Category: Blog

1. What to expect from our Summer Internship?

Since 2008 we are mentoring dedicated and curious students that want a professional and pleasant work experience in software development.

For this year, we are preparing a new challenge – two teams, one that will learn and work with Angular for front-end and one that will consolidate their Java knowledge for back-end. The two teams will work together to develop a web application.

2. What skills should I have to be selected for the internship?

We are aiming to offer an experience filled with challenges to help you become a better professional. This is why our interns need to have basic Java skills, to make sure that we have a foundation to build on. Also, for our Angular team, it would be nice to have some basic concepts about Angular, but this is not a must.

We are expecting you to prove problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, curiosity, the ability to sustain and present your ideas. Nevertheless, elementary knowledge of French is appreciated.

3. What technologies will I use during the program?

You will get to work with Java, Angular, Web Technologies, design and architectural patterns, continuous integration, and many more.

4. How will it take place?

We are an agile team, and we adapt easily to what the future holds for us. We wish to be able to meet as much as possible with our interns, but the Covid 19 pandemic is still unpredictable. This is the reason we are preparing for any scenario and still hope for a hybrid version of our Summer Internship to help you get the most of this experience.

Through a hybrid internship, we will get to meet each other, but still, be able to work and learn from home. This way, we alternate the office days with periods of work from home.

5. If my application gets rejected, would I get feedback for that?

Yes, if your application gets rejected, you would be provided with proper feedback. Every student receives an answer from our team after the selection process.

Please take into consideration that we are not receiving applications after the deadline.

6. What happens if I have more questions about the internship?

We are always happy to meet curious people. Feel free to send us your questions about the internship or the company at internship@axonsoft.ro and don’t forget to apply here.

2020 was a tough year for everyone. The coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than 2 million lives, fundamentally changed the way we work, do business, or learn. We can resume 2020 to the year that changed everything. People of AXON Soft felt the consequences of the pandemic like the rest of the world, but this is not stopping us to make a list of plans and expect to reshape our normality for a better future.

Since the vast majority of New Year resolutions fail, we’ve decided to wait a couple of days until we asked our colleagues how they imagine the new normality. As expected, all of us missed the small talk from the office, from our jokes to human interaction and even the walks to the office.

“Although we are used to working remotely, it was different, we lacked informal communication. The work environment at the office made us feel that we belong there, that we are a team. It’s much easier to be sociable face to face, but we have adapted to the situation the best that we could”, said Bogdan, one of our software developers.

Even so, returning to the old habits of working will likely no longer be an option. We expect and demand more from a work-life balance, and our management team already consider this since last summer. Now, our colleagues are just confirmed that the strategy responds to their needs.

“In 2020 we discovered that we don’t like extremes. I think we like to be able to find a balance between going to the office and working from home. We can’t replace human interaction, but I don’t think we’ll feel comfortable going back to the office every day”, mentioned Lavinia.

Big plans for people of AXON Soft

Keeping a positive mindset during this pandemic helped us to find a new way of working, studying, and having fun together. So, it’s not a surprise that our colleagues have plans that exceed the “surviving mode” that we see too often. We all hope to regain our freedom, to be able to travel and experience all sorts of adventures. Above this, our personal development continues to be on the top of our list.

“2020 was the year of change, the year of revelation. In 2021 I want to do the things I’m afraid of, I would like to make as many presentations as possible to get rid of this discomfort”, confessed Georgiana.

“I’m just about to start teaching a few classes at the university, so for 2021 my plan is to succeed in offer information in a clear and useful way. I want to complete this project and continue to focus on the bright side of things”, explained Sergiu.

Anca Vescan, our CEO, spoke about our company, our values, and the way we cope with the Pandemic crisis with the reporters from Career&Business magazine. It was a nice, pleasant talk about how AXON Soft was founded, about our mission, and the importance of partnerships in software development. Not at least, she spoke about the importance of a strong team that`s always up to date with the latest technologies and methodologies.

