Liliya

On how my career started

I grew up in Rubtsovsk, a city on the border with Kazakhstan. As early as in grade 5, I set my mind on the Academy of Public Administration in Novosibirsk. However, it all turned out differently. I fell in love with Tomsk and the Tomsk State University and, without even expecting it, found myself in advertising and PR.

While still in year 1, I was already working in the field part-time. In year 4, I got the position 
of head of communications of Tomsky District and then of a marketer in a business company. Both these organizations had a very authoritative management style and lots of bureaucracy going on, while I was looking for more freedom, ambitious tasks and international work experience.

On how I found Rubius

Texts have always been that special something for me, so I really wanted to focus on copywriting. When a copywriter vacancy opened in Rubius, both my family and friends kept telling me: "This job is perfect for you, go on and try!" For a month, I couldn't bring myself to respond to the vacancy, afraid that I'm just not qualified enough. And then it struck me: what's with all that hesitation? How long are you going to keep yourself back? So, I sent my resume and got interviewed. It was close to New Year, and on the last working day of 2018, I got the offer.

It was difficult, but the company helped me to grow

Since my very first day on the job, it was clear to me that Rubius is absolutely different in its work style and the level of tasks being solved. At the same time, the company is growing rapidly, so I need to be flexible and catch on fast.

When I just started, I dreamt of an IT pocket dictionary. One day, a colleague said something like, "Yeah, port the Linux PTPD daemon to synchronize the time on Android". It took me a whole hour to google to find the meaning of this abracadabra!

My colleagues also helped me. For hours, I sat with the developers, asking question upon question. I completed a course for testers from Rubius Academy, and it really broke it down for me how software is created. My copywriting skills got a boost, too: I attended seminars, courses, and workshops, and the company compensated for a part of my expenses. The company even bought books for me for the corporate library.

On interaction with the team

There is a stereotype that programmers are withdrawn, gloomy, and condescending to those not very computer literate. I have not met people like that in Rubius. Even the most seasoned tech people were easy to get on with, they helped with technical matters, and even explained me the IT jokes😁

I liked how involved the co-founders are in the company's processes and their employees' growth. You can discuss your ideas and tasks with any one of them and get some great advice on top of that. We regularly have one-on-one meetings. Sergey Koshevoy, one of the founders, even became my mentor, helping me to develop business thinking, giving feedback on my texts, and sharing his personal picks of lectures on marketing in IT.

I'm getting a kick out of my job

The most difficult yet rewarding part of my job is writing texts about development. I need to make them interesting even for senior programmers and, at the same time, understandable for people far from IT. Make it so that a prospective customer looks at the project described and sees their own pain points and how to address those, while prospective employees become interested in joining the team. This means I need to get to the bottom of things, read technical specifications, and spend hours upon hours going over it all with the analysts, PMs, and developers.
But the result is totally worth it. When clients read your copy, call in, and say, "We want that thing," when your text nudges applicants to ask if and how they can become a part of such a project, this is a copywriter's high right there. IT makes you energized to continue working and make it even better. 

Rubius is by and for like-minded people

In Rubius, the startup atmosphere is in the air even though the company is already 16 years old. It's not just 170+ people working together. It's a team of like-minded people with common values which I also share.

The people here are constantly learning. "Work-life balance" is more than just words because it really is important for us to find time for our families, hobbies, and sports. It is Rubius that finally helped me start doing yoga, learning English, recycling paper and plastic, playing chess, and reading 20 books a year. I have always dreamt about this, but before Rubius, I kept finding excuses, not having enough time or energy. Here, the environment itself motivates you to get better.

Some advice for those on bad terms with technology

Be ready to learn a lot. If IT does simply not click for you (for now) but you have the potential and desire to improve, Rubius will help you to find the knowledge you are looking for. Be prepared to match this support with your hard work: attend courses, stay updated on IT news, follow blogs, study articles. Among my must-read sources are several online media (TheCode, Inc., Cnews) and portals (vc.ru and Habr). Don't be afraid to ask if you don't know something. Best of luck!