The COVID-19 outbreak came to disrupt not only the way we live but also the way we operate our companies, hire and work. More than ever, Lisbon Tech Guide is bringing and promoting the best Portuguese talent, and therefore we have been supporting some startups on getting the right people.
We had the chance to interview one of the tech talents that started to work during COVID-19 pandemic - Miguel Mendonça, Software Engineer for FIDEL API.
FIDEL API has a very impressive product with a lot of interesting technical challenges and has strong momentum in its current phase so it was a very alluring job proposition.
I am a Backend Software engineer for FIDEL API, so my main responsibilities are related to designing, implementing, documenting and reporting technical solutions related to the company's products.
My onboarding process was a well prepared remote process. As I started my first day, I already had all accounts and accesses I needed to work, as well as onboarding documents and videos for me to go through on my own. I also had a member of the company assigned as a "buddy" to me who was meant to be my go-to person for any questions or help.
Starting work at a new company remotely makes it hard to get an immediate feel for the people and culture, and forces you to be more disciplined in how you approach people to ask questions or help when you're just starting out. I was working fully remote in my previous company so I feel this hasn't changed my lifestyle at all.
My daily routine is very standard as I do everything I would do if I was working at the office, except I don't have any commute.
We use Slack for most of the contact and zoom when we want to do live conversation.
Working remotely provides a lot of quality of life and mental health. Not having to deal with commutes and having some time to work without distractions while also affording the time to organize one's personal life leads to much better work life balance and a lot less stress in a person's daily life.
Lisbon Tech Guide approached me with FIDEL API's job opportunity and, after the initial screening, tirelessly accompanied the whole interview process and job offer negotiation accordingly, always offering to help whenever needed.