Saying Hello to Lukas!

This week we’re chatting with Lukas! Lukas is a software engineer who has been working part-time while finishing his credentials at Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences

Tell us a little about yourself: Where are you from? Hobbies?

I was born and raised in a small village near Frankfurt am Main. While growing up, I tried various sports and activities but ultimately ended up as a rower. I spent quite a lot of time there and made some good friends along the way, most of them of who are still very good friends today.

My interest in technology and programming was raised by my dad, who also assisted me in writing my first lines of code when I was an early teenager. This remained mostly a hobby and I actively avoided pursuing the “technology career path” during my days in school. It was only after being in the military, that I realized this might be something I excel at and should probably build my future on.

As of today, I spend most of my non-working days outdoors either going for a walk, skydiving, sailing or occasionally some biking and indoors for bouldering or tinkering with technology.

How did you find Axiom, and what piqued your interest when deciding to join?

I was actually recruited by Seif (co-founder of Axiom). After initial email communication, I wasn’t very interested in joining because I was already employed and this employment aligned pretty well with my university attendance.

It wasn’t until after I met Seif in person that I changed my mind and decided to join Axiom. My interest was mainly sparked by the team’s CV and expertise, and I felt the people at Axiom really knew what they were doing. On top of that, I was still able to continue my education in university.

How would you define the culture at Axiom?

Axiom truly feels like a second family to me, there is nothing much to add to it. We are kind and caring and haven’t lost a bit of that mentality when the team started to grow.

How has your experience been working for Axiom while continuing your education?

Great! While I had concerns when I started (could I balance working at a startup with my education?), it turned out to be a pretty smooth experience. I was given the flexiblity with aligning my working hours to my university schedule. Also due to being a globally remote company, I was able to work in between lectures or on public transport which made it easier for me to get work done during the day like on a “normal” office job with 9-to-5 working hours and schedule time for hobbies and other activities after university or work. Additionally, I had no issues adjusting my workload spontaneously when I needed some time to prepare for exams.

What advice would you give to your fellow classmates when it comes to finding the right company to work for?

When deciding whether or not to join a company as a junior after your education, I would look out for three things: Quality/Experience of the coworkers, confidence in the product and company culture.

I had the privilege of being mentored by an experienced team member and doing pair-programming sessions on a daily basis during my first weeks at Axiom. This is an experience I wouldn’t want to miss, furthermore the excellence of the team was elevating my motivation and inquisitiveness.

Actually caring for and having trust in the product and its success is a big factor in getting and staying motivated.

Last but not least, the culture is very important. Asking for help, teaming up to solve tasks together or just socializing with your coworkers is hard – if not impossible – in an environment you don’t feel comfortable in.

What is one fun fact that many people don’t know about you?

I’m an open book, there aren’t many things in my life no one knows about. One of my goals in the foreseeable future is to sail across the Atlantic ocean. That could be something most people are surprised to hear.