As a sneak peek, we reveal two questions that are asked very often nowadays.

C&B: It is a very dynamic and constantly evolving industry. How do you cope with it?

Anca Vescan: “As I said earlier, I believe in excellence. My vision has not changed from this point of view. Both personally and professionally, I have always chosen to do everything in my power to exceed expectations.

I have always encouraged my colleagues to stay up to date with the latest trends, while freedom of speech has always been at the forefront of our company. We believe in the power of initiative, and this is exactly the prototype of the people of AXON Soft. Our vision is to exceed expectations, and my team shares the same core values, which pushes us all to do more and better every day”.

C&B: How did the Pandemic Crisis influence your activity?

Anca Vescan: “Professionally speaking, we`ve matured a lot in the over 22 years, and the challenges related to communication or trust issues were overcome many years ago. Our long-term partnerships are a source of pride and, also, they are the reason why we were not severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are facing a transition period, and a change in the business paradigm has already begun. We anticipate what the market will look like in the coming years and we began to take measures in order to adapt to the new conditions. I`m convinced that this pandemic crisis will have economic effects, but unlike the economic crisis of 2008, we now have a different and better experience.

On the other hand, the whole team works remotely, and we lack daily interaction. We hope to return to new normality as soon as possible, and until then we use the online platforms to see each other, to interact as much as possible, and to do our best to remain a close-knit team”. Read more about tips given for those who are just starting out and the business environment here.

In a business environment best described as agile, we frequently face some questions that help us stay one step ahead – what does it take to move up in the company and what abilities should juniors that desire to become executives focus on developing? At AXON Soft, the answer has its roots in the values that must be shared by everyone, but it also consists of a mix between several types of technical skills, functional expertise and a strong understanding of our business strategy.

Communicating the values and strategy of our company, dealing with daily challenges or finding ways to stimulate engagement is just the basic set of assets that we need from our leaders. The increased complexity of our projects is evidence of a strong, mature company and we are very happy to be able to develop them. But this means that we count on our leaders to be part of the business strategy, to offer their insights and to contribute to key decisions that are taken within AXON Soft. Our colleagues have different types of leadership, they have different skills and ways to handle things, but the one thing they have in common is the willingness to adapt and to learn.\

Mastering relationships

Building a team from the ground up, and knowing precisely the goals that need to be reached seems simple, but quite often the solutions are not as effective as planned. Understanding what you want from the project, being able to work agile and to have the courage to take radical measures are some of the first things a leader must consider towards mastering a successful team.

For a leader is crucial to know how to connect with people at all levels in the organization. And this is valid through the good times, and especially the bad ones. To assure this, we organize regular communication training to be better at offering and receiving feedback, in telling what’s on our mind without offending others and in improving our opportunity to grow.

Empowering people of AXON Soft

From our perspective, leaders must share their vision with the team and be able to direct the efforts and dedication of the entire team towards a common goal. Our leaders need to motivate their coworkers to make sure that people use their energy and professional potential to achieve the goal. Nevertheless, each member of the team has the support of their leader. Our people are encouraged to have a one-to-one meeting with their leaders and to speak their minds. When people express their true vision, we believe that the whole company evolves. We accept approaching a problem in different ways and appreciate a new perspective. In this way, we know that we have the right people on the right problem at the right time.

Level up at AXON Soft

When it comes to growing new leaders, AXON Soft has a down to earth approach. Our strategy is to invest in people that proved integrity and credibility. We see the potential in our employees and we start to involve them, step by step, in projects that force them to think and act out of their comfort zone. After a couple of internal projects and some soft skills training, we see them in action and guide them in the project management zone to make sure that they manage projects and teams better each day.

The mission of recruiting and hiring talent with the skills necessary to assure a rock-solid team continues to have its challenges. Any company needs to upgrade itself regularly while keeping in mind what makes it unique. For us, at AXON Soft, high-performing talent is not enough. We believe in equality and trust, in a team aligned towards the same goal, possessing a shared vision about the company’s mission and in a place where people enjoy coming to work.

