focused on relocation, so I didn’t consider any offers from Ukraine-based companies”, she says. “However, when a recruiter from Wix contacted me and I googled the company, I was instantly intrigued. My initial dream was to work in one of the Big Tech companies, but what I read made me realize Wix was at that level”.
So what was it that made you choose Wix?
“It came down to two options - to relocate to the Netherlands or to stay at home. The second option was very appealing to me since Wix just entered Lviv, and I thought that it was a unique opportunity to be involved in creating a team and developing it. During my interviewing process at Wix I felt as if the universe had responded to all my previous preparation efforts because it felt like I was interviewing at a Big Tech company and that all my hard work was finally appreciated. I genuinely believe that success in any business is all about the people in it, and during the process I met sincere, transparent, and diligent people who gave me a better vision of the company and its culture. As the process continued, I started to believe that it was the dream job that I had prepared for for such a long time - one that I could enjoy at home, without having to relocate”.
What makes Wix different from other companies?
“The focus on end-users and the quality of the product we’re building for them. The end-user doesn’t need a feature delivered against the clock. They need a quality product that meets their needs. Therefore, attention to detail, code quality, and the absence of irrational haste were the attributes I immediately observed”, Tetiana says.
“Other than that, the support I was getting from my team was exceptional. At Wix, your colleagues understand that the more time they invest in you, the faster you’ll get on your feet and start running. It’s accomplished through extensive communication and through a culture that allows you not to be afraid to ask any questions. Active, open communication enables a quicker understanding of the business needs, processes, tools, code, and it worked great for me”.
Tell us about your onboarding experience at Wix and your first months at work.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the detailed onboarding plan that was tailored to my background. During this initial phase I filled some knowledge gaps, completed a learning project and met people from other departments and from my team. I wasn’t the only one to set up those meetings. People knew that I was a newcomer, so they took the initiative to get to know me and tell me what they were working on. It was a delightful experience, since people were very sincere and friendly”.
What else appealed to you?
“At Wix, transparency is a core value. It’s not one of those values that are hung on a wall and never used. People tell you about themselves and about the work they do. They share information about what’s happening in the company and facts that might be relevant to others.
“Another thing that I noticed was that about 45% of the people at Wix are women. These women are all goal-oriented and each one of them knows what she wants and how to achieve it. Women at Wix support learning projects, share knowledge, and lead mentorship programs.
“Also, I enjoy the orientation days that all of us - all over the world - enjoy once a quarter. I got lots of incredibly interesting and useful information about Wix in numbers, graphs, charts, and terms. For example, I was struck by the fact that Wix has over 200 designers including 3D experts and photographers, that Wix developed a font of its own and that some of Wix’s videos have original music in them".
Tell us a little about what you do and about the challenges your team faces
"Together with colleagues from Berlin and Tel Aviv, the Lviv team is working on the brand-new product - Wix Component Studio. It is an IDE for React components that provides tools for effective collaboration between developers and designers.
"We are on a mission to make the existing product feature-complete, so my day-to-day is getting closer to making that happen. Specifically, I craft new product features by collaborating with product managers and UI/UX designers. That requires understanding and analyzing the existing code, implementing new functionality, writing tests, applying requested design, and reviewing features of other team members. Also, I’m involved in the interview process and presenting our product at tech events. I feel excited about such an opportunity to attract other great engineers to work with us.
“While some people seek a comfortable work environment, others are excited by professional challenges. Wix is unique since it provides different opportunities for personal development. Every person here can find the mountain that they want to climb. It can be mentorship or career growth in terms of self-development; it can be learning new technologies or leadership skills; it can be a cohesive team that builds something new”.
In your opinion, what makes a great engineer?
“Our role is a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. However, what makes an engineer great is a set of unique qualities. You can be someone who generates lots of fascinating ideas, effectively solves problems or knows how to build efficient algorithms. Or you may be someone who can discuss engineering issues very clearly or create detailed action plans. As engineers, we all have our strengths, and by developing and nurturing them we can become great.
“Another necessary trait is self-confidence since we constantly have to learn new stuff and achieve better results. A great success is reinforced by constant smaller successes that create self-confidence. When your self-esteem grows, you get positive emotions that become your fuel and inspiration to move even further. I believe that if you want to become a high-level professional in the tech sector, you need to be resilient and ambitious and also have the right balance of confidence and critical thinking”.
