Remote Frontend Developer From Iran: Pooria Khodaveissi

Our next talent is ambitious about people. He comes to work every day with a broad smile and a sweet jar of compliments. He is philosophical but measures enough reality. Meet our remote frontend developer from Iran – Pooria Khodaveissi.

Hi Pooria, tell us about your background and how you landed up at Skuad.

Hello!

I believe that change is the only constant. My previous company falls in the tourism industry. It was great working there. I wrote manifestos, was a part of decision-making, and also responsible for hiring. I managed to get a promotion and move to a senior position. But then COVID-19 hit, and obviously, the tourism industry bore its impact. I sensed that every sphere of life was reshaping, and I made a plan to change my course as well.

After making this decision, I started searching for international companies on LinkedIn. I was keen on finding opportunities outside Iran. When you work locally, your learning may not be as extensive. Different people bring diverse perspectives to the table. When I was looking for international opportunities, I came across Skuad. I sent my resume, sat for the interview, and here I am today! It has been 2 weeks. I am loving the whole experience of connecting with people every day, building a community, and delivering codes.

Why frontend development out of all domains, and how are you liking your role so far?

I am an extrovert, and I love interacting with new people. The other side of me loves technology and coding. I see frontend development as a point where these two things coincide. As a frontend developer, you get to be the bridge between design, backend, and the end-user. I love my work. There's a comedian I follow, Chris Rock. He once explained the difference between a job and a career. In the former, you keep looking at the watch, while you fall short of time in the latter.

My role at Skuad brings new challenges to my career, and I couldn't be happier. COVID-19 put so much pressure on companies all over the world. Similar to wars between countries in earlier decades, now there exists a battle between businesses. It is nice to see Skuad giving opportunities to global talent and companies at such an intense time. Also, in the recent Townhall, our CEO encouraged everyone to explore other domains. That excited me and gave me goosebumps. I have a keen interest in business and strategy development. I recently read a lot of books related to that as well. So hopefully, in the near future, I will explore that area and combine my interest in business with my passion for technology.

Do you face any challenges because of the time-zone differences?

When I start working, my coworkers are either on a lunch break or are about to log off for the day. I do feel hesitant about troubling them in their spare time, but everyone is very kind and helpful. On our daily scrum calls, I update the team on my previous day's developments and share their progress. That keeps us on the same page. A supportive environment like this helps subdue the issues that arise because of time-zone differences.

What’s the secret behind your motivation to deliver the best and stay positive all the time?

The last three years of my life have been a turning point. Before, I was in chaos. It took me some time to understand the importance of discipline and order in life. Positivity is a cycle: you do one thing that makes you happy, and the rest will align that way automatically. The feeling of failure reinforces failure, so feelings of positivity will reinforce positivity. A lot of it, for me, also comes from interaction with high-spirited and kind people. And this goes for both personal and professional spheres. To stay motivated, you must lay out your goals and strategies. If you realize that what you do makes an impact, you will give your best. Teamwork is very significant. Giving honest feedback and taking criticism constructively helps in delivering the best results.

Since you're one of the first people to join Skuad from Iran, tell us something about your country.

The best thing about the people in my country is that they have not lost hope. We stay in an environment where we are subject to many sanctions. If you compare the image of Iranians or Persians from, say, 50 years back, there is a drastic change. I feel the media does not do justice to our beautiful culture, so it becomes difficult to be proud of those things. But people are hopeful. They wake up every day, go to work, try to live a normal life, and dream of a better future.

What are your thoughts on working remotely? Hypothetically, if you could work from anywhere, where would you go?

I genuinely think that the future of work is remote. Out of all changes stirred by COVID-19, remote work culture is a positive takeaway. Remote working brings in the perspective that work can be done from anywhere, without being physically together. I am a people person, and I vouch for working together. But I do love working remotely as well. Also, tools such as Figma for design, GitLab for managing projects, and G Suite for everyday tasks have made it so much easier to work remotely as a frontend developer.

Sometimes, I get these urges to unplug from the world and move to an isolated place. Considering that, I would love to work from the mountains in Switzerland. My second preference would be the fast-moving cities of Berlin and Munich. It will be such a pleasant sight to see ambitious people working around you!

Lastly, why do you think that talent and companies should choose Skuad?

I already recommend Skuad to my friends. It offers a collaborative and safe environment. You get a chance to work with people from different walks of life. Even for someone who has restrictive policies in their country, Skuad gives an opportunity to work remotely for global companies. That too, without having to worry about the documentation and compliance procedures.

Companies should connect with Skuad for the advantages of a pre-vetted talent pool. It is an excellent opportunity for businesses who want to build teams fast but do not have enough time or knowledge to do it independently. With Skuad's expertise, they can find the right people and accelerate their growth.

We are excited to have you on board!

The drive and passion to be successful can be seen on your face. We hope Skuad brings new learning opportunities to your door. You are a great asset to Skuad's talent pool. We are excited to have a front-end developer like you on our team!