People of AXON Soft is best described as a mix of talent that’s driving us forward. The diversity of characters that forms our team enhances the decision-making process and leads to better outcomes. We value our colleague’s opinions and make sure that they are taken into consideration for each step we take. Also, we pride ourselves on having an open-minded approach to making everyone feel comfortable because we spend most of our day time in from of screens.

We value our people

Most of us prefer to be judged and rewarded more on results than time put in. We don`t work on a fixed schedule, but we have high standards of quality. This is why we are continuously improving our approach to furthering our colleague’s education. We make sure that everyone gets the recognition and respect their hard work deserves, and we always encourage our colleagues to share their knowledge with the whole team during our regular meet-ups. For us, this is one way of enabling them to build confidence, so they take initiative with ease and present their ideas, even those who are shy or introvert.

We support our colleagues

At AXON Soft we understand the desire to invest more time in family and hobbies, as well as being acknowledged and rewarded for a job well done. We do our best to offer time off to be with the loved ones in the important days. And we do care about our health, so we are paying great attention to the quality of health benefits that we offer. We make sure that we have proactive health plans, so our people feel protected and well taken care of.

A bit better each day

When it comes to employee benefits, we don`t assume we are offering the VIP package. But we ask for regular feedback and adjust our benefits taking into consideration what people want. That’s the case for time off, healthcare, flexible work arrangements and so on. And this brings us not just a family-like work environment, but also better performance and better productivity. So, if you think that you`re up to a challenge and would enjoy being part of a team focused on results, don`t be shy. We are always looking for people that speak up and enjoy being challenged.

AXON Soft has over a decade of experience in organizing internship programs and we do a great job at making interns feel connected and part of a real team. This year, we challenge you to pick your team – Java or Angular – and embark on a journey that will give you the chance to do interesting work and meet our team of professionals.

A successful internship program starts with establishing the best intern coordinator and providing mentors. At AXON Soft you will find exactly this – mentors that will guide your steps each day, so you’ll benefit from learning, experiences, and guidance that will help you achieve your professional goal.

Are you a Java or an Angular enthusiast?

Our First Step Internship Program started in 2008 intending to empower young talents to experience the real workflow of a project team. We are proud to use Java as our main programming language, especially because it is fast, secure, and reliable – just like our team.

But just like Java, which was designed for flexibility, we also adapt and embrace the latest technologies and methodologies. So, this year, we launch a new concept for our interns. Two teams will work together to develop an entire application from scratch. You can choose to be part of one of our Java or Angular teams and develop the back-end or front-end of the project designed especially for you.

What to expect

For six weeks, you`ll get to deepen your knowledge regarding Java and web technologies, work with design & architectural patterns, continuous integration and so on. The Angular team will develop the front-end, while the Java team will develop the back-end, and at the end of our six-week internship program, you will get to present a whole application developed by you. Our mentors will provide you with everything you need to reach this goal.

Need more info?

From the very beginning, we`ve partnered up with the universities and developed summer internship programs for students that believe in meritocracy and are searching for opportunities to become highly skilled professionals.

If you have more questions, feel free to contact us via email or Facebook.

Here you can read what other interns thought about our program, or you can simply send us your resume on our website or contact us at internship@axonsoft.ro.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution brings opportunities across nearly every segment of the economy, from medical to energy, logistics and beyond. While leaders begin to recognize the many dimensions involved, many seniors executives are not completely prepared for Industry 4.0. A survey conducted by Deloitte reveals what sets apart the most effective leaders.

 

Deloitte`s survey, which covered more than 2.000 C-suite executives across 19 countries, shows how leaders move forward in The Fourth Industrial Revolution, and where they are making the most progress.

In the last couple of years, the interest in social impact raised and it became, in many cases, a buzzword. The good news is that the survey mentions that leaders rated “societal impact” as the most important factor when evaluating their organizations’ annual performance, ahead of financial performance and customer or employee satisfaction. Even so, only half of the respondents believe that this type of initiative can generate profit.

