“I had a complicated year. I got many interviews that didn’t work out. But I got through it.”

Today we talk to Juan José López, who studied Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Granada. “I chose telecommunications so that I would have more opportunities in the future. The beginning of this Bachelor’s degree is quite difficult. There is a kind of ‘weeding out’ of students at the beginning of it, but I got past this because I knew what made me happy.” Juanjo got a Google Certification as a “Mobile Web Specialist” last year. He speaks Spanish and English.

Interviewer: That’s a very strong background already. Tell us more about your first job experiences.

After getting my Bachelor’s degree, I was looking to get a tech job. I was offered an opportunity in Barcelona as a Translations Systems Developer at CBG. I was on a team of 4 people, and we would give support for a tool that translators used. I was there for 10 months when I noticed that I really liked development and I wanted to do more with it. I also wanted to move to Madrid, so I then started at Indra as a Junior Software Developer. At this moment in time I started to be interested in the world of Frontend development, so I started learning a lot through courses, articles and certifications, and at the end it became a passion for me. After I left CBG, I was with Amaris as a Software Developer (with ING as a client) and with BBVA Next Technologies as a Front-End Developer, where I worked for two years.

I: That’s great experience. What led you to get in contact with TrustYou?

I wanted to work remotely, even before the global pandemic arrived. I started to search for remote positions, but I didn’t find anything that convinced me. I was also looking for a more stable environment, where the framework made sense and it wouldn’t be too chaotic. At some point, I had an interview with Tabita at Lingokids, and I liked the idea of that position a lot! I was very into the education field and the product seemed quite interesting. It’s extremely gratifying to help others, and this is what I like to do using my skills in software development. They had very specific requirements, and I didn’t meet some of them, so they decided to discontinue my hiring process. However, I got endorsed to Circular by Tabita and this is how I had the chance to meet the people at TrustYou. I had a complicated year. I got many interviews that didn’t work out. But I got through it.

I: Well, many thanks to Tabita for the endorsement! Tell us more about your interview experiences. Why didn’t they work out?

Right after joining Circular, I started to receive many interview requests. I was also receiving many of these through LinkedIn, but none of the positions were exactly what I was looking for. So, I ended up refusing the vast majority, mainly because I wasn’t enthusiastic about the project. But then I found two projects I liked. I got an offer from Coverwallet, which unfortunately didn’t meet my salary expectations, and another from TrustYou, which offered me the chance to work from home and met the salary expectations I had. So, I found exactly what I was looking for with TrustYou! I also have to say that my journey through Circular to get here has been very pleasant. The team was very vigilant. Sara, who was my Talent Advocate, really looked after me and I really liked that. I appreciate the personal and constant contact and the fact that the team concerns themselves with the candidate.

I: We’re very happy that your year of interview processes ended with you finding exactly what you wanted. And I guess the quality of the hiring process with TrustYou has influenced you choosing them among many others. What would you highlight from it?

Indeed! The hiring process with Belén, HR Manager at TrustYou, was extremely good. She always had feedback for me. There was also a coding test – they explained it to me in the morning and I had to deliver the results by the end of the afternoon. I took a day off for that, and they didn’t know it, but it was actually my birthday! (he says laughing). For the delivery, everyone was there to listen to me. I felt that they really valued what I spent the day doing. It was a very positive experience to see that they cared about the time I had invested. In other companies this is not the case and it gives you an overwhelming feeling, so that is why I value it so much. The process was well-defined and they stuck to it, and they were very understanding and flexible with me. Every day that passed, even before starting my position, was even better! Once I accepted the offer, they all welcomed me, answered any questions I had about my contract, let me know when they bought my laptop, etc. They really take you by the hand and that’s something I appreciate a lot.

🍲 A meal: ramen noodles

🗺 A place: Japan

🤹‍♀️ A hobby: playing the piano