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I studied Information Technology major at BachKhoa-Aptech. After the first year of university, I started my internship at an outsourcing company specializing in developing e-commerce solutions for foreign customers. However, after a while, I realized that I need a more challenging and different environment. I want to have a more comprehensive view of product development, and participate more in the process of contributing ideas to improve product for end users. That's why I immediate grabbed the opportunity to interview at Cốc Cốc - a "product" company with extremely unique products on the technology map of Vietnam and the World such as Web Browser and Search Engine. Quite ambitious for a girl like me, right? 😉 But when you are able to unleash your passion for doing what you like and contribute values, for me, is a very satisfying feeling!
When throwing back to the interview process of Cốc Cốc, I find it truly an impressive experience. Indeed, compared to other technology companies, the application process of Cốc Cốc is quite challenging. I felt like I wanted to give up so many times since I was not so confident in myself. But, luckily I received lots of support and even motivation from the recruitment team; as well as kind-hearted and friendly welcome from the interview panel. I could clearly see that they were very knowledgeable and interviewed very carefully, not only assessing my technical skills, but also paying attention to my creative thinking and problem-solving skill. Once you directly feel the positive energy from the team leaders and colleagues you will work with; and more broadly, the professional working culture of Cốc Cốc, I am so impressed 😉 I felt truly overwhelmed and proud when I received the offer to join Cốc Cốc!
A Front-end Developer at Cốc Cốc, especially in Search team, will participate in developing and optimizing the user interface of Search Engine. We will coordinate with other teams such as Back-end Developers, UX/UI Designers, and Product Managers to develop interface features, optimize user experience, handle user interaction and display search results effectively.
The interesting thing about my job at Cốc Cốc is the freedom to express my perspective and personality as a programmer in an environment that promotes creativity and continuous innovation. Because Cốc Cốc’s most highlighted core values are "User First" and "Innovation" - we are always looking for ways to improve products and bring better experience to users. Our team can spend hours discussing, even heatedly "debating" to find the most optimal solution or to come up with a cool, useful and convenient new feature for users.
As a female, I hesitated a lot when deciding to pursue the IT industry. I also encountered a "wave of fierce opposition" from my family, why not choose an easier and female-oriented career path? However, with my strength in Math when I was in high school, along with my desire to explore the endless potential of technology, I still "single-mindedly" followed the IT industry. 😉
To talk about the difficulties, there are so many: the lack of gender diversity in this industry, sometimes I find it quite difficult to share "sister stories" with the team. Additionally, I realize that my technological sensitivity is somehow lower than that of the guys in the team, so it often takes me more time and effort to learn new knowledge. Search Engine product has been developed and maintained for more than 10 years, requiring me to research and understand a heavy load of technical documents and project requirements. When I create a new feature or fix a bug in an existing feature, I need to test it very carefully to avoid affecting other features. The product testing process is also very strict, I have to pass various challenging "gates".
At first, I was quite nervous and stressed, but I always kept in mind: difficulty is a crucial part of personal and professional development at work. I tried to overcome them by focusing on improving my skills and knowledge, regularly following technology blogs and forums to learn from the programming community; and at the same time, seeking support from colleagues and mentors in the industry.
Cốc Cốc has brought me many significant opportunities and values that I have always been looking for: an environment that encourages creativity; leaders and colleagues are sociable, ready to support and listen to employees' opinions. I learned a lot of valuable experiences from excellent colleagues in the team. I can feel that I have been receiving more special attention and support as I am the only girl in Search's Front-end team. I have been much more recognized and trusted by my line manager when he assigned me to take on difficult projects, typically the two new categories of Vertical Search - Anime and Manga. I have long been a big fan of anime and manga, so I am even more excited and happy to be able to develop these features firsthand. Being able to indulge your passion and develop more within your work, what could be better than that!
In my opinion, to become a successful Software Engineer, you need to develop proficiency in technical skills and also soft skills such as problem solving, self-study, time management skill, etc. I think programming is a diverse field and is no longer limited by gender as much as it was 5 to 10 years ago. Young generation in general and female in particular like me, please boldly pursue your passion and enjoy the journey. I believe achievements and success will soon come to individuals who are persistent and determined with what they believe in!
Thank you for taking the time to read the sharing from Ms. Hue Nguyen - Software Engineer, Front-End (Search)
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Women in Tech - The series Cốc Cốc “Women” share their experience and strong passion to pursue the Technology industry, with a view to help young female have more inspiration to build the career path up ahead.