Another key point in preparing for Industry 4.0 is to develop effective strategies. Most of the executives admit that they struggle to do so, especially since the markets are changing faster than ever. According to the survey, their abilities to develop and share knowledge to determine effective strategies are limited. Also, the survey shows they focus on protecting their positions rather than make bold investments to drive disruption.

Through the many dimensions that the Fourth Industrial Revolution brings we can include social implication, clear vision, and collaborative organizations, investing in technology for the short term, and addressing the talent gap. The research shows four types of leaders that are making the most progress and identified what sets them apart.

Social Supers

This type of leadership is based on social initiatives. Some leaders have figured out how to generate revenue by doing good and changing products and services to be more socially or environmentally conscious. “Social Supers believe societal initiatives, more often than not, contribute to profitability and those initiatives are fundamental to their business models. Social Supers also exhibit greater rigor around decision-making and believe their workforces are ready for the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, is shown in the survey.

Data-Driven Decisives

Some executives are far more likely to lead their organizations in capitalizing on the opportunities associated with The Fourth Revolution Industry. “Data-Driven Decisives are also more likely to invest in disruptive technologies, to be concerned about the ethical use of new tech, and to train their current employees to access the skills required for Industry 4.0″, according to Deloitte.
Disruption Drivers
The Disruption Drivers are the ones who invest in technologies to upend their markets and competitors, but also invest in technology that has achieved or exceeded their intended business outcomes. “These leaders are more confident they can lead in the Industry 4.0 era (45 percent versus 32 percent) and more assured their organizations are prepared to capitalize on the opportunities associated with Industry 4.0, and they take a more holistic approach to decision-making”.

Talent Champions

As suggested by the title, this type of leadership refers to executives that are more prepared for the future than the rest of the field. They have the proper workforce, they train their employees for the future of work, and know which skill sets their companies needs. “About two-thirds have been able to generate new revenue streams through socially driven initiatives, versus half of all others surveyed”.
This research shows that leaders with these characteristics stand apart from the crowd. They are sharing a commitment to doing good, with a clear vision of the path forward. According to Deloitte, the good part is that these type of leaders are contagious, so we can expect that the number of executives with such behaviors will grow.

We spend most of our time at the office, so it`s quite fair to say that our jobs can make a huge impact on our quality of life. Since everybody admits that our working hours really affects our general happiness, each organization should carefully craft their culture and go beyond the usual benefits and perks. At AXON Soft, corporate culture is a key element and our core values are embraced by every team member. This way, we make sure that the time we spend at work has a positive impact on everyone.

Every company is unique and so should be its culture. We pride ourselves on having highly skilled professionals, but we also make sure that our people also share the same values and that every time someone reaches out to any team member from AXON Soft receives a nice and friendly answer. From top management to junior staff, everyone treats everyone as well as possible and this one of the reasons why we benefit from good people that create a professional team.

Write your story

“Humans think in stories, and we try to make sense of the world by telling stories”, says Yuval Noah Harari, best-selling author. And this couldn`t be truer. Each of us loves a good story, we relate to others stories and not only. We also identify with our company’s story. Each company culture is a reflection of what it stands for. From our perspective, employees are the only ones that can really ensure the success of any business.

Blending our employees’ cultural heritage, with our customers’ needs and our business experience is our way to reach our goals. We believe that a good manager is not only the voice of a business but also the voice of its team. Mixing all these elements, a company, regardless of its size, will prove a positive impact in areas such as engagement, retention, fulfillment, branding and so on.

Sharing the same values

Although emotional intelligence may not be the key element in defining a company`s culture, it assures the conditions to create a positive and productive culture. People can make or break a company`s culture, and this is why we, at AXON Soft, we do our best to hire people that not only share the same professional aspirations but who also believe and support the same cause. We share the same values and we are committed to them. Our CSR actions are always embraced by our team and, as often as possible, our team focuses on the ones less fortunate and look after each other.

