Why growing in SilverStripe is easy

'If you were an insect, what would it be?'

That question, fellow reader, was the first official interaction I had with SilverStripe. It was certainly an interview question I’d never heard before. To be frank, it was the very first interview question I had ever been asked. According to my extensive knowledge (primarily based on movies, books and life stories), this was quite an unorthodox question.

But in its simplicity, it provided a glimpse into what SilverStripe was about. Fortunately, within a month I was privileged to receive an offer to work as an intern for the summer. I was placed in a team where I could work on real projects, adding real value and gaining real industry experience.

The Nature of SilverStripe

From my limited experience, the nature of the beast here at SilverStripe is that each day brings for every member a new opportunity to learn. This means that those of us leaving the office in the afternoon, are generally wiser than we were upon arrival in the morning. I arrive 8:30 am everyday expecting a challenge, and leave late in afternoon with a few more notes in my book.

I’ve always thought that not being challenged enough is the bane of any developer and a roadblock to growth. As someone who’s growing in this profession, I certainly feel that I’ve been firmly planted in fertile soil.

The experience I have gained here so far will be invaluable in my career as a developer. But at SilverStripe, experience isn’t just about learning. The application and the sharing of new knowledge at SilverStripe is equally important. 

Why SilverStripe

The main reason why I appreciate working at SilverStripe are the values that define our culture. SilverStripers are notorious for being a very friendly and approachable bunch. More to this, they are knowledgeable and always prepared to help.

As an intern, I have gained valuable insight from many people who have each taken the time to teach me different concepts in different ways. SilverStripe definitely makes an effort to choose the right people with the right skills both technically and socially. Which is why it is so easy to grow here!

To accommodate for all people, SilverStripe has set up Professional Development Plans, Catch Ups, Stand Ups, Lunch and Learn, Snack and Streams, Knowledge Sharing, Hack Day and more. For a newcomer like me, I can see that through these different avenues we develop better as individuals and as professionals. I would definitely say that my time here at SilverStripe has certainly been eventful, challenging and fun, which has given me plenty of room to grow.

Closing Thoughts

Now that I’m nearing the end of my internship, I can honestly say that I am truly happy with what I’ve managed to learn within the space of three months. With this knowledge, I have worked on several projects, assisted in developing small solutions, built and tweaked small features, embraced the agile methodology, demoed features to clients and more.

Looking back at my journey starting on the 13th of November 2017 up until the publishing date of this blog, I can confidently say that SilverStripe is definitely an amazing place to grow, because you’re working with amazing people while building amazing things.

If you are interested in seeing the previous intern blog, you can see it here.

Would you like to become a member of the SilverStripe team? Take a look at our careers page!