Aleksandar Kordić: The most important thing you can do is to invest in your knowledge

In his five years at Emil Frey Digital, Aleksandar Kordić kept moving up, each of his roles carrying more responsibility and impact than the previous one. Today he is a team lead and the main front-end developer on his team. On top of that he is a chapter lead, which means he coordinates a group of about twenty of front end developers at the company. That's Aleksandar at work. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time in nature. For the last two years his little son Adam has occupied a lot of his attention - to say the least.

Partner Profile: The appeal of his "fifth project"

When he first started, Aleksandar worked for a company that collaborated with the start-up that would eventually become Emil Frey Digital, following the acquisition by the Zurich-based Emil Frey Group, Europe’s biggest car distributor.

In his previous work experience, he worked on over 100 projects, spanning websites, mobile apps, content management systems, online stores, and complex integrations.

- When I joined EFD, we started from relatively simple projects and products, but they kept growing to more complex and more challenging. One of my favourites from our early days is the old Partner Profile. It started as a list of dealerships. Over time we shaped it into a major solution for dealership management, including all their employees, roles and many other features. It needed creative solutions, lots of integrations and hard work, but we pulled it off. Just recently we released a new version. It’s a great example of how software can evolve, if you manage it right, he said. 

"I like to call Partner Profile my “fifth project.” I worked on it for quite a while. Even after switching teams, I kept coming back. It is one of my all-time favourites."

Leadership means more responsibility and power to influence how the team evolves

As you grow in seniority, you get opportunities to take on leadership roles. For sure they mean more responsibility. But there’s more: you can influence how the team develops and changes. 

His role has recently expanded to include team lead duties. It carries more responsibility, with some aspects of HR work.

- My first leadership role was front-end chapter lead. My task was to facilitate knowledge sharing among all front-end developers in the company. This meant introducing new technologies, education and knowledge exchange, collaborating on problem-solving, and coordinating the work of teams and developers, he shared in our recent video conversation.

He says it’s important to see that each job will have its upsides and challenges. Leadership roles can be overwhelming, with all the meetings, coordination, and training. Some developers will see that as taking time away from the more enjoyable work, which is coding. On the other hand, if you lead well you can influence a team's progress massively and benefit the whole company. It is not uncommon for great ideas originating within a team to be adopted by the entire company. Striking a balance is crucial, he said.

“It is not uncommon for great ideas originating within a team to be adopted by the entire company.”

Emil Frey Digital has focused on the education of their team leaders.

- We recently started with a comprehensive training program. It will continue until the end of the year. It covers coaching techniques, interpersonal skills, methodologies that facilitate collaboration and enable team members to grow. For Emil Frey Digital this is a strategic investment. We went from 17 employees to nearly 130 in just five years. Such growth has brought with it some organizational challenges; it is important that we address them systematically, Aleksandar said.

Don’t think of me as a central hub for knowledge sharing

Good collaboration, teamwork culture, and smooth exchange of knowledge are key for the team to succeed.

- We share knowledge in regular meetings of lead developers. We also have internal workshops. On top of that, we put effort into upgrading ourselves as developers. It is important to work on our skills, broaden what we know, and share experiences gathered along the way, Aleksandar said. 

His team consists of people who specialise in different areas. Different perspectives are helpful in getting to the best outcomes.

- It’s important to understand that I am not the central hub for knowledge sharing. For the most part, I only coordinate things and serve as a link to management. In most cases, teams and developers will share knowledge between themselves directly. People will sit down, talk, solve a problem and just update me afterwards, he revealed.

Involved in product development as much as possible

In the fast-paced world of technology, you need to keep learning. No matter how busy he gets, Aleksandar is trying to be involved in product development as much as possible. 

- That way I can try new things and experiment with new technologies that we use. I am involved in all kinds of experiments, PoCs, code improvements, and refactoring. I also set aside some time for learning and self-improvement, although not as much as I would like. Ultimately, our work is such that we can take 5 minutes a day to Google new stuff, read articles, and see if we can apply new ideas to our products, Aleksandar said.

A "buddy" system of mentoring

We move on to ask him about how he sees mentorship and what have been his experiences so far. His answer is on a positive note, stressing the importance of autonomy and proactivity for any learning process.

- In our organisation, every person with experience sooner or later becomes a mentor. My approach is based around empowering people to work autonomously, while remaining available for guidance. I am there for discussion, I challenge their decisions. I expect people to take initiative, to try things. Instead of telling them exactly how to do something, I offer guidance when they are solving a problem or a task. I believe that’s the fastest way to learn.

“I expect people to take initiative, to try things. Instead of telling them exactly how to do something, I offer guidance and help when they are solving a problem or a task. I believe that’s the fastest way to learn.”

Aleksandar explains how their mentorship culture is rooted in a "buddy" system. When you join, you will get a mentor - an experienced professional to turn to for guidance and help. This person will not only help with code review but support you in anything that comes up as you assume your duties. 

- When a new person joins and someone becomes their mentor, that person takes a lot of responsibility. In most cases, things work out really well. The mentorship program typically lasts for three months, he explained.

- After that we evaluate progress and decide whether the person is ready to exit the program. With more experienced developers, this is more than enough time. If needed, we will extend the program to six months. It is not uncommon for the mentor to remain the “buddy”, the go-to person long after the formal mentorship ends. Some of my former mentees keep coming back with all kinds of questions, and I make sure to be at their disposal, he said. 

“It is not uncommon for the mentor to remain the "buddy", the go-to-person long after the formal mentorship ends.”

Cultural fit is as important as your skills

Aleksandar conducts job interviews and weighs in when hiring decisions are made. He says that some of the most important things about a candidate will show during the conversation.

- With more experienced candidates, we focus on technical skills and past projects. For entry-level positions, we look for resourcefulness, adaptability, and willingness to learn. There is less emphasis on technical perfection. In all cases, we need candidates who are proactive, dedicated to work, ready to take on new challenges, and eager to learn. Our hiring process includes well-structured assessments, from interviews to practical assignments and theoretical questions. We pay close attention to how well candidates align with our culture and the team they would potentially join.

“We seek candidates who are proactive, dedicated to work, ready to take on new challenges, and eager to learn. We pay close attention to how well candidates align with our culture and the team they would potentially join.”

Every hour spent on education pays back

Aleksandar says that the most important thing young developers can do is to invest in their knowledge.

- The enthusiasm and energy you show in the interview will make an impression. Technical knowledge and skills also matter. There is so much high-quality learning material available out there. I think we live at a time when improving oneself, both personally and professionally, is easier than ever.

Every hour spent on education pays back in so many ways, he said.

“I think we live at a time when improving oneself, both personally and professionally, is easier than ever. Every hour spent on education pays back in so many ways.”

Reconnecting with the physical world

Right now Aleksandar doesn’t have much time for rest and hobbies, although things are gradually returning to normal.

- With a two-year-old at home, it is really challenging to strike a balance. If I get some time for myself, I will go out in nature. It helps me destress and reconnect with the physical world. I think developers have one shared characteristic. Because we create digital stuff and our work is often intangible, we seek tangible, outdoor activities as a kind of compensation. For me that is hiking in places with no signal. It is a break from technology and meetings, to recharge my batteries and fill up with energy for what is to come.