To sum it up, from our point of view our company culture thrives a common story. We share the same vision, we work together for the same mission while keeping our values intact. Each of us helps our company write its story and, with our peoples’ help, our story is authentic and it becomes better each day.

At AXON Soft, delivering products that correspond to the highest standards of the industry it`s a must. To ensure the quality of the services, our team is using the agile methodology. After years of using it, we can definitely say that it helps us to deliver better products in a faster manner.

For our teams, agile methodology means working smarter, not harder. We have self-organized teams that are continuously providing better results for our customers. While maintaining a constant interaction with our customers, we upgrade roles and, in the end, we generate value both to our company, as well as our customers.

What agile means for AXON Soft

According to Forbes magazine, “agile organizations are connecting everyone and everything, everywhere, all the time. They are capable of delivering instant, intimate, frictionless value on a large scale”. We think that this is an accurate description of what we understand through agile methodology. We never provided our customers with the final product and say “this is it, use it”, but we used our know-how and involvement to develop exquisite applications.

As an agile company, we embraced some of the core characteristics of this methodology. First of all, we are eager and determined by delivering value to customers. Our teams share a mindset that working on relatively small tasks and getting continuous feedback from the customer is important for reaching each milestone. Last, but not least important, we encourage a transparent communicational flow and we believe that collaborating towards the common goal is vital for the project’s success.

Benefits of agile methodology

During the last decade, agile proved to boost the development process, while adjusting the issues and defects more quickly and efficiently. From our point of view, the benefits can be briefly reduced to delivering better products in a faster manner. Though agile means less formal and more flexible processes, we consider it to be a perfect fit for us. From our experience, it offers increased flexibility, greater productivity, higher quality and frequency of collaboration and feedback.

When we talk about emotional intelligence we usually don`t see any connection between this concept and a software developer. If you think so too, prepare to change your perspective since more and more professionals admit that emotional intelligence becomes a key element in this field.

 

At AXON Soft, we believe that building a team of professionals who complement one another in terms of skills, experience and approach are essential to reaching our goal. As the business environment changes at an increasing rate, emotional intelligence (EQ) is a crucial challenge for project management. The lack of professionals in software development, the unlimited possibilities they have or the personality mismatch that tends to occur are just a few reasons why EQ became an important element in the recruiting process. Keeping in mind the fact that most employees don`t succeed in their roles simply because they don’t fit the team and they embrace the company culture, it`s only fair to focus on one`s EQ in the recruiting process.

As you probably know, the emotional intelligence can be defined through five elements:

– self-awareness (understanding your emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives, values, and goals, while understanding their impact on others)

– self-regulation (controlling your emotions and adapting to change)

– motivation (your drive to succeed)

– empathy (keeping in mind other people`s feeling when making a decision)

– social skills (the ability to manage your relationships in order to move people in the desired direction).

Why EQ matters

Emotionally intelligent employers choose the way they react in almost any situation. If we try to refer to EQ in one sentence, we would probably say that is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand what they’re telling you, and realize how they affect your relationships and activity. Keeping in mind the fact that any software project is developed by a team, it`s only natural that if the team bonds and understands each other, it`s more predictable to achieve their goals. But if you don`t pride yourself with an impressive EQ, don`t worry –  we can develop our EQ through the life.

How to boost your EQ

Emotional intelligence is considered to be the ultimate soft skill and companies are more and more involved in helping employees improve their EQ.

According to Forbes managers can also help build EQ on existing teams if following a few simple steps. For sure, one of the most important aspects is that the team leaders to be emotionally self-aware and in control. This way, employees will feel valued and they can learn to separate emotions from personality.

Also, it`s not the first time we say this, but at AXON Soft we really think that feedback should be a routine and that it helps people become better and better. An emotionally intelligent leader will be able to control his reaction if the reactions are not the ones expected and can respond properly.

Last, but not least, by learning to control emotions, a team becomes more powerful and this can provide a big payoff in any business.